Estimation of Sports Demand in Iranian Household

The purpose of this study was to investigate the position of sport spending in Iranian households' consumption basket, to estimate sport demand and to calculate income elasticity.

In order to achieve this goal, using the cost and income data of the household in 2017, first, the status of sports expenses was assessed based on the household economic characteristics and then the sport demand was estimated using the Tobit model.

The results show a very small contribution of 0.15 and 0.27% of sports expenses to the total cost of rural and urban households. The results of the model estimation show that the increase in income, the literate of household's supervisor and the average age of youngest child in the household will increase the cost of sports. While increasing the age of the head of household and raising household members has a negative effect on sports expenses. Based on estimates, income elasticity of sports expenditure are equal to 1.1, which means the Sports is a luxury goods.

Given the luxury of sport for Iranian households, the role of government institutions in building infrastructure and enhancing sports participation to promote community health is crucial. Accordingly, low-income households, Households with illiterate supervisor, retirees and villagers should be considered by the planners and policymakers of the country's sports sector.