Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Overview
- State of the sporting goods market
- What you want to know
- What we see
- Retailer preferences
- What you want to know
- What we see
- Top sporting goods and purchase drivers
- What you want to know
- What we see
- Role of online and mobile
- What you want to know
- What we see
- Trends and innovations
- What you want to know
- What we see
- Opportunities
- What you want to know
- What we think
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Sporting goods stores losing relevance and sales
- Half of sporting goods and equipment sold at non-specialty stores
- Americans’ efforts to become healthier should lead to more sporting goods needs
- Strong economy bodes well for the sector at large
Market Size and Forecast
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- Demand for sporting goods is strong, but consumers aren’t buying at sporting goods stores
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- Figure 1: Total US revenues and fan chart forecast of sporting goods stores, at current prices, 2014-24
- Figure 2: Total US revenues and forecast of sporting goods stores, at current prices, 2014-24
Market Breakdown
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- Leakage outside the sporting goods sector is a key challenge
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- Figure 3: Share of sales of sporting goods and recreational equipment, by distribution outlet, 2012
- Apparel and footwear comprises around 30% of total sales at sporting goods retailers
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- Figure 4: Share of sales at sporting goods stores, by product category, 2012
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- Figure 5: Share of sales of sporting goods and recreational equipment, by product category, 2012
Market Factors
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- Aging population leads to fewer needs for sporting goods
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- Figure 6: Population by age, 2013-23
- Number of households with children continues to decline
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- Figure 7: Households, by presence of own children, 2008-18
- Americans aim to get healthier and exercise more, but efforts aren’t yet translating to quantifiable results
- Positive economic climate bodes well for sector
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Dick’s Sporting Goods leads the sector in more than just sales
- Industry advocacy and tech investments remain critical to sector’s future health
- Seeking new revenue sources and partnership opportunities
- Not enough room for everyone
Retailer Overview
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- Dick’s Sporting Goods holds top position among traditional sporting goods chains
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- Figure 8: Top sporting goods retailers, 2018
- Who’s leading?
- Dick’s Sporting Goods
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- Figure 9: Dick’s Sporting Goods Email promoting “Sports Matter” program, July 2019
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- Figure 10: Dick’s Sporting Goods screenshot promoting DSG private label brand, July 2019
- Bass Pro Shops
- REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.)
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- Figure 11: REI store in Chicago, August 2019
- Figure 12: REI, “Find Out” TV commercial, April 2019
- Hibbett Sports
- Who’s struggling?
- Academy Sports + Outdoors
- Big 5 Sporting Goods
- Modell’s Sporting Goods
What’s Trending?
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- Promoting the outdoors
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- Figure 13: Macy’s Outdoor STORY concept with Dick’s Sporting Goods, July 2019
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- Figure 14: REI, Black Friday TV ad: OptOutside, One Tree Planted, November 2018
- Branching outside of core product lines
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- Figure 15: Columbia Teaser Video for Shift, July 2019
- Forging new (and sometimes unusual) partnerships
- Amping up in-store experiences
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- Figure 16: Nike App @ Retail demonstration, July 2018
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- Figure 17: Fast Company’s Tweet about Canada Goose Cold Rooms, December 2018
- Getting tech savvy
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- Figure 18: Dick’s Sporting Goods, select mobile app features, July 2019
- Reselling and renting
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- Figure 19: Interest in pre-owned or rental services, July 2018
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- Figure 20: Interest in pre-owned or rental services, by generation and parental status, July 2018
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Retailers need to advocate for higher participation in sports and fitness
- More than 70% of purchases occur in-store
- Non-specialty stores are winning
- Versatility, brand names and quality are important purchase drivers
- Ongoing innovation needed to boost the sector
Sports Participation
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- Sports aren’t just for kids
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- Figure 21: Sports participation, July 2019
- Figure 22: Any sporting goods purchase, by sports participation, July 2019
- Parents are attractive targets
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- Figure 23: Kids’ sports participation, July 2019
- Key trends in sports and fitness activities
- Mintel survey
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- Figure 24: Activities purchased for, July 2019
- Simmons
- Outdoor Foundation’s 2018 Outdoor Participation Report
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- Figure 25: Spending on outdoor activities and related gear, 2018
- NSGA’s 2019 Sports Participation Report
Items Purchased
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- Footwear and clothing garner the most purchases
