A recent study reveals a disturbing statistic: the five-year trend for all sports participation continues to show declines. From 2008-2012, soccer participation dropped by 7.1 percent, baseball participation fell by 7.2 percent and basketball participation declined by 8.3 percent.
However, football showed the smallest decline, 5.4 percent, over the same span. In fact, this study shows the number of football players 8 or younger increased by 10.2 percent from 2012 to 2013.
-Source: Sports and Fitness Industry Association, USA Football