Analyzing Travel Patterns of Recreational Football Leagues in Germany: Regional Disparities and League Levels

Purpose

Despite its health-enhancing effects on the individual, the effect of organized sports on the planet’s health is concerning. Previous studies have already investigated the impact of professional sports on planetary health, but there is a dearth of research on the sustainability of grassroots level sports. This study was designed to explore travel distances in recreational football league play and compare regional differences in Germany.

Methods:

Data were obtained from the football associations' websites for the 2022-23 season, encompassing club addresses participating in different recreational level regional leagues. To examine the influence of population densities and gender on travel distances, data were collected separately for women's and men's leagues in the three regions of Berlin, Süd-Baden, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Travel distances for each team and different leagues for one season of game play were calculated using Google Maps, providing a comprehensive understanding of travel patterns within the leagues.

Results:

The analysis showed significant effects of league levels and population density on travel patterns in recreational football leagues in Germany. In general, more competitive league levels were associated with increased travel distances. Furthermore, population density demonstrated a notable impact, with teams located in regions of higher population density having to travel less. Findings suggest that optimizing league play based on geographic proximity could contribute to reducing travel distances and enhancing the sustainability of recreational football leagues.

Conclusion

Despite some limitations, this study explored travel distances and thus the environmental impact of recreational league play. The large number of recreational leagues and games played make it important to lower travel distances by re-organizing league play. Alternative modes of play would reduce travel emissions in recreational league play.