Scope

This Report covers the impact of COVID-19 on the leisure and entertainment category including out-of-home and in-home products and services. Consumer attitudes and behaviors toward leisure and entertainment as well as market performance and opportunities in the short, medium and longer term are discussed.

While there are a multitude of out-of-home and in-home leisure activities that consumers engage in, analysis in this Report focuses on music and live entertainment; movies and television; gaming; exercise and fitness; toys and games; arts and crafts; as well as cooking and baking activities.

Economic assumptions for market forecast

Our economic assumptions are based on the economic projections from The Federal Reserve on June 10, 2020. Projections indicate that the US unemployment rate will stay above 9% for the remainder of 2020, and above 5% through 2022, indicating a slow recovery back to pre-Covid economic conditions. The economic downturn is expected to be the most severe in 2020, with an estimated contraction of 6.5%. Uncertainty in the trajectory of COVID-19, as well as the government’s response and policies moving forward mean there is wide variation in forecasts.

COVID-19: US context

This Report was written April 15-June 15, 2020.

The first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the US in January 2020. On March 11, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global health pandemic, and on March 13, President Trump declared a national emergency in the US. 

Across the US, state-level stay at home orders rolled out throughout the months of March and April, and non-essential businesses and school districts across the nation closed or shifted to remote operations. At the time of writing, all 50 states have relaxed or are beginning to relax restrictions, allowing businesses to operate with varying levels of social distancing measures in place.  

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