SFIA’s Topline Participation Report Shows Strong Positive Trends Across All Sports and Fitness Categories

(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.

(December 20, 2023) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has released its 2023 U.S. Trends in Team Sports Report, which examines participation and market trends from 2022 in team sports and features in-depth data analysis of age group participation and specific takeaways. This year’s report also breaks down data on team sports coaches and training and provides predictions on the future growth of specific sports. The report provides detailed information on 23 different team sports.

SFIA data revealed the total number of participants in team sports in the United States to be 70.8 million in 2022, which is the same amount as there were in 2019, reflecting the highest annual participation in team sports in the past ten years. This comeback is measured against the 2020 team sport participation figure of 67 million, driven by the closure of facilities and the shutdown of leagues and teams.

At the same time, the report highlights that the number of “CORE” players has not come back similarly, suggesting that while Americans are playing team sports, they are not playing them as much. Soccer (outdoor) is the only team sport that increased CORE participation over the 2019-2022 period. The SFIA report speaks to the need to translate the clear interest of Americans in playing sports to encouraging regular routines and structure of playing on actual teams.

“The demonstrable interest in playing team sports in America is fueled by a variety of factors, including wanting to be physically active, but also the recognition that playing team sports is good for mental health,” states Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “At a base level, young people are returning to youth sports because it is a great opportunity to have fun with their friends. We should not lose sight of this simple fact as we strive to deliver appropriate sports programming.”

Aggregate team sports participation also trended positively in 2022, increasing by 3.6 million participants. This means, for example, if a participant plays soccer and baseball, they count twice in the numbers. This year’s was the largest in the last decade, and the first time in five years this number did not decrease. This positive trend is due to the largest team sports like basketball, soccer (outdoor), and football (flag and tackle) all having increased levels. Efforts to promote early sport sampling and less single-sport specialization should be encouraged.
 
Very promising, SFIA research shows that both the 6-to-12 and 13-to-17 age groups saw total team sport participation levels increase from 2021 to 2022. This is foundational good news for the sports and fitness industry both because the health of team sports depends on youth participation much more than other categories, like running and health club activities, and from a longer-term view, youth sports participation is historically a gateway for Americans to be physically active over their lifetimes.

“It is great news that youth team sports participation levels have increased, which creates a good foundation for team sports and is the first step in cultivating a love to play at a young age,” states Cove. “The important part now is taking those new participants and converting them into CORE team sports players and allowing their passion and commitment to sports to be fulfilled.”

The 2023 U.S. Trends in Team Sports Report is free to SFIA Members and is available to the public for purchase for $650 by clicking here.

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.

(December 19, 2023) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has appointed Glenn Horine to serve as the Chief Operating Officer, effective January 1, 2024. Aside from overseeing business operations, Horine will manage Marketing and Communications, Events, and Membership and report to SFIA’s President & CEO, Tom Cove.

As a veteran in the sports industry, Horine has extensive experience in licensing, marketing, sponsorships, academia, and executive search. His sports property experience includes the NFL, FIFA World Cup, NHL, European Soccer Championships, PGA of America, Madison Square Garden, USA Hockey, TopGolf, NASCAR, and Arena Football.

Over the last two years, Horine has served as a consultant for SFIA, and is credited with creating the Preferred Partner Program – matching member needs with service providers; Super Regionals – market-specific/member-rich conferences and receptions, the Excelerator Program – a career development program for high-performing young professionals from diverse backgrounds, and Industry-led Committees in Marketing, Communications, and Research, as well as People and Culture.

“I have had the good fortune of working in this industry for many years and am passionate about the positive impact the collective industry can have on sports accessibility and participation for all,” states Horine. “SFIA represents an opportunity to rally leagues, governing bodies, manufacturers, and retailers behind the greater good of sports. I am excited to work with Tom, the staff, and members who share SFIA’s mission and values.”

Horine has also been involved on the academic side. In, 2008, he launched Iona University’s first immersive sports management program involving industry leaders, including former ESPN Chairman George Bodenheimer and Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer, Ross Greenburg. In addition, he spearheaded the launch of Iona University’s Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in 2017, which included a $15 million gift from the Hynes family.

“As the Chief Operating Officer, Glenn will play a pivotal role in elevating SFIA’s goal to deliver best-in-class service and support to our member companies,” states Cove. “Glenn brings with him a wealth of industry knowledge and relationships. He has a proven track record in the sports industry and his organizational skill set will help take the association to a higher level in our mission to promote sports and fitness participation and industry vitality.”

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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.

SFIA’s Super Regional series kicks off this November with three events in major markets to enhance the member experience.

