Medical professionals advise that the best way to stay physically active and healthy is to do any sport of your liking. For some amateur sports, all one needs is free time and simple sports props, but professional playing requires expensive training and equipment.
And, of course, a glorious career can be born out of it!
Many professional athletes started as young children and built professional careers due to the proper training and dedication. Sports like volleyball, football, swimming, and basketball are played by children and adults worldwide, as those sports do not need much to begin with.
But you will never see a child sliding down in a bobsleigh or flying a hot air balloon because they do not have the money and the expensive equipment required for the said sport.
Not every sport is accessible or available to everyone, but if you have enough money to try out your interest, this list of the most expensive sports in the world is ideal for you!
9. Hot Air Balloon Racing
First Played Country: France, 1783
Equipment: Skis, Jumping Slope
photo source: Microsoft
Possibly the most exciting sport on this list is Air Balloon Racing. The first balloon flight happened in France in 1783 by French aviator Jean Pierre Blanchard. Fast forward to today, Hot Air Balloon Racing has been gaining much popularity in recent years because of the combined fun with flying.
If you wish to ride a balloon for an hour, you will need around $300. But if you want to race professionally, you will need to buy a very expensive hot air balloon which can cost up to $20,000. Besides this, the training for driving and safety precautions can be around $3,000.
Did you know?
China is considered to have invented hot air balloons as early as the 3rd century BCE. After France started playing with design, they put animals to test the success of their innovation. The most significant innovator was Zhuge Liang, a military inventor who created hot air balloons to send messages to army troops.
8. Bobsleigh
First Played Country: Switzerland, 1897
Equipment: Sleigh, Racing Uniforms, Helmets, Two/Four-Person Team
photo source: Olympics
Bobsledding, or Bobsleigh, is a four-team winter sport of sleighing down the narrow, twisted iced tracks on the gravity-powered sleigh. This sport made its debut in the 2002 Olympic Games as a team sport for two or four people, but it can also be an individual activity.
Bobsleigh is an expensive sport to train for, as the bobsled could cost up to $25,000. Add training grounds, expanses of professional training, and the rest of the equipment to this, and the cost can reach $100,000. The training and competing ground are bobsled tracks that can be curved up to 135°.
Did you know?
The first bobsleds or bobsleighs were built in Switzerland in the late 19th century by wealthy tourists from Victorian Britain, who used hand-built contraptions made of wood to slide down the famous street in Alpine resort St. Moritz.
7. Ski Jumping
First Played Country: Norway, 1808
Equipment: Skis, Jumping Slope
photo source: Redbull
Ski Jumping is a professional winter sport in which competitors aim to jump the farthest after sliding down a specially designed ramp. When you realize the only necessary equipment are two skis, you would think this is not an expensive sport to take part in. But it is anything but that.
This Winter Olympic Games sport is the most expensive style of skiing as the jumper needs around $100,000 for equipment, training, ski jumping slope, and a team of professional coaches. This sport is also dangerous as skiers are required to jump from a height of 165 feet, reaching a speed of 75 mph.
Did you know?
Ski Jumping was a part of the Winter Olympics since 1924, women’s participation following soon after. All major ski jumping tournaments are organized by the International Ski Federation. Austrian skier Stefan Kraft holds the record for the world’s longest ski jump with 832 feet.
6. Tennis
First Played Country: England, 1873
Equipment: Racket, Shoes, Ball, Court, Professional Team
photo source: Pixabay
If you think about tennis when someone talks about the most expensive sports today, you have the correct answer. Tennis used to be regarded as the sport for the wealthy, but it has become popular worldwide over the last couple of decades – no matter the status, age, or bank account.
According to the U.S. Tennis Association, a professional tennis player spends around $143,000 per season on equipment, training, and a team of experts. Tennis players are also some of the most paid sportsmen in the world due to the large prize pools and expensive worldwide sponsors.
Did you know?
Tennis tournaments are some of the most watched sporting events in the world. The most famous tennis tournament is Wimbledon, with around 7.5 million television viewers and 500,000 fans attending the All Legend Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London in 2022.
