SFIA Releases Single Sport Reports From Team, Racquet, and Individual Sports Categories

28 Individual Single Sport Reports Are Now Available for Purchase

July 11, 2024 – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has released the first series of 2024 Single Sport Reports, including 28 individual sport reports from the team sports, racquet sports, and individual sports categories. These reports provide a detailed analysis and breakdown of participation by various demographics and by specific sport or fitness activity.

As reported in our 2024 Topline Participation Report, all of the seven major sport and fitness physical activity categories showed increased year-over-year rates of participation, with team sports seeing 10.8% growth. Additionally, 20 of the 24 Team Sports categories tracked by SFIA showed increases, whereas only five showed increases the previous year. The number of team sports participants has now exceeded pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels from 2019. This first series of SFIA’s Single Sport Reports will show drill-down data for all team sports, as well as individual sports, and pickleball.

“The rate of Americans participating in overall physical activity continued to increase in 2023 – an extremely positive trend that we continue to monitor,” said Alex Kerman, Senior Director, Research & Business Operations, SFIA. “Our Single Sport Report series offers detailed, actionable data on various team sports, including baseball, outdoor soccer, and flag football as well as pickleball, the fastest growing sport in the US.”

Each report provides a detailed analysis and breakdown of participation by various demographics for the specific sport or activity. This includes data on participation as defined by gender, participation frequency, age, geographic region, market size area, income, education level, cross-sport/activity participation, and ethnicity. 

The following 28 Single Sport Reports are now available:

All 2024 SFIA Single Sport and Fitness Participation Reports are $100 each for SFIA Members and $300 per report for Non-Members.

These reports are provided free of charge to members of the media. If you are interested in a copy of any of the reports or an interview with an SFIA representative, please contact Lisa Futterman at [email protected].

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ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs, and member services. For more information, please visit sfia.org.

(June 13, 2024) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) today announced that President & CEO Tom Cove will retire effective October 4, 2024. Cove has led the organization since 2005 and previously served as SFIA’s Vice President of Government Relations for more than 13 years.

During his tenure, Cove oversaw the transformation of the association from a traditional tradeshow-focused manufacturers group into a full-service industry organization delivering unparalleled sport and business advocacy, world-class sports participation research and analysis, innovative thought leadership and events, and a wide variety of targeted member services to address the specific needs of industry companies. In 2014, Cove led the Board of Directors through a foundational strategic review and rebranding process for the 108-year-old organization that re-established its mission and strengthened its foundation for generations to come.

Among Cove’s signature leadership accomplishments were the Congressional passage and funding of the Carol White PEP program, which drove almost $1 billion into local physical education programs around the country; the ground-breaking program to eliminate child labor in global soccer ball production, for which SFIA was awarded the Corporate Conscience Award; the Industry Participation Plan (IPP), a multi-million dollar collaboration which coalesced the entire sports and fitness industry to support legislation and grassroots programs to increase physical activity and sports participation; the establishment of National PE Day and National Health Through Fitness Day, bringing hundreds of celebrity athletes and industry executives to lobby Capitol Hill annually; and the creation of SFIA’s Start Up Challenge, Sports & Technology Conference, Industry Leaders Summit, Litigation and Risk Management Summit, Team Sports Conference, and multiple other national industry events.   

Current SFIA Board Chair Jon Ram praised Cove’s leadership, stating, “Tom has been a true visionary, always pushing the industry forward. His passion for sports and fitness has been evident in every initiative he has undertaken. We thank him for his immense contributions and wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement.”

“Tom’s dedication and vision have been invaluable to SFIA and the entire sports and fitness industry,” said Chris Clawson, General Manager of Gymtech, and former SFIA Board Chairman. “His tireless efforts have positioned SFIA as a leader in promoting physical activity and sports participation. We are grateful for his years of service and the lasting impact he has made.”

Industry leaders also expressed their appreciation for Cove’s work. “Tom has been a fantastic partner to Brooks and a strong advocate for the running community,” said Dan Sheridan, CEO of Brooks Running. “His commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles through sports and fitness has been truly inspiring.”