(October 16, 2023) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) is launching a new Super Regional Series in November, offering a unique localized opportunity for SFIA members, partners, and industry leaders to meet about business insights and topics driving today’s sporting goods and fitness environment. This series links major markets to better serve the 700 brands, manufacturers, retailers, governing bodies, and sports leagues that SFIA represents around the country.

The Super Regionals are designed for senior-level and rising career executives in leading critical functional roles for members, as well as regional sports and business leaders. The programs will provide a State of the Industry analysis and explore industry priorities including: growing youth sports and fitness participation, leadership challenges in today’s new work environment, evolving consumer behavior, athlete influence (NIL), brand marketing, intellectual property protection, and the impact of generative AI. Each Super Regional features a fireside chat with a top industry CEO and concludes with a cocktail networking reception.

“With Super Regionals, SFIA is bringing our best content and professional development to where our members live and work,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “The intimate environment and accessibility of these events provide a great opportunity to engage within the industry and better serve our valued members.”

The 2023 Super Regional schedule with local start times:

Confirmed speakers to date for the November Super Regionals include:

These are limited-capacity events, and registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Thank you to our sponsors for the inaugural Super Regionals: Octane 5, Merchant Cost Consulting, Corsearch, and Loeb & Loeb.

2024 Super Regional dates and locations will be announced in the coming weeks.

Click here for more information and to register for any of the three events.

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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.

SFIA’s 7th annual Start-Up Challenge highlighted the latest innovations in sports and fitness technology, products, and services.

(October 12, 2023) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) is excited to announce that the winner of the 2023 SFIA Start-Up Challenge is Reeplayer. Reeplayer, led by Founder Orhan Basak Ajredinovski, uses AI technology to autonomously record and live-stream high-quality footage for youth and amateur sports. The winner was selected after a several-month selection process, culminating in a live session that took place on Tuesday, October 10 with ten finalist companies answering questions from more than 120 judges from around the industry.

“Winning the 2023 SFIA Start-Up Challenge and our recent partnership with MLS Innovation Labs is an exciting honor for Reeplayer,” says Orhan Basak Ajredinovski. “It validates the urgency in the market to modernize sports media and recruitment.”

Reeplayer’s cutting-edge AI technology positions them as a premium and affordable, solution in an $80 billion emerging market. With more than a billion hours of sports footage uncaptured every year from 23 million teams, Reeplayer aims to standardize personalized sports content and data for consumers and businesses.

“Video is the currency of credibility and the backbone of the sports economy,” states Basak Ajredinovski. “It is an asset that transforms hidden talent into recognized potential and drives recruitment, analysis, fan engagement, and revenue streams across the entire ecosystem. This is a pivotal moment for sports and I am excited for the next generation of athletes.”

Reeplayer’s founder, Orhan, is a textbook soccer fanatic. He started playing in the Galatasaray Pro Academy, went on to win CIF and State with his high school team in the U.S., then played college soccer, and pursued a professional career in Sweden and Turkey. He received a degree in User Experience Research and Design and specialized in building technology products. His inspiration for autonomous sports recording came after learning of a college athlete needing footage to show recruiters – the same problem Orhan had experienced himself a decade before. After a year and a half of market and field research, Reeplayer was formally launched in 2021 with the aim to standardize personalized sports content and data for consumers and businesses.

“On behalf of SFIA and the Board of Directors, we want to congratulate Reeplayer for winning the 2023 event in a very strong competition,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “Reeplayer has encompassed what the industry is constantly seeking – new technology and innovation to support young athletes – by providing the resources and tools for underrepresented talent and enabling them to gain opportunities to succeed further in their sport.”

In preparation for this event, finalist entrepreneurs submitted pitch videos and investment profiles to our cohort of over 120 judges. The finalists each received 15 minutes of live Q&A, moderated by Craig Beaker from Holland & Hart LLP, allowing the judges to better understand each company and make their final evaluations. The judging panel was made up of executives from leading sports and fitness companies, leagues, and investors such as Implus, NHL, Gildan, Rawlings, Riddell, Spalding, Holland & Hart, U.S. Soccer, and more.

As the grand prize winner, Reeplayer will receive media coverage, a spotlight in one of SFIA’s annual research reports, attendance and recognition at an SFIA event, and a judge seat for the 2024 SFIA Start-Up Challenge. All ten finalists who participated will be given personal introductions to industry decision-makers and executives as well as one year of SFIA membership.

Click here to learn more about Reeplayer.

The 2023 Start-Up Challenge runners-up were Betterguards Technology and Supersapiens, in what turned out to be a very competitive contest. The other finalists who participated were SPRYNG, WearBands, Passback, NuShoulder, MyStrongCircle, ZAMA Health, and Solecooler.

“All of our finalists really exemplified the exciting developments within our industry,” states Cove. “The SFIA is proud to provide a platform to support the contributions of these inventive minds who are paving the path forward for the next generation of the industry.”

