The New Religion of Shared Experience: Millennials and Participatory Sports

Millennials seem to be the constant object of think-piece headlines, blamed for killing countless industries without so much as looking up from their phones. In reality, however, they play as much of a role in building new industries as they might in hurting older ones. A McKinsey consumer survey found that the wellness-oriented generation outspends both Generation X and baby boomers on entertainment- and fitness-related memberships. This trend has led to increased interest in brand-fueled movements like SoulCycle, CrossFit, and Camp Grounded, a summer camp for adults that promotes digital detoxing. At Spartan, we’ve seen this first hand with millennials comprising our largest demographic. This study is not the only one that has taken note of millennial interest in such activities. According to research from Harvard Divinity School, fewer millennials are taking part in traditional religious practice. Instead, they are turning to other connective experiences and purpose-driven initiatives for a sense of belonging and community long provided by houses of worship. Chief among these outlets are those very same exercise classes and other such participatory sports.

Humans are community-oriented creatures. According to research in Psychology Today, the social support offered by communities has been crucial to our survival since the time of hunter-gathering communities. For most of human history thereafter, religion has played this role in our lives, fulfilling our essential need for that support. But in recent years, religiosity has experienced a rapid global decline. Pew research has found that 60% of American adults do not affiliate with a religion or are what many call religious “nones.” Another Pew surveyshows that millennials make up the lion’s share of these “nones” with 35% of all adult millennials identifying as such, more than twice the percentage of Boomers who feel the same. In short, religion is no longer a major source of community for young people. This isolation is only exacerbated in our digital age, especially for millennials. The authors of the Harvard Divinity study put it aptly when they say this generation is “both more globally connected and more locally isolated than ever before.”

We tend to think of millennials as satisfied by digital connection alone, prioritizing selfies over in-the-moment experiences, but at Spartan we’re finding that’s just not true.  In fact, they are jumping at the opportunity for in-person connection, with participatory experiential sports being just one source of it. But, as Harvard’s research notes, it is not just the sheer fact of community that appeals to millennials. In a report on a study conducted by the Association for Psychological Science, lead researcher Erica Boothby of Yale University said: “We often think that what matters in social life is being together with others, but we’ve found it also really matters what those people are doing.” There are tangible, scientific reasons why experiential phenomena in general are gaining traction and growing in popularity. The same study found that sharing an experience with another person — good or bad — makes the experience more potent.

But what is it about these classes in particular that is resonating with so many young people in a way that religion has resonated with generations past? It is worth noting that though many young people do not affiliate with a given religion, an increasing number identify as “spiritual but not religious.” Participatory experiential sports like Spartan often emphasize not just physical but inner strength, as well as other ideas about human spirit that can’t be measured in minutes or miles. “Strikingly, spaces traditionally meant for exercise have become the locations of shared, transformative experience,” the Harvard Divinity study says. Some of these brands even make that sentiment explicit — see SoulCycle (emphasis added). While this may seem like a bit of a stretch, just think of how often you hear someone casually refer to a habit or activity — especially a physical one — as something they do “religiously” or the frequent jokes about these brands’ “cult-like” followings, the same study points out. Even if those comments are tongue-in-cheek or don’t aim to compare an obstacle course or yoga studio to a church, it speaks volumes about both the sense of connection or fulfillment these activities can provide.

At Spartan, we see this fulfillment at every obstacle course and racetrack. We see that something special that happens when individuals with shared beliefs gather to support each other, lift each other up, and devote themselves to a common cause. Spartan races are difficult, they take physical and mental grit as well as the avid support of other racers. And when people face up against a mud pit or a fifth round of burpees, there is an undeniable spiritual element — a flash of faith and communal support that pushes a racer to the finish line. Take this example from Spartan racer and brand advocate, Joe Wein: “I’m not the most athletic guy in the world. But I’ve completed 15 Spartan Races in my life. When I get to the end, no matter how long it takes me, I feel like I’m on the Olympic podium. It’s about the feeling of community around you that makes this such a spiritual experience. That’s why I keep going back.” Lastly, the act of talking about these kinds of positive experiences with others is proven to boost overall mental health as much as these experiences themselves. Data from five different research studies demonstrates that people who share their positive experiences increase overall happiness and life satisfaction. That’s why, at Spartan, we proactively support the strong community engagement that happens naturally as the result of training hard and racing together. We encourage race participants to post their times and tell their stories. Call it “a new religion” or simply passion, but this sense of being “in it together” — of doing something incredibly challenging and a little bit crazy — is what makes the worldwide Spartan community so strong.