Roman Oben, VP of Strategy for the NFL commended Cove’s efforts in promoting youth sports participation. “Tom has been a key ally in our efforts to encourage youth to be active and engaged in sports. His leadership has helped create opportunities for countless young athletes.”

Jennifer Bendall, Vice President of Government and Public Affairs at Nike, added, “Tom’s advocacy work has been crucial in advancing the interests of the sports and fitness industry. He has been a unifying force, bringing together companies and organizations to drive positive change.”

The SFIA Board of Directors, assisted by the executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates, is conducting a comprehensive search to identify Cove’s successor. Cove will assist in the transition process to ensure a smooth handoff of leadership.

“It is a tremendous privilege to work every day for a mission you believe in, a cause you have passion about, with people who challenge and inspire you,” states Cove. “I feel honored to have had the opportunity to do this with SFIA and this industry. It has been a great run and I look forward to new chapters, both for myself and for SFIA.”

Media Contact:
Lisa Futterman | [email protected]

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ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs, and member services. For more information, please visit sfia.org.

Industry Experiences The Third Largest Single-Year Increase Since 2011

(May 30, 2024) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has released the 2024 State of the Industry Report, highlighting 4.2% industry growth, favorable profitability and inventory trends, and robust sports and fitness participation rates.  The 43-page report features in-depth analysis of the trends and issues affecting the sports and fitness products business, including participation, economic performance, and the industry environment. This year’s State of the Industry findings premiered in conjunction with SFIA’s Super Regional Event yesterday, Wednesday, May 29 in New York City, and reflect executive surveys on a variety of industry-specific indicators.

The sporting goods industry experienced a 4.2% growth in 2023, slightly trailing the U.S. GDP growth rate of 4.9%. Historically, any growth above 4% has been considered healthy for the industry. The 4.2% growth rate is the highest single-year increase since 2011, with the exception of 2021 and 2022, where we saw an incredible 15.8% and 4.3%, respectively. This coincides with a year in which we saw the lowest number of total inactive Americans (64.9 million people) since SFIA began tracking the metric.

In 2023, over 58% of companies reported increased profitability, surpassing the 55.2% percent rate of 2022. This number is higher than all previous years since 2015, with the one exception being the boom-year 2021 when it was slightly lower at 59.1%. On the other side of the coin, 18.2% of companies reported that profitability had decreased. This positive trend aligns with pre-pandemic levels and is the lowest figure we have seen since the pandemic – indicating recovery in the industry.

“As participation in sports and fitness activity is at historically strong levels at both the CORE and Casual levels, the industry is growing and executives feel positive about the future. Our member companies are meeting this demand by delivering high-quality products, innovation, and attractive looks,” states Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “At the same time, SFIA research shows our companies remain highly concerned by macroeconomic factors such as stubborn inflation, potential recession, and recurring supply chain disruptions.”

The report showed that inventory levels have normalized, and only 33% of companies reported year-end inventory levels are up compared to 67% in 2022. Looking ahead, companies are optimistic about 2024, with 86.5% of survey respondents predicting domestic sales growth, and 65.4% predicting international sales growth. These are both at the highest levels we have seen in the last five years.  As far as concerns for executives in 2024, increasing market share was the top concern, followed by potential economic recession and inflation at numbers two and three.

“There are many reasons to feel optimistic about the industry as we factor in both participation and business intelligence data,” states Cove. “If Americans continue to make active lifestyles a priority, which the year-over-year data suggests will be the case, we see the state of the industry continuing to grow and remain strong.”

The State of the Industry Report is free to SFIA Members and is available to the public for purchase by clicking here for $650.

The report is provided free of charge to members of the media. If you are interested in a copy of this report or an interview with an SFIA representative, please contact Lisa Futterman at [email protected].

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ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs, and member services. For more information, please visit sfia.org.

(Thursday, May 23, 2024) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has promoted two members of its team, Alex Kerman and Chandler Hoffman, effective immediately. Alex Kerman will now serve as the Senior Director of Research and Business Operations, having previously been the Director, and Chandler Hoffman will now serve as the Director of Membership and Technology, having previously been the Manager of Business Development.

