Active lifestyle enthusiasts promote PHIT bill to address inactivity crisis in America
SILVER SPRING, MD (March 13, 2019) – Today, just days after the reintroduction of the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act in the House of Representatives and the Senate, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) celebrated the 20th annual National Health Through Fitness Day. SFIA hosted a star-studded lineup of athletes to push the PHIT Act, legislation that will ease the burden of active lifestyle costs. Collectively, the athletes in attendance boasted one World Series, one Stanley Cup, 11 Olympic medals, one Heisman Trophy, seven Pro Bowls, one NBA Most Improved Player Award and 10 MLB All-Star Game appearances. In addition to the athletes, SFIA was joined by the American College of Sports Medicine, sports executives, youth league organizations, health and fitness industry representatives, and other physical activity proponents eager to speak with Congress about the importance of PHIT.
Throughout the day, more than 100 meetings were held, more than half directly with Congressmen/women and Senators, to discuss the severe state of inactivity in our country. Every year, individuals in households with an annual income under $75,000 become less active, and inversely, activity rates among higher-income households continue to grow. In turn, economic status is strongly influencing youth participation in sports.
“Now, in schools, it’s all pay-to-play,” said former NFL Pro Bowl player, Santana Moss. “If my kid is going to play any varsity sport – I have to sign them up and pay first, then they have to make the team. Then, once they make the team, I have to buy the equipment, the shoes, the uniform, and whatever else there is. If households can’t afford to buy the equipment, then their kids can’t play. That’s one of the biggest issues we’re seeing, and that’s why we’re trying to pass this bill.”
“The polarization of income dictating activity levels is evolving,” stated former NHL player, Kevin Westgarth. “The ability to participate in sports, or any kind of physical activity, in schools or wherever – places where, traditionally, everyone comes together and where everyone is supposed to be on equal footing, no longer exist. Losing those opportunities has been devastating to the landscape of youth sports, and it is something that the PHIT Act will help address.”
The United States government is in a critical position to stop this trend and prevent income from having such a strong impact on Americans’ activity levels. The PHIT Act proposes a change in the IRS definition of “medical expense,” to include physical activity-related expenses as a form of prevention. It is one of the most bipartisan pieces of legislation going through Congress at this time, due to the fact that a more active U.S. population will lead to healthier lifestyles and lower healthcare spending, which is currently projected to reach 20 percent of the U.S. GDP by 2025.
“National Health Through Fitness Day is a special time because it gives us a chance to actually connect directly with Congress and talk about things that are important to us and the industries we support,” said SFIA Chairman, Chris Clawson. “Most importantly, the PHIT bill was introduced in the House yesterday, which means that we now have both House and Senate support. We are really excited about moving this forward. We think it’s a game-changer; not just for the industry, but more importantly, for the people of America, as it will provide them with the opportunity to use FSAs and HSAs to focus on prevention, as opposed to just treatment.”
SFIA applauds congressional efforts to encourage activity via the PHIT Act to reverse the inactivity trend, and presented Congressman Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA) with SFIA’s Champion of Health & Fitness Award for their leadership and concerted efforts to improve health through activity in America.
“Having athletes help us deliver our pro-health message is very exciting, as they are living proof of the everlasting benefits of an active lifestyle,” said Bill Sells, Senior Vice President of Government & Public Affairs at SFIA. “American society has changed over the years and casual daily activity is no longer free. Unfortunately, middle and lower-income families are suffering the most. The PHIT Act will lower the cost of active, healthy lifestyles by allowing consumers to use medical pre-tax dollars to prevent chronic disease. This is something our country needs.”
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 www.sfia.org.
###
House and Senate introduce legislation to make activity more affordable, encouraging more Americans to participate
WASHINGTON, DC (March 12, 2019) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) applauds congressional efforts to reintroduce the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. On Wednesday, March 6, PHIT Act lead sponsors, Senator John Thune (R-SD) and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), reintroduced the bill in the Senate (S.680); and on Tuesday, March 12, PHIT lead sponsors, Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI) and Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA) reintroduced the bill in the House (H.R. 1679).
The PHIT Act would allow Americans to use pre-tax medical accounts to cover all physical activity-related expenses, such as gym memberships, youth league registration fees, race entry fees, personal trainers and equipment expenses exclusively intended for the sole purpose of being physically active. With healthcare costs increasing, chronic disease affecting a majority of the country and inactivity among lower-income households growing, it is vital to decrease the financial barrier that stands between Americans and the ability to lead an active lifestyle.
