• Close to half of parents surveyed also associate sport with social interaction.
  • Nike’s new playbook ‘Five minutes more’ showcases that kids can learn courage, creativity, confidence and more, through sport.

Saudi Arabia: New research, conducted by YouGov and commissioned by Nike Middle East, has been revealed today to understand the perceived benefits of kids in the UAE and KSA playing sports. Ahead of the launch of Nike’s new playbook entitled ‘Five minutes more’, the research aims to underscore the relationship that kids have with sport, and to educate parents on how to ‘plan for play’.

The survey, undertaken by 1,010 parents across the UAE and KSA, found 79 percent of parents in the UAE and 62 percent in KSA thought the main benefit of having their children participating in sport was for physical fitness and/or development. The findings show that there is still an age-old perception that sport is only done to remain physically fit, whereas Nike want to demonstrate that there are many transferable skills kids can learn from doing sport.

The survey was conducted as part of Nike’s ‘Sport is never done’ campaign, aimed at highlighting lifelong benefits of physical play for kids. As part of this, Nike Middle East has published a playbook called ‘Five Minutes More’, which invites parents and kids to discover the benefits of sport together by combining interactive storytelling with practical advice on how to ‘plan for play’.

Parents in the UAE and KSA are aware of some of the benefits of doing sport that Nike aims to highlight in the playbook. It was identified in the same survey that general wellbeing, mental health and social interaction were among the top benefits of having kids participate in sports. The survey also highlighted that 44 percent of parents in the UAE and 36 percent in KSA see that sport allows their kids to learn the feeling of winning and losing, additionally 31 percent in UAE and 29 percent in KSA recognized that sport lets their kids understand the importance of persistence and determination. The playbook aims to bring these skills to the forefront of the conversation with parents.

The survey showed us that there is still a perception that sport is only done to remain physically fit when the reality is that there are so many additional transferrable skills kids can master to help them thrive in their adult lives. We want to raise awareness of sport-related benefits beyond just the physical and draw greater focus on essential soft skill development that equips kids with the tools to be successful. ‘Five minutes more’ was manifested out of passion and a proven belief that collaborative play and interaction between parents and kids accelerates cognitive development in a fun and engaging way,” said Mohamed Bodiat, Senior Vice President Brands, Sports from GMG, Nike's official distributor in the Middle East.

‘Five minutes more’, aptly named after a phrase most parents have heard from their children on at least one occasion, showcases the relationships kids have with a variety of sports including skating, climbing, running and breakdancing. The playbook is designed for kids and parents to read together to show parents that their kids can learn courage, creativity, confidence and many more life skills, through participating in sport.

The complementary book will be available in hardback from select Nike stores across the region and the digital eBook can be downloaded from 25 October 2022 through www.nikeneverdone.com.

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About the survey

YouGov’s survey conducted on behalf of Nike was undertaken by 1,010 respondents from Untied Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 3rd to 5th October. The survey was conducted online and was carried out using a structured quantitative questionnaire. The survey was administered in English or Arabic as per the respondent’s preference and the target audience for the survey were parents of kids aged between 5 and 18 years.

About Nike

At Nike, we believe that the future of sport is creative, inclusive, and unlimited in possibility. That’s because the next generation isn’t thinking about how they can create change when they grow up—they’re leading the way now.

For us, it all starts with listening to the voice of the athlete. It means that we are listening to an entirely new generation of athletes – athletes with a perspective on their world and a relationship to sport that’s unlike any other generation that’s come before. We recognise the emotional and physical barriers that kids today face – in sport and in life.

The more we listen, the more we learn. And the more excited we are about the chance to redefine sport with and for a new generation. We believe play is the gateway. We want you to remember that you don’t do Sports – you Play Sports and we want to inspire every athlete – to play more and play faster.

For more information, please contact: wswdubnike@webershandwick.com

About YouGov

YouGov is an international online research data and analytics technology group.  

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At the core of our platform is an ever-growing source of connected consumer data that has developed daily over our 20 years of operation. We call it living data. All of our products and services draw upon this detailed understanding of our 20+ million registered panel members to deliver accurate, actionable consumer insights.  

As innovators and pioneers of online market research, we have a strong reputation as a trusted source of accurate data and insights. Testament to this, YouGov data is regularly referenced by the global press, and we are the second most quoted market research source in the world.  

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