SFIA will continue hosting the Start-Up Challenge in 2024 to provide the opportunity for more innovative and determined entrepreneurs. Interested start-ups should check back in early spring of 2024 at sfia.org for more information on participating.

For more on the Start-Up Challenge, visit www.sfiastartupchallenge.org.

If you are interested in an interview with the Start-Up Challenge winner or any of the finalists, 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.

Running/Walking Sees Highest Participation Rate Ever; Health Club Activities Recovering But Not Yet to Pre-Pandemic Levels

(September 28, 2023) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has released its 2023 Tracking the Fitness Movement Report, featuring an in-depth analysis of workout trends, participation habits, and purchasing behaviors in the fitness industry. The new report provides a detailed analysis of total and CORE participation rates for more than 20 fitness activities, as well as a deep dive into age cohorts, cross-activity trends, aspirations to do different activities, and “home vs. club” insights

From the 30,000-foot view, the news around Americans’ interest and commitment to fitness activity is good. Participation in fitness activities has grown an impressive 5.3 percent, or by 10.4 million people, since 2017. The number of total fitness participants rose by 800,000 year-over-year in 2022 to 205.8 million, allowing the country’s fitness participation rate to hit a high-water mark of 67.4 percent, surpassing the 67.3 percent rate met in both 2019 and 2021.

Americans in 2022 generally continued with fitness routines taken up during the pandemic such as Walking for Fitness, but also showed indications of returning to a greater variety of workout exercises. After a slight decline in 2021, 155.5 million people participated in a Running/Walking activity in 2022 – the highest level the activity has ever seen, surpassing the 154.7 million people who participated in 2020.

Traditional club workouts on equipment such as stationary bikes, ellipticals, and stair-climbing machines, which experienced pandemic-influenced double-digit declines in participation over the last three years, showed improvement in 2022, contributing to the slow, steady recovery in the health club business. However, no consistent hot trend emerged among the top 15 aerobic fitness activities in 2022. The resilient treadmill segment was essentially flat in participants year-over-year, but up 3.8 million from its 2020 low-water mark. The fitness activities with the largest one-year participation growth rates on a percentage basis were Cardio Kickboxing (+8.5%), Pilates Training (+5.8%), and Group Stationary Cycling (+5.5%).

“The good news is Americans continue to recognize and embrace the benefits of regular physical activity,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “Whether it is walking, yoga, strength training, group classes, or even pickleball, there is a sustaining demand to exercise. On the other hand, we see a lingering impact on the fitness industry, as many clubs were forced to close their doors for good and memberships are not quite back to pre-pandemic levels.”

“We believe the health club industry is poised for future growth, given the role that clubs can play in providing an interesting variety of things to do, innovative fitness concepts, social connections, and overall high-quality fitness experiences,” Cove added.

The 2023 Tracking the Fitness Movement Report is free to SFIA Members and is available to the public for purchase for $650 by clicking here.

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.

Finalists Will Now Pitch To 100+ Sports and Fitness Executives and Investors

(August 28, 2023) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has selected ten finalists to present their companies at the 2023 SFIA Start-Up Challenge, taking place virtually on October 10, 2023. The Start-Up Challenge, now in its seventh year, supports driven entrepreneurs who are changing the landscape of the sports and fitness industry with their products, technologies, or ideas.

The application pool included entrepreneurs from around the world, representing all segments of the sports and fitness industry, including recovery and training products, technologies and apps, and more.

All finalists will receive an official invite to present at the live, online Q&A Evaluation Session (October 10) to a panel of 100+ judges made up of industry executives, investors, retailers, and thought leaders. In addition, all finalists receive one year of SFIA membership, a logo feature in an SFIA research report, a five-minute pitch video, real-time feedback from industry decision-makers and executives, and personal introductions.

The 2023 finalists are:

In addition to all the prizes listed above, the grand prize winner will receive a 2024 SFIA Start-Up Challenge judges’ seat, national media coverage, a spotlight in an SFIA Research Report, and the SFIA Event Advantage – which includes a free event registration, speaking opportunity, and public recognition as the winner at an SFIA Event.

“SFIA loves to see the continued success of former Start-Up Challenge finalists and winners,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “This year’s Challenge is shaping up to produce some of the next up-and-coming businesses in the industry across a variety of categories. It is always exciting for SFIA to provide entrepreneurs the platform to share their innovative ideas, especially at a time when physical fitness and activity rates are the highest they have been in five years.”

For more on the 2023 Start-Up Challenge, visit www.sfiastartupchallenge.org.

If you are interested in an interview with one of the Start-Up Challenge finalists or a member of the SFIA team, 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.