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- Figure 26: Overall purchasing and gifting incidence, July 2019
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- Figure 27: Items purchased by recipient, July 2019
- Men gift themselves, women gift others
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- Figure 28: Items purchased by recipient, by gender, July 2019
- Dads play an important role in purchasing sporting goods for their kids
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- Figure 29: Items purchased for children, by parental status by gender, July 2019
Retailers Shopped
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- Sporting goods retailers are losing share to other channels
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- Figure 30: Retailers shopped – nets, July 2019
- Amazon and mass merchandisers clear leaders in the category
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- Figure 31: Retailers shopped, July 2019
- Traditional sporting goods retailers draw similar audiences
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- Figure 32: Traditional sporting goods retailers shopped, by select demographics, July 2019
Method of Shopping
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- Most shopping occurs in-store
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- Figure 33: Method of shopping (nets), by product category, July 2019
- Multichannel shopping more prevalent for sporting equipment and accessories
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- Figure 34: Method of shopping, by product category, July 2019
- Mobile shopping gaining significant ground
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- Figure 35: Device used for online shopping, by product category, July 2019
- Preference for in-store shopping transcends generations
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- Figure 36: Method of shopping - Nets, by generation, July 2019
- Figure 37: Method of shopping, by generation, July 2019
Attitudes toward Shopping for Sporting Goods
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- Willingness to pay more for quality…sometimes
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- Figure 38: Attitudes related to spending, July 2019
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- Figure 39: Attitudes related to spending, by sports participation, July 2019
- Knowledgeable salespeople and lenient return policies are nice-to-haves
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- Figure 40: Attitudes related to shopping at specialty sporting goods retailers, by gender and age, July 2019
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- Figure 41: Attitudes related to shopping at specialty sporting goods retailers, by parental status, July 2019
- Variety drivers retailer preference
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- Figure 42: Attitudes about shopping at branded sports stores versus stores with multiple brands, by gender and age and parental status, July 2019
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- Figure 43: Brand perceptions, July 2018
Interest in Trends and Innovations
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- Athleisure is a way of life, not a trend
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- Figure 44: Interest in athleisure, July 2018
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- Figure 45: Purchase incidence and interest in athleisure, by gender and age, July 2018
- Consumers seek out innovation in their sportswear and gear
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- Figure 46: Interest in products with innovative fabrics, wearable technology or performance-oriented benefits, July 2018
- Active beauty garners interest from young adults
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- Figure 47: Interest in active beauty, July 2019
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- Figure 48: Lululemon selfcare products, July 2019
- Figure 49: Interest in active beauty, by gender and age and race and Hispanic origin, July 2019
- Pre-owned and rental services not immediate opportunities but slated for rapid growth
- Careful consideration required for celebrity endorsements and subscription services
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- Figure 50: Interest in celebrity-endorsed sportswear or subscription services, July 2019
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- Figure 51: Interest in celebrity-endorsed sportswear or subscription services, by gender and age, July 2019
- Investment in five trends can yield over 80% reach
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- Figure 52: TURF Analysis – Interest in trends, July 2019
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- TURF methodology
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 53: Total US revenues and forecast of sporting goods stores, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
- Figure 54: Percent of people aged 20 or older who are overweight or obese, 2001-02 to 2015-16
- Figure 55: Percent of children who are obese, 2001-02 to 2015-16
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 56: Walmart screenshot promoting sporting goods for back-to-college, July 2019
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 57: Types of sports participated in, October 2007-December 2008 (2008) and October 2017-November 2018
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- Figure 58: Participation in physical fitness program or regular exercise, October 2007-December 2008 (2008) and October 2017-November 2018
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- Figure 59: Types of sports participated in, April 2007-June 2008 (2008) and April 2013-June 2018
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- Figure 60: Retailers shopped – nets, by age and parental status, July 2019
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- Figure 61: TURF analysis table – interest in trends, July 2019
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