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:
- November 1 at 1 p.m. – Boston, MA: Warrior Ice Arena (Boston Bruins training facility)
- November 9 at 1 p.m. – Seattle, WA: Brooks Sports Headquarters
- November 15 at 5:30 p.m. – New York, NY: Offices of Loeb & Loeb
Confirmed speakers to date for the November Super Regionals include:
- Jim Weber, CEO, Brooks Sports
- Ed Kinnaly, CEO, Bauer Hockey|Cascade Maverik Lacrosse
- Sameer Ahuja, President, GameChanger and Sr. Vice President, Dick’s Sporting Goods
- Haley Skarupa, Olympic Gold Medalist and 3X World Champion, Women’s Ice Hockey
- Rob Knesaurek, Sr. Vice President, Community Development & Industry Growth
- Tom Cove, President and CEO, SFIA
- Jim Brett, President and CEO, The New England Council
- Matt Dubin, Co-Founder, The Venn Collective
- Keith Friedenberg, Chief Analytics and Insights Officer, Endeavor Analytics
- Jacqueline Leamer, Co-Founder, The Venn Collective
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:
- Betterguards Technology: Award-winning global sports technology company changing the game through injury prevention and performance innovation.
- MyStrongCircle: Multi-fitness studio membership app for the yoga-addicted cyclist and the boxing-obsessed dancer.
- NuShoulder: Dynamic manufacturer and physical training firm revolutionizing how rotational athletes approach rotator cuff strength and rehabilitation.
- PassBack: Nonprofit that upcycles sports gear through community-based reuse and recycling processes so that every child has the opportunity to play.
- Reeplayer: Using cutting-edge technology, Reeplayer autonomously records and live-streams the highest quality footage for youth and amateur sports.
- SoleCooler: CLIMFEET insoles are reversible insoles that warm or cool your feet by harnessing the mechanical energy of footsteps through thermodynamics.
- Spryng: A brand on a mission to bring active pneumatic compression therapy to all, through the affordable, 100% wireless pneumatic compression wrap for effective muscle recovery.
- Supersapiens: Develops innovative insights around glucose that drive positive behavior change and unlock better performance and recovery.
- WearBands: Developed by athletes, coaches, and kinesiologists to address the untapped hole in strength and conditioning equipment: the ability to resistance train speed and agility drills with zero restriction of movement.
- ZAMA Health: A sports psychology and mental wellbeing platform for the athletic community.
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.
Final Batch of In-Depth Sports and Fitness Activity Reports Released Today
SILVER SPRING, MD (July 11, 2023) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has released its third and final batch of 2023 Single Sport Reports. A total of 91 sport-specific reports for a variety of sports and fitness activities are now available for purchase. Each report provides a detailed analysis and breakdown of participation by various demographics for each individual activity.
As reported in our 2023 Topline Participation Report, the number of Americans who engaged in some type of sport or fitness activity grew in 2022 for the fifth consecutive year. Additionally, the cumulative measure of “CORE” participant rates, which is a frequency measure used to capture those who participate in an activity enough times to reflect commitment and passion, increased for the fifth straight year – up 10.1% since 2017. This is critical as CORE participants are most likely to be consistent, knowledgeable customers and appreciate brand and technology differentiations, which helps the industry remain strong.
“We are excited to add three new reports to SFIA’s library of Single Sport Reports for 2023 – Trail Running, Hiking (Day), and Camping,” states Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “These reports round out our total of 91 reports, which our members find especially valuable for their deep dive into specific “demographic of participant” data, including Casual vs CORE participation, which can help organizations make better business decisions and plan for their future objectives.”