Alex Kerman leads SFIA’s signature research efforts, including The Physical Activity Council survey, measuring participation rates in the U.S. for 124 sports and activities, and the State of the Industry survey, providing an overview of sports and fitness industry performance and issues of importance. He oversees the publication of more than 100 syndicated and custom research reports annually. Kerman manages business development efforts including membership renewals, SFIA’s largest revenue source. He also directs the Soccer Industry Council of America and the Pickleball Council, two groups comprised of the leading brands and governing bodies that create a forum to tackle industry challenges and work together to better their sport for all. Kerman has been with SFIA since 2015.

Chandler Hoffman leads SFIA membership acquisition and retention, event registrations, the SFIA’s database, website creation, and management, and supports marketing efforts. He was responsible for successfully overhauling and transforming SFIA’s membership technology, a central component of SFIA’s strategic initiative to increase engagement with its member companies and team members. Hoffman has been with SFIA since 2015, coming on as Coordinator of Sales and Marketing, and his most recent role was serving as the Manager of Business Development.

Kerman and Hoffman jointly oversee the SFIA Start-Up Challenge, an annual competition for new companies highlighting the newest innovations in the sports and fitness industry.

“Myself and the SFIA Board of Directors are delighted to announce these promotions for Alex and Chandler,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “They have both excelled in a variety of roles for SFIA, and they drive SFIA to deliver value for our members and embrace technology. I am excited for us and for them, and I am certain they will continue their exemplary service to the industry with these new responsibilities.”

Media Contact:
Lisa Futterman | [email protected].

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ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs, and member services. For more information, please visit sfia.org.

(April 25, 2024) – Product sales in the sporting goods, fitness, and related recreation markets grew 4.2% last year according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) 2024 Manufacturers’ Sales by Category Report. The report, released today, tracks U.S. wholesale revenues in sporting goods and fitness equipment, athletic footwear, sports apparel, and licensed products, further broken down into more than 30 categories. This annual report provides comparisons to revenues from previous years and includes pickleball as a new product category for 2024.

In 2023, the sporting goods industry grew 4.2% compared to 2022, reaching $121.66 billion. This is up 26.8% compared to 2019. From 2010-2020, the industry only surpassed a 4% annual growth rate once, in 2011 (4.2%).

Pickleball had the highest growth rate followed by Team Sports and Snow Sports categories. Pickleball product sales increased 30.7% from 2022.

Team sports category sales did well in 2023 compared to 2022, with many growing over 7%. Football, Baseball/Softball, and Basketball all saw growth rates over 10%. Football products had the highest team sports category growth at 11.9%, followed by Basketball at 10.1% and Baseball/Softball at 10%. Volleyball was the next highest with 9.3% and Ice Hockey with 7.3%. The Total sports equipment category reached $32.969 billion in sales in 2023.

“It is encouraging to see so many sports categories doing well, not only on the participation side, but also when it comes to equipment sales,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “Maintaining an over 4% growth rate across all categories going into 2023, especially following a huge year in 2021, is a great sign, and shows that Americans’ demand for sports and fitness equipment remains very strong.”

Both fitness equipment categories – Consumer and Institutional – increased significantly in 2023. Institutional fitness equipment increased by 11.8% and was led by Treadmills (up 23.5%), Stair Climbing Machines (up 13.7%), Ellipticals (up 12.1%), and Group Exercise Bikes (11.3%). Consumer equipment was up 8% overall compared to 2022 and was led by Exercise Cycles (up 12.3%), Free Weights (up 11.2%) and Treadmills (up 10.1%). This is particularly notable given the dramatic swings in the sales of fitness equipment, both institutional and consumer, during the pandemic period.

In 2023, total athletic footwear saw an increase of 5.7% in 2023, led by fitness/workout shoes at 17.5%, followed by Baseball at 10.6% and Running at 8.1%. Total sports apparel was up 2.9% compared to 2022. Every team uniform category increased, with the overall category growing 6.5%.

