Sporting Goods Retail Sales Hit $46 Billion In '01

Retail sales of sporting goods, which reached $45.9 billion in 2001, are expected to grow 2% in 2002, according to the National Sporting Goods Association. For 2002, sales of athletic and sports equipment, shoes and clothing are forecast to reach $46.7 billion.

"In 2001, no major categories ? athletic and sport equipment, footwear and clothing ? showed declines in spite of a weak economy. However, only footwear was able to eke out a small 2% gain. Equipment and clothing were flat," NSGA VP/information & research Thomas Doyle said. Total sales of athletic and sports footwear were $13.3 billion in 2001, versus $13.0 billion in 2000. The Association projects a 1% growth in the footwear category for 2002.

Sales of sports equipment were $21.5 billion in 2001 versus $21.6 billion in 2000, a decline of 0.04%. The Association projects a 2% increase in equipment sales to $21.9 billion for 2002.

"In equipment categories with sales of more than $1 billion, exercise, golf, fishing and camping equipment showed growth of 1%-6%. Wheeled sports, which include scooters, were the biggest losers, with sales down 35% to $726 million," Doyle said. "In 2002, we expect exercise ($4.0 billion), and golf ($3.8 billion) to maintain a dominant market position. However, if one combines camping, fishing and hunting into an 'outdoors' market, this market exceeds $5.6 billion in sales."

The Association projects sales of sport clothing to grow 3% in 2002, to $11.4 billion versus $11.1 billion in 2001.
Prospect, Illinois

Sales of recreational transport equipment (bicycles, pleasure boats and motors, recreational vehicles and snowmobiles) are forecast to rise 4% in 2002. Recreational transport equipment sales in 2001 were $27.6 billion, a 4% decline from the previous year. "The recreation transport category has risen dramatically in recent years, fueled primarily by strong RV and boat sales. The category has grown from $13.5 billion in 1992 to the more than the $28.6 billion forecast for 2002," Doyle said.

Sales of all sporting goods and recreation transport equipment are expected to grow 3% in 2002 to $75.4 billion. This compares to total sales of $73.5 billion in 2001 and $74.4 billion in 2000.

The data is reported in "The Sporting Goods Market in 2002," a copyrighted NSGA consumer study that projects 2001 purchases of sporting goods products based on a survey of 100,000 U.S. households. The consumer panel used in the survey is maintained by National Family Opinion, Inc. It is balanced to parallel actual American household distribution as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Census, so that the data can be projected nationally.

Doyle noted that the Association?s data tends to be conservative. "We do not survey all products in every category, nor do we make estimates for accessory items. We also do not include items that may be designed for leisure activity, rather than for specific sports," Doyle said. "Our estimates should be viewed as minimal in each sport project category."

"The Sporting Goods Market in 2002" is available for $195 for retailer/dealer members of the Association and free to manufacturer members. For non-members, the cost is $275. 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.