| Athletic Footwear Sales Reach $17.1 Billion in 2009 | |
 In spite of a 4% decline in unit sales, the athletic and sports footwear market reached $17.1 billion in 2009, according to NSGA's soon-to-be-released "Sporting Goods Market in 2010." This represents a 1% decline from the $17.2 billion in sales in 2008. In 2008, sales had declined 2% from the previous year. The two declines were the first since 1999 when sales fell 4%,
Sales in 2009 mark just the third time the footwear market has surpassed the $17 billion mark. In addition to the $17.2 billion in sales in 2008, sales reached $17.5 billion in 2007.
Once again, the largest category of athletic and sport footwear was walking shoes, which reached $4.4 billion in 2009, up 5% versus 2008, when consumers spent slightly more than $4.2 billion on walking shoes.
Among footwear categories with $1 billion or more, only running/jogging shoes showed an increase, 5% to $2.54 billion, up from $2.3 billion in 2008. Purchases of cross training shoes ($1.53 billion) showed a 6% decrease. Sales of hiking shoes/boots, which had reached $1.04 billion last year, were down 16% to $873 million in 2009.
Gym shoes/sneakers sales slipped 4% to $2.54 billion versus $2.64 billion in 2008. Fashion sneakers, a separate category, fell 2% to $838 million.
This information is contained in NSGA's annual study that provides an overview of the sporting goods market and where 27 types of athletic and sport footwear are tracked. The total U.S. market for athletic equipment, footwear and clothing is expected to reach almost $52 billion in 2009, with the final data to be released by the end of May.
"The Sporting Goods Market in 2010" is a copyrighted NSGA consumer study that projects 2009 purchases of sporting goods products based on a survey of 100,000 U.S. households. National Family Opinion, Inc. (NFO) maintains the consumer panel used in the survey, which is balanced to parallel American household distribution as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Census, so that the data can be projected nationally. The report is prepared for NSGA by Irwin Broh Research.
The report, as well as the NSGA Sports Participation studies, is available with a 20% pre-publication discount until April 30, 2010 (Friday of this week).
"The Sporting Goods Market in 2010" is available for $290 for retailer/dealer members of the Association and free to manufacturer and sustaining members. For non-members, the cost is $340. For additional information, contact Thomas B. Doyle, NSGA, 1601 Feehanville Drive, Suite 300, Mount Prospect, IL 60056-6035. Phone: (847) 296-6742, E-mail: info@nsga.org or fax: (847) 391-9827.
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| Monthly Retail Trade Report: February Sporting Goods Store Sales Up |
For the sixth consecutive month, the Monthly Retail Trade Survey, prepared by the U.S. Census Bureau, reported positive sales in sporting goods stores. For the most recent reporting month (February), sales were $2.48 billion (preliminary), 3.5% ahead of February 2009.
With sales in sporting goods stores up 0.8% in January, year-to-date sales are 2.2% ahead of the same two months in 2009. Year-to-date sales for 2010 are $4.98 billion.
Sales for 2009 were $37.4 billion, up 0.8% for the year. This was the slowest growth since 2002 when growth was 0.2%. Sales for 2008 were $37.1 billion, up 2.3% from 2007. Sales for 2007 reached $36.3 billion, up 6.3% from 2006 sales of $34.1 billion. Sales in 2006, up 10.6% over the previous year, represented the strongest increase in the past 10 years.
The estimated annual sales for sporting goods stores in the U.S. Census Bureau Monthly Retail Trade is consistent with sporting goods sales reported in the NSGA study "The Sporting Goods Market." 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. The NSGA study is based on a sampling of 80,000 U.S. households.
For a full comparative chart of sales in sporting goods stores, visit the members-only "Research & Statistics" area of the NSGA website (www.nsga.org). |
| March CPI for Sporting Goods Negative | |
Although the spread (the distance between the CPI for Sporting Goods and the CPI for All Items) declined slightly, the CPI for Sporting Goods continued its slide into negative territory for the fifth consecutive month. The index fell 3.0% in March after declines of 4.4% in February, 3.6% in January, 2.3% in December and 2.0% in November. It had risen 0.3% in October. These five months are the first in negative territory since June 2008 when the CPI for Sporting Goods turned positive and had remained there since then.
At 5.3%, the March spread is below the 6.5% spread in February. The February 2010 spread between the two CPIs was the highest it has been since February 2009. In that month, the spread hit 7.3%.
The CPI for All Items, which turned negative in March of 2009 and had remained there most of the year, rose 2.3% in March 2010 after rising 2.1% in February, 2.6% in January, 2.7% in December and 1.5% in November.