The 2024 Manufacturers’ by Sales Category Report is free to SFIA Members and is available to the public for purchase by clicking here for $250.

The report is provided free of charge to members of the media. If you are interested in a copy of this report or an interview with an SFIA representative, please contact Lisa Futterman at [email protected].

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ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs, and member services. For more information, please visit sfia.org.

 

New Tool Identifies Potential Business Opportunities at Earliest Stage

(March 28, 2024) – With local governments investing billions of dollars into sports and recreation facility construction and redevelopment annually, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has introduced the Sports & Recreation Project Database, a groundbreaking tracker of projects funded by the government. In partnership with the Curate platform, companies can identify business opportunities at an earlier stage than possible anywhere else, often before an RFP is issued, allowing them to stay ahead of the competition.

Using state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence, the Sports & Recreation Project Database reviews agenda and minutes from local government and council meetings – up to 400,000 pages weekly from all 50 states – and provides key information daily on the construction of new facilities, upgrades to existing ones, and essential items needed for sports and recreation facilities.

“If you are looking to get an edge on your competition by finding out about potential opportunities before they even hit the market, look no further,” said Eric Light, Chief Revenue Officer, NEVCO. “SFIA has built a game-changing tool with the Project Database. The tool is very well designed, easy to use, and it will help you be the first in the door on a new project.”

Users can easily search by sport, product line, location, date, and facility type to customize searches for projects that matter to their business – including youth sports facilities, adult recreation projects, community recreation centers, school sports stadiums and gyms, aquatic centers, ice rinks, parks and recreation infrastructure, and public fitness centers.

This database is part of SFIA’s commitment to help promote sports and fitness participation and increase activity in the U.S. SFIA is leading the effort in Washington to provide more funding for sports and recreation infrastructure. Expanding the pool of money available for state, municipal, and local officials to invest in youth sports, recreation, and active lifestyle infrastructure will get Americans more active and healthier.

“By identifying funding sources, this tool can help provide critical information to streamline and optimize the process of making these critical recreation infrastructure improvements,” says Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “At a time when more Americans are looking to be physically active, these investments are timely and valuable.”

For a limited time, SFIA is offering complimentary access to the project database. Click here to sign up today.

For additional information, please contact Bill Sells, SVP, Government and Public Affairs, SFIA at [email protected]

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ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs, and member services. For more information, please visit sfia.org.

 

Sessions and Speaker Lineup Set for the April 15-16 Teams Sports Event

(March 27, 2024) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), in collaboration with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the NCAA, will host the 2024 Team Sports Conference on Monday, April 15-Tuesday, April 16 at The Alexander Hotel in Indianapolis, IN. SFIA members, sporting goods brands, professional leagues, and governing bodies will join together for this annual comprehensive event to explore the youth and school team sports arena.

Team Sports Conference attendees will join fellow key players in the industry and help contribute to shaping the future of team sports and promoting active lifestyles among young athletes. In addition to the sessions listed below, attendees will have networking opportunities and a unique platform to further explore and exchange insights and foster meaningful industry connections.

Confirmed Sessions and Speakers Include:

The Rise and Influence of Women in Sports and Fitness
– Rebecca Hendel (Moderator): Vice President, Valuation, Endeavor Analytics
– Ian Fitzpatrick: Sr. Director, Global Performance Marketing, New Balance
– Cheri Kempf: Sr. Vice President and Executive Producer, Broadcast; Director of Softball, Athletes Unlimited
– Amanda Lamb: VP, Global Brand, Wilson Sporting Goods

Unlocking the Potential of NIL for Team Sports Brands
– Kristina Minor (Moderator): Senior Athletic Consultant, Husch Blackwell
– Kam Cox: Assistant AD, Strategic Initiatives, University of Illinois Athletics
– Danny Morrissey: Co-Founder, Postgame 
– Drew Russell: Executive Vice President, Properties & Media Assets, Intersport