“Investing in preventive health is one way Congress can help incentivize America to be a healthier nation,” said Thune. “For some Americans, certain gym or athletic league membership costs can be prohibitive, keeping them from pursuing healthy habits, like exercising or participating in other physical activities. By giving Americans greater flexibility with their HSAs and FSAs, we can help people make healthy choices, get active, and hopefully avoid the onset of costly chronic conditions.”
“I’m proud to reintroduce the PHIT Act with Senator Thune. Our bill is a great first step to encouraging Americans to lead healthier, more active lives,” said Murphy. “The PHIT Act would allow folks to use their own flexible spending accounts to cover physical activity expenses like gym memberships, little league and youth sports, and other fitness related equipment. This will help drive down healthcare costs and reverse the trend of obesity, diabetes and other chronic preventable diseases.”
“Physical fitness for America’s children is one of the best ways to build a healthy lifestyle and prevent future health expenses,” stated Kelly. “It makes sense to let Americans use pre-tax medical accounts for this purpose. Not only will this change make it more affordable for parents to put their kinds into youth sports programs, it’s also a crucial investment in our future collective health. We should encourage healthy choices, and the PHIT Act will do just that.”
“Senators Thune and Murphy and Representatives Kind and Kelly deserve a lot of credit,” stated SFIA President and CEO, Tom Cove. “They are true champions in the cause to promote activity and health for all Americans, and their leadership will be critical to getting the PHIT Act signed into law. We’re grateful to have their commitment, and the sports and fitness industry intends to advocate as hard as we can for passage in 2019.”
On July 24, 2018, the PHIT Act was part of a package that passed the House of Representatives by a two-to-one margin with strong bipartisan support. Unfortunately, PHIT did not receive a vote in the Senate before the year-end government shutdown. In the new Congress, SFIA is hopeful that the 287 current members who have supported PHIT previously will carry the positive momentum from 2018 into 2019, and pass the PHIT Act to help Americans lead healthier lives.
On March 13, during SFIA’s National Health Through Fitness Day, physical activity advocates will meet with Congress to promote the PHIT Act. SFIA will be joined by our partner, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), celebrity athletes, sports and fitness industry executives, and physical activity enthusiasts to discuss the PHIT Act and the far-reaching benefits of a physically active lifestyle with members of Congress.
To learn more about the PHIT Act and SFIA’s National Health Through Fitness Day, click here.
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 www.sfia.org.
###
SILVER SPRING, MD (Feb. 27, 2019) – On March 13, 2019, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) will be hosting the 20th annual National Health Through Fitness Day to promote the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act. The PHIT Act, which allows Americans to use pre-tax dollars to pay for physical activity-related expenses, will help to reduce the financial barrier that stands between many Americans and an active, healthy lifestyle. This year, SFIA will be joined by celebrity athletes, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), sports and fitness industry executives, and other physical activity advocates, to discuss the severity of the inactivity pandemic in America and the importance of active lifestyles with members of Congress.
The 2019 National Health Through Fitness Day is likely to be a significant moment for SFIA and the PHIT Act, as the bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives in July of 2018, with overwhelming bipartisan support. PHIT also enjoyed bipartisan support in the Senate, but due to the government funding impasse that led to the shutdown, the bill never made it to a Senate vote before Congress adjourned to end the year.
After reaching this historic milestone, the PHIT Act is closer than ever to passage, and SFIA plans to use this momentum to make the PHIT Act happen once and for all. With the help of professional athletes, including Herschel Walker, Steve Garvey, Carl Lewis, Santana Moss, Gheorghe Muresan, Ken Harvey, John Booty, Bobby Valentine and Kevin Westgarth, all of whom can speak to the far-reaching, lifelong benefits of an active lifestyle, PHIT will be a popular healthcare improvement bill among the new Congress.
To learn more about the PHIT Act and SFIA’s National Health Through Fitness Day, click here.
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 www.sfia.org.
