Return to growth for professional sport. - According to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers, professional sport is recovering well from the economic and financial crisis that affected the sector in 2008 and 2009. Also, there are growing signs of globalisation in the sports market. Total worldwide revenues from professional sport are forecast to increase over the next four years, at an annual average rate of +3.38% between 2009 and 2013. The market will represent $133 billion in 2013 (compared to $114 billion in 2009), boosted by surges in spending in the FIFA World Cup that has just taken place and the Olympic Games of 2012. There will be two main areas, namely North America and Europe. The major tendencies per region are as follows: 1) North America (United States and Canada): The average annual growth rate between 2009 and 2013 will be +3.6%, increasing from $55 billion in 2009 to $6.3 billion in 2013. The North American market declined by -4.7% in 2009 followed by a rebound beginning in 2010, with positive growth forecast every year through to 2013. Sponsorships will be the fastest growing category at 4.2% compounded annually. Underlying growth in media rights and gate revenues will be 2.7% and 3.3% compounded annually. - 2) EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa): The average annual rate of growth will be +4.1% from $39.4 billion in 2009 to $46.3 billion in 2013. The EMEA market declined by -6.9% in 2009. Decline forecast in 2011 and 2013 will be offset by rises in 2010 and 2012, reflecting the World Cup in 2010 and the London Olympics and Euro 2012, all hosted in EMEA. Sponsorships will be the fastest-growing category of revenue with annual growth of +5.3%. - 3) Latin America: The overall annual growth rate will be +4.3% for this region, from $2.6 billion in 2009 to $3.1 billion in 2013. The Latin American sports market declined by -1.7% in 2009 but there was a rebound of +11.1% in 2010. The market will have stronger gains during 2012-13 as economic conditions improve. Media rights is the largest category of revenue in Latin America, the only region where that is the case. It will also be the fastest growing category during the next four years, with a projected 6.4% overall growth rate. - 4) Asia Pacific: The overall average growth rate will be +3.9%, from $17.3 billion in 2009 to $20.2 billion in 2013. In 2008, the sector expanded by +14.7% reflecting the Beijing Olympic Games, followed by a decline of -4.6% in 2009. Growth is forecast to remain positive from 2010 to 2013. Sponsorship revenue will be the fastest-growing component of the sports market, rising at a 4.4% compound annual rate. (I.L./transl.jl)