The Legacy Potential of Global Sporting Events for U.S. Sports
– Lindsey Naber (Moderator): Senior Director, Brand Marketing, Rawlings Sporting Goods
– Skip Gilbert: Chief Executive Officer, US Youth Soccer
– Jamie Riley: Chief Operating Officer, USA Football
– Paul Seiler: Executive Director/CEO, USA Baseball

Technology’s Revolutionary Effect on the Team Sports Experience
– Mark Koski (Moderator): Chief Marketing Officer, National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
– Michael Hughes: Senior Director, Digital Strategy & Innovation, United States Tennis Association
– David Shapiro: President, North America, Pixellot
– John Weinwerth: Vice President, Sport & Enterprise Sales, NBC Sports Next

Navigating the Current Dynamics in Grassroots Sports Participation
– Amy Halpenny (Moderator): Chief Executive Officer, FlipGive
– Candace Haynes: Director, National Basketball Association (NBA)
– Meghan Watson: Chief Operating Officer, United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA)

The Influence of State Associations on High School Athletics
– Karissa Niehoff (Moderator): CEO, National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
– David Hines: Executive Director, Arizona Interscholastic Association
– Jennifer Rukstad: Executive Director, Missouri State High School Activities Association
– Mark Uyl: Executive Director, Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA)

State of the Industry First Look
– Tom Cove: President & CEO, Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA)

Tackling the Challenges and Opportunities in High School Sports
– Karissa Niehoff: CEO, NFHS

Click here to learn more about our 2024 speakers and review session descriptions.

Registration for the Team Sports Conference for SFIA members is $299, as well as for Non-Profit, Governing Body, Coach/Athletic Directors, and State Association Personnel attendees. Registration is $799 for non-members. 

Thank you to SFIA’s Event Sponsors and Preferred Partners: FlipGive, Active & Fit Direct, Loeb & Loeb, Merchant Cost Consulting, and Octane5

Members of the media are invited to attend the event in Indianapolis at no cost. Please contact Lisa Futterman at [email protected] to register.

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ABOUT SFIA:  The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs, and member services. For more information, please visit sfia.org.

The one-day event unites top decision-makers and thought leaders to discuss a range of topics related to sports licensing, one of the fastest-growing licensing categories.

(February 27, 2024) – Licensing International and The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) are gearing up for the 2nd annual Sports Licensing Summit on March 6th, 2024. This marks the first time the event will take place in New York, after being held last year in Las Vegas ahead of the Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show.

DeMaurice “De” Smith, former Executive Director of the National Football League Players Association, will serve as a keynote speaker at the event. Through his work with the NFLPA, Smith brings a keen insight into the sports industry as well as seasoned acumen to navigate evolving trends and deliver consumers with best-in-class licensing programs.

Additional speakers will include experts from Amazon, Athletes Unlimited, Be Well Brands, The Brand Liaison, NBA, NFL, Octagon, Octane5, OneTeam Partners, Overtime, SFIA, Snapchat, Stoney Clover Lane, University of Southern California, U.S. Soccer Federation, and WNBA.

The robust agenda for this year’s event covers a number of crucial areas of focus for the category moving forward, including Women’s Sports, Name-Image-Likeness, Defense Against Counterfeiting, and more. An overview of the agenda can be found here:

Sports Licensing Summit will include opportunities to network with industry leaders as well as feature remarks from Maura Regan, President of Licensing International. “Sports licensing is a unique category where passion meets commerce and where loyalty fuels innovation,” said Regan. “At the 2024 Sports Licensing Summit, we will unify thought leaders from across the industry to examine the key strategies that will continue to expand the sports landscape into entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, and location-based entertainment. This focus on the world of sports is crucial as the space drives cultural resonance and unparalleled fan engagement.”

Licensing International thanks the generous sponsors making the event possible—Octane5 and the NFLPA.

For more information on this year’s event please visit licensinginternational.org/sports-licensing-summit-2024.

