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The global sports industry is expected to bounce back from the recession by growing almost four per cent in four years, boosted by the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 Olympics.

A PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report, Back on Track – the Outlook for the Global Sports Market, estimates that global sports spending will rise from $114bn in 2009 to $133bn in 2013, representing a compound annual growth rate of 3.8 per cent over the four years.

Growth is predicted across all territories from the larger and more mature markets of North America (3.6 per cent), and Europe, Middle East and Africa (4.1 per cent), to the smaller markets of Asia Pacific (3.9 per cent), and Latin America (4.3 per cent) over the four years.

Julie Clark, UK head of sport at PwC, said: "Stripping out the effects of major one-off events, an underlying trend of steadily rising spending is emerging. Long-term contracts will to some degree insulate media rights from the downturn, and as a result media is the only category where spending for ongoing events increased in 2009. However, weak conditions in the advertising market have been limiting renewal increases since then."

The report predicts that total gate revenues will expand from $43.2bn in 2009 to $49bn in 2013 and remain the largest component of the market. However, income from gate revenues varies greatly from country to country, often reflecting factors such as the local economy and peoples’ disposable income.

Clark added: "Recessionary conditions have driven some innovations. In the US, for example, a number of sports teams are using dynamic ticket pricing, similar to the yield management models used by airlines and hotels."

Sponsorship will be the fastest-growing sector ($29.4bn in 2009 to $35.2bn in 2013), according to the report, and despite the economic downturn, the largest sports brands with global reach and pulling-power have continued to attract huge sponsorship deals.

But the mid-level brands or smaller sports brands targeting a local market have been hit badly and, unsurprisingly, some of those businesses (such as banks) that were actively investing in sponsorship deals during 2009 shifted their spending priorities elsewhere.

PwC says broadcast media rights revenues will experience growth from $23.1bn in 2009 to $26.7bn four years later. However, the biggest challenge for all players in the media rights market is how to protect and monetise rights in a multi-platform world of “pervasive - and often freely-available” digital content – an issue with which both the music and film industries have grappled.

Clark continued: "Sport companies, businesses and the way the marketplace operates confirm that it is now a truly global industry where technology has contributed to the globalisation of both the industry and specific sports.

"However, great sports have deep and enduring local roots which in turn help to shape their global commercial potential and reach. To win in the 21st century sports environment, it’s vital to think globally and act locally."