‘Raised heart rate, a rush of adrenaline and feeling energised’: More than half of sports fans say spectating is a workout in itself
- Over half (59%) say just spectating sport makes them feel like they’ve had a workout of their own
- Sport spectators report an increase in heart rate (42%), an adrenaline rush (30%), tensing of muscles (32%), an inability to sit still (38%) and overall energy boost (88%)
- New formula, devised by EDF in partnership with Sports, Exercise and Health Scientist, Dr. Dale Esliger, at Loughborough University, shows that energised watching of a 90-minute football match could burn up to 540 calories – which could equate to a 45-minute run
- The ‘Power of Celebration’ formula marks the launch of EDF’s new Change is in our Power campaign, enabling sports fans to calculate their own energy expenditures from the sofa
- To further show power in change, EDF is giving three households the chance to win a solar package, worth £9,000
With Brits set to watch almost 10 hours of sport a week this summer, new research by EDF finds sofa spectating could give rise to similar bodily reactions and energy expenditures as actually playing sport.
Despite not being physically involved in the sport, 42% of fans report experiencing an increase in heart rate when watching at home, alongside an adrenaline rush (30%), tensing of muscles (32%) and an inability to sit still (38%).
A quarter (25%) say they experience faster breathing, sweating (18%) and a rise in body temperature (12%). With nearly a third (30%) feeling energised after watching sport, over half (59%) say just spectating makes them feel like they’ve done a workout of their own.
The study was conducted by EDF to mark the launch of its Change is in our Power campaign, which shows how it is leading change by building the infrastructure and generating the zero carbon electricity that Britain needs for a cleaner, more secure future. To put the findings to the test, EDF has devised a new scientific formula in partnership with Dr. Dale Esliger, a Sports, Exercise and Health Scientist at Loughborough University, which shows that energised watching of a 90-minute football match could burn up to 540 calories.
The ‘Power of Celebration’ formula takes factors such as the way sport is watched, the intensity of the spectators’ celebrations and their body weight into account and enables sports fans to calculate their own energy expenditures.
The Power of Celebration formula in practice
- A football fan weighing 80kg watches a 90-minute match whilst sitting and fidgeting and reacts vigorously by jumping, air punching or shouting for three quarters of the match, could burn up to 540 calories – which could equate to a 45-minute run.
- A tennis fan weighing 80kg watches a three-hour match whilst sitting and talking, celebrates moderately by clapping and cheering often, could burn up to 432 calories - which could equate to a 60-minute swim
- An athletics fan weighing 80kg watches for 60 minutes whilst just sitting and physically reacts moderately by jumping to their feet and pacing a quarter of the time, could burn up to 162 calories - which could equate to a 30-minute walk.
- An archery fan weighing 80kg watches a 60-minute match whilst just sitting and physically reacts lightly by clapping and nail biting a quarter of the time, could burn up to 106 calories - which could equate to a 15-minute cycle.
The data also showed the sports that get us most physically excited are football (58%), tennis (19%) and athletics (15%), leading to common physical reactions including screaming and shouting (52%), air punching (36%), nail biting (16%) and dancing (12%).
Elsewhere, a whopping 88% say watching sport with others gives them an energy boost and one in five (19%) believe it exerts more energy than playing cricket, golf or practising yoga.
But it’s not just watching sport that’s left Brits feeling energised, 55% say the summer of sporting celebrations (and commiserations) has encouraged them to make changes to their exercise regime and get active.
For 37%, this means an increase of 31 to 60 minutes of exercise per week, with most Brits (75%) powering home set-ups such as YouTube video workouts (29%), fitness trackers or workout apps (19%),and equipment including treadmills (18%), weights (31%) and exercise bikes (21%).
Many are even combining the two, with 46% having watched or listened to sporting events while undertaking a form of exercise such as walking (20%), running (17%) and cycling (12%).
To show there is power in change, EDF is giving three households the chance to win a solar package, worth £9,000, so they can start producing their own energy to help Britain achieve net zero.*
Philippe Commaret, Managing Director of Customers at EDF, said, “The summer of sport has given the nation a real energy boost and it’s exciting to see people getting inspired to change their approach to exercise or try new things. From generating zero carbon electricity to installing EV chargers, solar panels and heat pumps, our new campaign shows how we're changing the way we're powering the nation, one home at a time. We’re proud to be part of this change, as well as charging up new exercise regimes and powering the love of sports spectatorship.”
Dr. Dale Esliger, a Sports, Exercise and Health Scientist at Loughborough University, who created the Power of Celebration Formula, remarks, “It's great to see the research from EDF provides further support to the evidence-base that watching sport is positively associated with wellbeing and vitality, especially as we enter a summer packed with thrilling events where people gather with family and friends.
“By combining how we watch sport with the intensity of our celebrations, and considering factors including body weight and overall duration, the innovative Power of Celebration’ formula allows sports fans to quantify their own energy expenditure while enjoying the excitement of the games.”
Head to https://www.edfenergy.com/zero-carbon-home-competition to enter the EDF Change is in our Power prize draw to be in with the chance of winning a solar package worth £9,000.*
About EDF
EDF is driving the transition towards An Electric Britain – a secure, affordable, low-carbon future for everyone. As Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity, we are investing more than £100 million weekly in Britain’s electricity infrastructure. We supply millions of customers with electricity and help homes and businesses switch to electricity for heating, transport and industrial processes.
We operate five nuclear power stations and more than 35 onshore wind farms and three offshore wind farms. Since 2009, EDF has invested almost £9 billion in the nuclear fleet to improve reliability and extend station lifetimes. The five generating stations currently supply about 12% of the UK’s electricity demand.
EDF is building the UK's nuclear renaissance with the construction of a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C. We are a minority investor (12.5%) in and major supplier to a replica plant at Sizewell C in Suffolk. Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C will provide low carbon electricity to meet 14% of UK demand and power around 12 million homes. EDF Group companies Framatome and Arabelle Solutions have a presence in the UK and manufacture critical equipment such as reactor pressure vessels and turbines.
EDF is enabling its 5 million customers, both in business and at home, to choose electric solutions that save cash and carbon, whether it is buying an electric car, generating and storing electricity, selling energy back to the grid or installing solar panels or a heat pump. In 2025, EDF’s Customers business was ranked as one of the Sunday Times’s Best Place to Work.
It is also one of the UK’s leading developers of renewable energy through EDF power solutions UK and Ireland. We have more than 2GW of renewable generation in operation and over 10GW in construction, planning and development across a range of technologies including onshore and offshore wind, solar and battery storage.
We are one of the largest suppliers to British business and a leading supplier of innovative energy solutions that are helping businesses become more energy independent. In addition, the company’s energy services business, Dalkia, one of the UK and Ireland’s largest technical service providers.
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