(August 10, 2023) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) and Pickleheads today have released the 2023 State of Pickleball: Participation & Infrastructure Report, which provides an in-depth analysis of pickleball participation and facilities in the United States. By overlaying detailed participation and facility data, this report highlights the investment needed to keep up with pickleball’s meteoric rise, leveraging data never available before.

As cited in SFIA’s Topline Participation Report, pickleball has continued its incredible rise in America, increasing by 85.7% year-over-year and by an astonishing 158.6% over three years. With 8.9 million participants in 2022, the number of new participants in pickleball exceeded the total number of pickleball participants in 2021. This highlights the unprecedented growth and increased awareness of the sport, leading to the importance of leveraging facility data in addition to more detailed participation breakdowns.

“We are excited to collaborate with Pickleheads to create this first-of-its-kind report – leveraging an even more detailed and expansive overview of the fastest growing sport in America,” states Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “This partnership and new research product will help inform the conversation around pickleball and enable the industry and community to address the opportunities and challenges.”

Counter to some preconceived perceptions of the sport, the average age of a pickleball participant is 35, while the age group with the most participants is 25-34. The 18- 24 and 65+ age groups were tied for the second highest most participated age group.

Pickleball participation grew in every region in the United States in 2022 with the South Atlantic region (including DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA) leading the way with 1.9 million pickleball players. The Pacific (1.5 million) and East North Central (1.4 million) regions were the second and third most participated regions. The Mountain region (including AZ, CA, UT) had the highest number of dedicated courts per 1,000 participants (4.6), over twice the national average. The Middle Atlantic region (NY, NJ, PA) had the lowest court coverage with 1.0 dedicated courts per 1,000 participants.

“The SFIA has been at the forefront highlighting pickleball’s rise as the fastest growing sport in America. Now, leveraging our facility data, we can see this impressive growth has created an exciting challenge for the industry – addressing the court shortage in the U.S.,” states Brandon Mackie, Co-founder and COO, Pickleheads. “With over $900 million of investment needed in court infrastructure, the coming years should be very exciting for the pickleball industry.”

Many of America’s largest metropolitan cities are far behind in satisfying pickleball demand for court infrastructure, with New York and Los Angeles both 98% below national averages for dedicated courts per 10,000 people. With over 70% of pickleball courts currently temporary in nature, there remains a large opportunity to build dedicated facilities, especially in America’s core metropolitan areas.

The 2023 State of Pickleball: Participation & Infrastructure Report is now available for purchase for $150 for SFIA Members and $350 for non-members by clicking here.

These reports are provided free of charge to members of the media. If you are interested in a copy of the report or an interview with an SFIA or Pickleheads representative, please contact Lisa Futterman at [email protected]. When sourcing data in this report, please cite both organizations and include a link to both sfia.org and pickleheads.com.

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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.

ABOUT PICKLEHEADS: Pickleheads is the #1 online platform for pickleball. Players can find courts, organize games and connect with nearby players. Pickleheads has created the industry’s most comprehensive database of pickleball courts. As of June 2023, Pickleheads data includes 51,937 courts across 12,081 facilities in the U.S. For more information, please visit pickleheads.com.

Industry Leaders in Sports Research and Business Trends Combine Forces to Benefit Members

(July 20, 2023) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) and Running USA today announced an exciting strategic partnership that will benefit the members of both organizations.

As the premier trade association for the sports and fitness industry, with a mission to promote participation and industry vitality, the SFIA serves its members through four pillars: thought leadership, advocacy and public affairs, member services, and industry-leading research. Running USA is dedicated to improving the status and experience of distance running and racing in the United States. The two research leaders will offer their members reciprocal discounts on reports and collaborate on upcoming new research.

“We’re elated to partner with SFIA and create new research initiatives for brands and events in the running space,” said Christine Bowen, Chief Operating Officer of Running USA. “For more than 20 years, Running USA has been the running industry research leader and we feel this partnership heightens both organizations’ reach, range and efficacy as data providers.”

“This partnership with Running USA provides an incredible opportunity for both organizations to leverage what we do best and improve the insights and actionable intelligence we provide to our respective members and stakeholders,” said Tom Cove, President and CEO, SFIA. “We look forward to working with Running USA to enhance the vitality, sustainability and growth of the sport of running and the running industry.”

Current members of SFIA and Running USA will receive personal communications regarding research discounts within the next few days. Running USA members can also find their SFIA discount code by logging into their account at RunningUSA.org.

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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.

ABOUT RUNNING USA: Running USA is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization devoted to improving the status and experience of distance running and racing in the United States through collective marketing and promotions, information and communications within the industry and to the national media, services to events and industry members, and the development of American world class stars. It seeks the advancement of the sport and the provision of value to each of its members’ events and businesses. For more information, visit RunningUSA.org.

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