| Americans Spend More Than $8 Billion on Sports Logo Apparel |
Adult Americans spent more than $8 billion on sports logo apparel in 2009, according to a new study being released by the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA). "Sports Logo Apparel Market 2010," based on a consumer study of 20,000 U.S. households, provides dollar consumer purchases on sports logo apparel for 14 sports activities. It profiles the fans who attended or viewed the activity, the dollars they spent and the place(s) they purchased the apparel. In the study, adults are defined as Americans 16 years of age and older. Men were bigger spenders than women. Of the $8.02 billion spent, males accounted for 60.9% of all purchases. Females accounted for the balance, 39.1%. Regionally, for the 14 sports activities, sports fans in the South accounted for the highest percentage of dollar purchases, 34.9%. The other three regions were fairly close in percentage of purchases. The North Central region captured 23.6% of purchases; the Northeast, 22.3%; and the West, 19.2%. If one measures by dollars, the Northeast provides the most loyal fans. Although only 18.2% of the U.S. population, fans in the Northeast accounted for 22.3% of the dollars spent on sports logo apparel. In the report, individual sport activity tables (each 16 pages in length) are provided for: Auto Racing: Indy Car; Auto Racing: NASCAR Cup; Baseball: MLB; Baseball: Minor League; Basketball: NBA; Basketball: College; Football: NFL; Football: College; Golf: PGA; Hockey: NHL; Hockey: Minor League; Soccer: MLS; Tennis; Mixed Martial Arts: UFC, WEC, and WCL. Within each table, both the number of purchasers and dollars spent on purchases are reported. Average dollars spent per purchaser is reported for each demographic (gender, age, household income and region of the country). Place of purchase is reported by stadium/arena, Internet/online, sporting goods store, department/discount store and other. Dollars spent is also reported by attendance at or viewership (television, Internet, mobile) of sports activities. The 266-page report is marketed by NSGA from research prepared for SBRnet by Irwin Broh Research, a company nationally recognized for its work in the sports and leisure field. Price of the report to NSGA members is $270, to non-members, $340. For additional information, contact Dan Kasen at NSGA, 1601 Feehanville Drive, Suite 300, Mount Prospect, Ill. 60056-6035. Phone: (847) 296-6742 x108; dkasen@nsga.org; fax: (847) 391-9827; or visit the NSGA website, www.nsga.org. |
| December Captures Greatest Monthly Sales in Sporting Goods Stores |
Analyzing sales for 2009 as reported in the Monthly Retail Trade Survey prepared by the U.S. Census Bureau, December captured the greatest monthly sales, $4.96 billion of the year's $37.4 billion sales in sporting goods stores. The December sales represented 13.3% of 2009 total sales, versus 12.4% of December sales in 2008. It is the highest percentage of monthly sales for December since 2005, when December had captured 13.6% of annual sales.
After December, months showing the greatest percent increase were October, March and January, with positive changes of 0.4%, 0.3% and 0.3% respectively. The other nine months showed changes ranging from -0.5% to +0.2%.
If one looks at the Holiday Season (Nov-Dec), it rose to 21.0% of annual sales versus 20.0% the previous year. Back-to-School (Aug-Sept) captured 14.7% of 2009 sales versus 14.1% the previous year.
For 2009, the percent of sales by month were: January, 6.6%; February, 6.4%; March 7.8%; April, 8.0%; May, 8.4%; June, 8.9%; July, 8.7%; August, 9.4%; September, 7.6%; October, 7.1%; November, 7.8%; and December, 13.3%.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates are based on data from the Monthly Retail Trade Survey, Annual Retail Trade Survey, and administrative records and have been adjusted using results of the most recent economic census.
|
| Soccer and Formula One Racing Lead Interest of European Sports Fans |
 Soccer and Formula One auto racing attract the highest level of interest among European sports fans, but the level of interest varies by country, according to the new ESPN Sports Poll Europe. Initial results are based on 500 online interviews conducted in January in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. Monthly surveys will continue throughout the year, with detailed findings and trends reported on a quarterly basis.
With soccer attracting the highest level of interest in each of the five countries, 43% of fans in Spain describe themselves as "very interested" in the sport. Only 22% of fans in France described themselves as "very interested." The chart reflects the percentage of people in each country who were "Very Interested" in each sport, which the Sports Poll defines as "Avid Fans." In Italy, 36% were avid soccer fans; in Germany, 31%; and in the U.K., 29%.
Formula One attracted the second highest percentage of avid fans in all countries, except France. Rugby took the second position there. In Spain, 34% of the population described themselves as avid Formula One fans; in Italy, 28%; in the U.K., 20%; and in Germany, 19%. In France, where 20% of the population indicated they were avid rugby fans, only 15% described themselves as avid Formula One fans.
