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Youth
Sports: Not What It Used to Be
By Paul
A. Paterson
March 1, 2003
National Sporting
Goods Association |
The
youth movement continues to envelop the sporting goods market, with
sales of skateboards, snowboards and other extreme gear posting
huge gains. According to projections from the National Sporting
Goods Association, sales of sporting goods, apparel and
equipment increased four percent to $47.1 billion in 2001, rebounding
from a decline in 2000. But driving this recovery seems to be a
host of products more in tune to Generation Y than Gen-X or Baby
Boomers.
"I think it's certainly taking away from the traditional sports,"
said Steve Murphy, Director of Play It Again Sports.
"Everything from skateboarding to inline skating to snowboards.
There's a lot more out there for kids to do."
And
it does seem to be kids. NSGA figures show people under the age
of 17 purchase 57 percent of snowboards, and 81 percent of skateboards.
Overall, sales of skateboards increased 23 percent, and inline skate
sales rose nine percent from 2000 to 2001.
"It's a certain age bracket," says Dan Kasen, Manager
of Information Services for the National Sporting Goods Association.
This demographic, known as Tweens, is systematically rearranging
the landscape in many sectors of the economy, thanks to a level
of personal disposable income about which previous generations could
only dream.
What baby boomers have turned to, however, is exercise and fitness
equipment, and the industry has responded by creating higher quality,
more durable machines.
"Your
home equipment was a step below what you used in a gym," said
Murphy. "As the economy expanded, now there are people with
a disposable income, but with work and family and a busy lifestyle,
they don't have time to get to the gym. Having it at home in the
basement is a lot more convenient. Home treadmills used to be geared
for the walking treadmills, not for those designed for you to get
on and run five miles a day."
Encouraging an active lifestyle is just good business for some retailers,
and to that end NSGA has thrown its support behind the Carol
M. White Physical Education For Progress (PEP) Act. Doyle
says his organization encourages local sporting good stores to encourage
and support applications by schools in their area for PEP grants.
In 2001, 18 schools received grants ranging from $165,000 to $400,000
through the PEP program.
"NSGA will send members PEP Grant Packets to give to their
school districts," he explained. "The packet contains
a description of the program, the necessary forms, tips for grant
writers, and a list of the P.E. and fitness equipment that the 2001
winners purchased with their grant money.”
"I think that one of the things we're interested in as retailers
is how much the schools have for physical education," Doyle
said. "It's in our interest as retailers to make sure our kids
get involved in physical activity."
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