For 2009, the Sporting Goods CPI averaged a 2.1% increase following a 2.3% increase in 2008. These are the first years since 2004 that the Sporting Goods CPI has shown a positive change from the previous year.
For 2007, the Sporting Goods CPI averaged a 1.5% decline. For 2006, it averaged a 1.3% decline. For 2005, the decline averaged 1.1%; for 2004, 1.2%; for 2003, 0.8%; for 2002, 2.6%. The Sporting Goods CPI reached its negative peak in December 1999, when it was down 5.8% versus the previous year.
In the past five years (2009 versus 2004), the Sporting Goods CPI average has risen only 0.6% in the face of a 13.6% rise in the CPI for All Items.
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Revenues Down at U.S. Ski Areas |
In the face of an overall 5.2% decline in skier and rider visits in the 2008/09 season, U.S. ski areas experienced a decline in gross revenue for the first time since the 2001/02 season, according to the 2008/09 NSAA Economic Analysis of U.S. Ski Areas. Last season, average gross revenue fell by 7.3% to $23.1 million per resort from $24.9 million in 2007/08.
Average gross revenue was up only in the Southeast, up 2.2% to $21.4 million per ski area. Declines were moderate in the Northeast, down 3.8% to $17.7 million, and in the Midwest, down 4.2% to $5.2 million. In comparison, there were steeper declines in the Pacific West, down 9.2% to $21.5 million, and Rocky Mountain, down 9.4% to $36.4 million. On a percentage basis, the smallest ski areas did the best, remaining mostly flat, while the largest ski areas experienced the largest declines, down 9.2%.
The 2008/09 NSAA Economic Analysis of U.S. Ski Areas is prepared for the National Ski Areas Association by RRC Associates and is reported in the April/May issue of the NSAA Journal. For a more complete analysis, segmented into various size and regional categories, a full copy of the Economic Analysis may be ordered online at www.nsaa.org. |
Firearms Sales Indicator Trends Downward |
Continuing a downward trend that started in November 2009, background checks for firearms fell again in March, according to data from the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The system showed background checks on the sale of firearms fell 3.3% in March when compared to March 2009. In March 2010, 1.3 million background checks were performed; in the same month in 2009, 1.35 million.
Background checks had fallen 1.3% in February; 7.8% in January; 7.6% in December; and 20.0% in November. The five declines follow a small 4% increase in October and a stronger 12% increase in September. Background checks rose 12% in August, 8% in July, 18% in June, 16% in May, 30% in April and 29% in March.
Year-to-date 2010 background checks number 3.66 million, down 4.1% from 3.82 million year-to-date 2009.
The unprecedented rise began in October 2008 and reached a record 1,529,635 requests for background checks in November 2008, a 42% jump over the previous November. For 2009, total background checks numbered 14.0 million, up 10.4% from 12.7 million in 2008.
FBI background checks are required under federal law for all individuals purchasing firearms from federally licensed retailers and are considered a strong indicator of actual sales by industry experts.
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| NPS Visits Up Strongly in March, Tent and RV Camping Up Year-to-Date |
In spite of a strong March, the National Park System (NPS) reported year-to-date recreation visits had decreased 5.1% for the first three months of 2010. Recreation visits year-to-date declined to 40.9 million. March visits had risen 11.3%. Total visits in the first three months of 2090 had been buoyed by visits to the nation's capitol for the inauguration.
Year-to-date tent camping is up 1.7% to 216,092 visits; back country camping, down 9.0% to 142,795 visits; and RV camping, up 2.9% to 238,980 visits.
For the full 12 months of 2009, tent camping was up 6.0% (3.1 million) and RV camping was up 5.2% (2.1 million). Backcountry camping was up a more modest 0.8% (1.8 million).
In 2008, backcountry camping was up 5.5%. Both RV camping and tent camping were down, 4.5% and 1.5% respectively.
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| NSGA Research Available at Pre-Publication Prices |
NSGA's Sports Participation and Sporting Goods Market research reports are now available for purchase at significant discounts. You can save 20% on all reports ordered by April 30.
The reports include: Sports Participation in 2009, Series I, Series II and State-by-State; Sports Participation in 2009: Lifestyle Demographics; The Sporting Goods Market in 2010; and Sports Logo Apparel Market in 2010.
In addition, there are several combinations that make multiple reports available for less than the cost of the reports at their individual prices.
For your convenience, a brochure with details on all reports, as well as a secure order form have been placed on the NSGA website.
Just click on this link: http://www.nsga.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=4324. | |
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