Sports attracting the third highest percentage of avid fans varied by country. In Germany, it was skiing and handball, each with 11%. In Italy, it was motorcycle racing at 24%. In Spain and the U.K., it was men's tennis at 31% and 13% respectively.
The study, conducted for ESPN by TSN, also measured media habits of the respondents. Among people with online access, usage of the digital space for sport information is high, but also varies by country. The survey asked, "Do you ever use the Internet to access sports information?" Fans in Spain were the highest users, 63%. Those in France the lowest, 47%. Fans in Germany, Italy and the U.K reported 59%, 58% and 52% usage respectively.
|
|
Outdoor Sales Begin Year Soft |
|
Outdoor dollar sales dropped 2.4% in January (specialty, chain and Internet combined), and snowsports followed suit dipping 4.6%. Only outdoor chain stores gained in the month, up 4.4%, according to the Leisure Trends Group of Boulder, Colo. Post-Christmas sales started strong but by the middle of the month inventories were lean and replenishment of best selling items difficult or impossible to find.
Internet sales slowed in January declining 6% in outdoor and 6.2% in snow sports. Specialty ski & snowboard shops fared the best, off only 4.1%. Specialty outdoor fell nearly 6% in dollars and snow chain was off 5.2%.
Leisure Trends' RetailTRAK™ tracks POS data from specialty stores, chain and Internet merchants, all categories sold, down to the detail including brand and model share, category sales and growth, and fastest growing brands and categories.
|
| January Golf Rounds in Deep Chill |
|
Although it represents only a small percent of annual rounds played, January provided a bad example for the rest of the year. Rounds played in the U.S. plummeted 18.8% in January 2010 versus January 2009, according to the National Golf Rounds Played Report. The reporting is based on data from operators at 3,180 golf facilities.
Rounds played for the entire year of 2009 were down 0.6% versus the 12 months in 2008. For 2008, they were down 1.8%. For 2007, rounds played were down 0.5%; in 2006, they had been up 0.8%.
In June 2008, Golf Datatech, LLC and the National Golf Foundation agreed to combine their rounds played collection efforts, and deliver to the industry a single "National Rounds Played Report" under Golf Datatech's direction.
|
| Weather Treating Golf Badly |
Following a poor January opening, the 12-month season golf geographies took another hit as the February Golf Playable Hours (GPH) were down 27%, according to Pellucid Corp.'s Weather Impact Tracking Report. The year-to-date GPH fell 23% through February, the worst weather start for the industry since Pellucid began tracking it in 2006. Looking at the year-to-date weather impact breadth ratio results (measured as number of regions up compared against number of regions down), February continued the trend of negative breadth at a ratio of 1:2.0. This is comprised of six regions up versus 12 regions down and one in the neutral zone among the 19 regions which have 12-month seasons. Looking at the previously reported January weather results versus the Golf Datatech/NGF rounds played report, the Utilization Rate (UR) was stable despite the poor weather. The month UR was 53% or virtually flat versus the 2009 year end benchmark. For more specific information on Pellucid's Weather Impact capabilities, including a sample report and pricing, contact Jim Koppenhaver at jimk@pellucidcorp.com. |
| New Footwear Brand Share Reports Available at Pre-Publication Pricing |
 The new 2009 NSGA Footwear Brand Share reports are now available at pre-publication discounts. Reports for Spring/Summer products will be available in February; for Fall/Winter products, in March. Each footwear brand share report shows product sold by type of outlet, retail price range, major geographic regions and household income. It includes data on age and gender of major user. Reports include graphs showing year-to-year changes. The brand share data is based on a representative sample panel of 40,000 households. This panel is maintained by NFO, one of the most respected research companies in this field. Types of outlets covered in the report include: sporting goods stores, specialty athletic footwear stores, specialty sport shops, pro shops, discount stores, department stores, family footwear stores, on-line/Internet, mail order, factory outlet stores and other outlets. . Separate reports are available on 17 categories of athletic and sports footwear. Although listed separately in the questionnaire, "gym shoes/sneakers" and "fashion sneakers" are integrated in a single report. In that report, the two categories are broken out separately. For purchasers of two or more footwear brand share reports, an overview report of the footwear market will be included at no additional cost. The overview integrates all footwear categories except Boat/Deck, cycling, golf, hiking, hunting, skateboard, toning, wrestling and sports sandals. This report represents the responses of more than 5,000 households. For a listing of brand share reports available and their cost, contact NSGA Director of Information Services Dan Kasen at dkasen@nsga.org or 800-815-5422, ext 108. |
|
|
|
Research Newsletter 