ABOUT LICENSING INTERNATIONAL: Licensing International is the leading trade organization for the $340+ billion global licensing industry. Licensing International’s mission is to foster the growth and expansion of licensing around the world, raise the level of professionalism for licensing practitioners, and create greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large. Founded in 1985, Licensing International members in over 40 countries enjoy access to an array of benefits, including extensive educational programming and worldwide networking events. Visit LicensingInternational.org for more information and to utilize licensing’s definitive online resource. 

Press Contact
Licensing International
Elizabeth Foster
[email protected]

ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs, and member services. For more information, please visit sfia.org.

(February 27, 2024) – All of the seven major sport and fitness physical activity categories showed increased year-over-year rates of participation, according to the newly released Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Topline Participation Report. The 2024 Topline Report is considered the sports and fitness industry’s essential reference document for participation, tracking rates of Americans aged six and older across 124 different sports, fitness, and outdoor activities, and includes 10-year trend analyses by activity category, data deep-dives into inactivity, and surveys of Americans’ aspirations to take on new activities in 2023.

Winter Sports, Team Sports, Racquet Sports, and Water Sports all grew by over 9% last year. Winter sports, fueled by favorable weather conditions, led with 22% growth over 2022, and Team Sports measured 10.8% growth. Notably, in the Team Sports category, 20 of the 24 sports tracked by SFIA showed increases, whereas only five showed increases the previous year. This reflects an overall trend in the United States of strong demand for team sports opportunities, following the forced isolation and breakup of teams during the pandemic period in 2020. The number of team sports participants has now exceeded pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels from 2019.

Trend analysis from this report also highlights the fitness category, where many health club-based activities, such as Treadmill, Stair-Climbing, Rowing Machine, and most class-based fitness activities, such as Barre, Pilates, and Yoga, saw good gains in participation in 2023.

For the third year in a row, pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America, having grown 51.8% from 2022 to 2023, and an incredible 223.5% in three years. This contributed to the overall very healthy participation trends in Racquet Sports, which notably reflect continued robust participation numbers from tennis as well.

“These participation numbers are positive for the country and for our industry,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “Frankly, they are not a surprise, as we know Americans are valuing and pursuing active lifestyles post-pandemic. Our industry’s role now is to fulfill that interest with positive sports and fitness experiences and quality, innovative, and inspiring products.”

In 2023, 242 million Americans, or 78.8% of Americans, participated in an activity one or more times, a 2.2% increase from last year. The number of people that have participated in an activity has increased every single year for a milestone 10 years, growing by 5 million in 2023. Inactivity also decreased to its lowest number since SFIA began tracking the metric – 21.2% or 64.9 million people reported doing none of the 124 activities at least once. The Topline Report also explores Inactivity by income – showing increased rates of inactivity correlated to decreased family income levels, an area that calls out for greater attention.

The 2024 Topline Participation Report is free to SFIA members and is available for purchase for $350 to non-members.

The report is provided free of charge to members of the media. If you are interested in a copy of this report or an interview with an SFIA representative, please contact Lisa Futterman at [email protected].

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ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs, and member services. For more information, please visit sfia.org.

 

Isabel Coscia, Ryan Cruthirds, Koichiro Kodama Join Board; Three Re-elected to Three-Year Terms

(January 4, 2024) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) is pleased to announce the re-election of Jonathan Ram, Chief Executive Officer, Clarks, Inc. as Chairman of the SFIA Board of Directors for the 2024 term. In addition, Isabel Coscia, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Technogym; Ryan Cruthirds, Chief Digital Commerce and Brand Development Officer for Implus LLC; and Koichiro Kodama, President and CEO for Asics North America were newly elected to the Board, along with three Board members who were re-elected, all for three-year terms. They join 13 remaining Board members serving staggered terms. The election took place at SFIA’s Annual Meeting on December 14, 2023.

Ram was appointed to his current role with Clark’s in April 2022, after serving as the Group President for Global Activewear with HanesBrands. Additional previous executive positions include New Balance, NBA, Roots, and others.

New Additions to the Board of Directors Include:

Board Members Being Re-Elected Include:

The above new additions and re-elected members will be joining currently serving Board members:

The Chairman of the Board and Board of Directors began their terms on January 1, 2024.

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