SILVER SPRING, MD (Feb. 18, 2019) – Sports and fitness participation grew across the United States last year, though levels of intensity varied across the wide variety of physical activities Americans chose to pursue. The annual SFIA Topline Participation Report, the largest sports and fitness participation survey in the U.S., tracking 120 activities at both core and casual levels, reveals all seven major categories (Fitness Sports, Individual Sports, Outdoor Sports, Racquet Sports, Team Sports, Water Sports and Winter Sports) experienced slight growth over the last five years. Youth inactivity rates (ages 6-12 and 13-17) continue to decline moderately for the fourth consecutive year. However, overall inactivity rates were unchanged, at a stagnant 27.3 percent, and lower household incomes continue to be associated with lower physical activity rates. Nearly half of American households making under $25,000 per year reported being totally inactive last year.
“We remain very concerned with the strong link between income disparity and physical activity rates,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO of SFIA. “Our society cannot allow sports and physical activity to be available only to those with the most means to pay for it.”
In the team sports category, basketball and baseball, the two sports with the largest total participation base, are showing the strongest gains. Also, niche sports, such as lacrosse, ice hockey, beach volleyball and gymnastics, experienced increases at the core level (which is the best reflection of athletes committed to the sport), but decreases in casual/overall participation.
As for fitness, the largest segment of the seven categories covered, nearly every equipment-based category experienced growth, including treadmill, elliptical, stationary cycling, rowing machine, kettlebells and many others.
“We are encouraged to see most activity categories showing overall increases in participation; but long-term, we need to see these numbers transition from casual to core participants, in order for sustained industry growth to take hold,” added Cove.
Outdoor participation also remained strong, reflecting America’s interest in an “active lifestyle” and sharing time with family. Activities such as biking, camping and hiking reported strong gains.
The 2019 Topline Participation Report is free to SFIA members and available to the public for purchase here.
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 www.sfia.org.
Chris Clawson Re-Elected SFIA Chairman; Dan Arment (Riddell & BRG Sports) Elected Vice-Chairman; Davis (NHL), O’Toole (Walmart.com/Jet.com), Schroeder (Gildan), Sheridan (Brooks) Elected to Board of Directors
SILVER SPRING, MD (Jan. 2, 2019) – Chris Clawson, former President; Life Fitness, has been re-elected as the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Chairman of the Board for a fourth one-year term. Dan Arment, President & CEO; Riddell & BRG Sports, has been elected to serve as the Vice-Chairman for a one-year term. In addition, four new directors were elected, and two members were re-elected, to the SFIA Board of Directors for three-year terms. This announcement was made at the end of the SFIA’s Annual Meeting, which took place on Dec. 20, 2018.
New additions to the Board include: Kim Davis (Executive Vice President, Social Impact, Growth Initiatives & Legislative Affairs; National Hockey League), Eric O’Toole (General Manager for Sports & Fitness, Walmart.com/Jet.com), Michael Schroeder (Vice President, Global Lifestyle Brands; Gildan) and Dan Sheridan (Executive Vice President, General Manager Global Sales; Brooks Running).
“Chris Clawson is a very well-respected industry leader with an uncanny understanding of this business, and it’s a huge benefit to have him serve as Chairman,” said Tom Cove, SFIA President & CEO. “Having Dan Arment step up as Vice-Chairman, along with a stellar, diverse group of executives joining the board, puts SFIA in an ideal position to lead the industry in 2019. We could not be happier with the wisdom, experience and enthusiasm of the new SFIA Board of Directors.”
In addition, the following board members were re-elected to three-year terms: Jennifer Bendall (Vice President, Government and Public Affairs; Nike, Inc.) and Jonathan Ram (Group President, Global Activewear; Hanesbrands Inc.).
Newly elected and re-elected directors will join existing SFIA board members: Melissa Dawson (President; Molten USA, Inc.), Mike Dowse (President; Wilson Sporting Goods), Jared Drinkwater (Chief Marketing Officer; BSN Sports), John Graham (President; SPEEDO USA), Rawleigh Grove (Vice President & General Counsel; PING Golf), Fouzan Mansuri (Director & General Manager, Sports & Fitness; Amazon.com), Gene McCarthy (President & CEO; ASICS America Corporation), Scott McDonald (CEO; Body-Solid Inc.), Neil Morton (CEO; ATA International), Michael Savage (CEO; Empower Fitness), Matt Stanton (Vice President, Global Public Policy; Under Armour), Kurt Tandan (Associate General Counsel & Senior Director of Corporate Affairs; adidas America, Inc.), Marco Zambianchi (President; Technogym USA) and Mike Zlaket (President & CEO; Rawlings Sporting Goods).