5. Pentathlon
First Played Country: Ancient Greece, 708 BC
Equipment: Swimming Cap/Suit; Fencing Mask/Épée; Horse/Riding Uniform; Laser Pistol; Running Shoes
photo source: Sportz Craazy
Pentathlon is one of the most expensive sports to play today – if you want to turn professional. It is a five-event sport that includes swimming, fencing, horse riding, pistol shooting, and running. The cost of training, a team of experts, and different equipment are staggering.
Some might say those who aren’t the best at one sport play them all, but success in Modern Pentathlon is challenging to achieve. And for that, you would have to be above average in five different activities with immense physical strength and stamina.
Did you know?
As of the 2020 Olympic Games, the rules have changed a bit, as Pentathlon consists of three separate events for swimming, fencing, and equestrian (horseback riding), which determines the starting time for each athlete. The last event alternates between laser pistol shooting and almost 2 miles of running.
4. Sailing
First Played Country: New York, 1900s
Equipment: Sailboat, Goggles, Wet Suit, Life Jacket, Professional Crew
photo source: US Sailing
Probably the oldest sport on our list, Sailing dates back to 3100 BCE in Egypt before Austronesian people developed oceangoing sailing technologies. Today, Sailing is one of the most expensive sports to play, as participants need an expensive sailboat, a trained crew, and a lot of equipment maintenance.
Sailboats can cost between $100,000 and $700,000, and even though this might seem like a one-time investment, the sailing season is summer, so the equipment needs maintenance during the whole year, which can cost great money. The crews also usually have 2-6 members.
Did you know?
Sailing has been a part of the Olympic Games since 1896, making it one of the longest-running Olympic disciplines still active today. The world-record sailing speed is 65.45 knots or 75 mph, held by Australian sailor Paul Larsen.
3. Equestrianism
First Played Country: France, 1900s
Equipment: Horse, Saddles, Halters, Reins, Harness, Bridles
photo source: Robb Report
Any sport depending on animal training is more expensive than without them, especially if that sport relies on horses and their training. Equestrianism is a riding sport that involves show jumping and dressage, in which the rider takes the horse through different obstacles in well-trained routines.
This sport isn’t for anyone if we exclude the status and wealth, as it requires extensive training and building a trusted connection with your racehorse. Equestrian events were first held in the modern Olympic Games in 1900, and by 1912 we had three disciplines in the Olympic equestrian events.
Did you know?
The three Olympic disciplines, recognized by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), are physical training of the horse or dressage, show jumping, in which the horses are trained to finish jumping routines, and eventing or combined training of the first two.
2. Formula One
First Played Country: England, 1950
Equipment: Car, Balaclava, Car Wings, Professional Crew, Cockpits, Safety Equipment
photo source: Formula 1
If we exclude the No.1 most expensive sport on our list due to the geographical limitations of the players, then Formula One is the most costly sport worldwide. Very few people can afford to train or compete on their own, and sponsors do not rush to invest in just anyone interested in racing.
Formula 1 Racing was created in 1950 in Silverstone, England, where only a couple of races were included in the championship series. Today, drivers follow strict rules regarding their weight, engine power, aerodynamics, and fuel consumption, so it’s not as easy as being a good driver.
Did you know?
One Formula 1 race can cost the driver and his team up to $200,000, and there are 22 Grand Prix races in a season. The current champion is Max Verstappen, a Dutch racing driver competing with the Red Bull Racing team.
1. Whitianga Festival of Speed
First Played Country: New Zealand, 2009
Equipment: Jet ski, Helicopter, Powerboat, Parachute
photo source: Wikipedia
The most expensive sport in the world is the Whitianga Festival of Speed, native to New Zealand, specifically in the town of Whitianga.
This sport is not an activity you train for, like the previous sports on our list, as it is a bizarre race between jet skis, helicopters, parachutes, and powerboats.
The Festival of Speed began in 2009 and had over twenty motorsport events held annually. The necessary equipment is not easy to get, as you would need expensive vehicles to compete. And owning and taking care of helicopters, fast cars, jet skis, and powerboats takes a lot of money.
Did you know?
Among different races and events, the one that always brings in the most viewers is a rally car vs. helicopter racing, jet ski racing, and offshore power boats vs. helicopters race. The festival gets around 15,000-20,000 spectators annually.
