A Social Technology Revolution

Alt-Athletes have little interest in sitting in the stands and rooting for a traditional sports team. They don’t want to watch—they want to play. While the Alt-Athlete may not be clearly identifiable by the team logo they wear on a jersey or hat, they are the fastest-growing market—76% of all regular exercisers are millennials—with a thirst for new products and technological advances that help them reach that next goal.

We are in the early days of a social technology revolution that is transforming solo activity into team fitness. Once fiercely individualistic, the Alt-Athletes are banding together around shared achievement. Networked by smartphones and social media, they crave connection with their fellow enthusiasts. Video channels featuring Alt-Athletics draw millions of views and make individual athletes famous. New competitions and events are selling more tickets and packing in rowdier crowds. The sweaty sports fringe is going mass-market.