Final batch of 35 Single Sport Reports now available:
- Adventure Racing
- Archery
- Badminton
- Bowling
- Boxing for Fitness
- Camping
- Camping (RV)
- Fishing (Fly)
- Fishing (Freshwater/Other)
- Fishing (Saltwater)
- Hiking (Day)
- Hunting (Bow)
- Hunting (Handgun)
- Hunting (Rifle)
- Hunting (Shotgun)
- Ice Skating
- Jet Skiing
- Martial Arts
- MMA for Competition
- MMA for Fitness
- Racquetball
- Roller Skating (2 x 2 Wheels)
- Roller Skating (Inline Wheels)
- Sailing
- Scuba Diving
- Shooting (Sport Clays)
- Shooting (Trap/Skeet)
- Snorkeling
- Squash
- Table Tennis
- Target Shooting (Handgun)
- Target Shooting (Rifle)
- Trail Running
- Triathlon (Non-Traditional/Off-Road)
- Triathlon (Traditional/Road)
This is the third and final batch of Single Sport Reports released for 2023. All 91 Single Sport Reports are all available for purchase.
All 2023 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.
24 Individual Fitness Reports Are Now Available for Purchase
SILVER SPRING, MD (June 15, 2023) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has released its second of three batches of 2023 Single Sport Reports, including 24 individual reports from the fitness activity category – including conditioning, strength, and aerobic activities.
As reported in our 2023 Topline Participation Report, facility-based fitness activities like elliptical, group stationary cycling, and weight resistance machines, which struggled as clubs were closed during COVID, have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. However, we have seen positive change, as yoga grew more than 10% in that same period of time, and trail running and day hiking participation grew for the fifth straight year.
“Overall fitness participation rates grew consistently through the unprecedented disruption of last three years, which is very encouraging,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “At the same time, our research indicates dramatic movement up and down across fitness-specific activities. This batch of Single Sport Reports will provide an in-depth breakdown of participants in 24 different fitness activity categories and the participation trends over a 5-year period.”
Each report provides a detailed analysis and breakdown of participation by various demographics for each fitness 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 24 Single Sport Reports are now available:
- Aquatic Exercise
- Barre
- Bodyweight Exercise & Bodyweight Accessory-Assisted Training
- Boot Camp Style Training
- Cardio Kickboxing
- Cross-Training Style Workouts
- Dance, Step, and Other Choreographed Exercise to Music
- Elliptical Motion/Cross Trainer
- Free Weights (Barbells)
- Free Weights (Dumbbells)
- High Impact/Intensity Training
- Kettlebells
- Pilates Training
- Rowing Machine
- Running/Jogging
- Stair-Climbing Machine
- Stationary Cycling (Group)
- Stationary Cycling (Recumbent/Upright)
- Swimming for Fitness
- Tai Chi
- Treadmill
- Walking for Fitness
- Weight/Resistance Machines
- Yoga
This is the second batch of Single Sport Reports released for 2023. 32 Single Sport Reports are also available for purchase from the team, racquet, and action sports categories.
All 2023 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.
SILVER SPRING, MD (June 2, 2023) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has officially launched the SFIA Excelerator Program, an emerging leaders program for young professionals from diverse communities employed in the sports and fitness industry.
The pilot program is a six-month initiative that will run from May through November 2023 involving seven high-performing young professionals (“Associates”) from SFIA member organizations, including Clarks, BSN Sports, Brooks Running, Nevco, New Balance, Rawlings, and Riddell.
The Associates will participate in an immersive program that includes various SFIA industry events, professional development workshops, a “Lunch ’N Learn” series, career coaching sessions, and a collaborative webinar presentation to the industry. The Venn Collective, a Preferred Partner of SFIA that works with organizations to build healthy cultures, strong leaders, and high-performing teams, will help facilitate the Excelerator program content.
“SFIA is committed to working with our member companies to accelerate the careers of exceptional young professionals from diverse backgrounds,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “We must invest in the next generation of emerging talent and empower them to be the future leaders in this industry. I’m proud of our DEI Committee’s leadership in forging this opportunity.”
The SFIA Excelerator Program Associates for the first cohort include:
- Kassi Farmer: National Account Demand Planner, Rawlings Sporting Goods
- Michelle Kalupski: Associate Sales Manager, Consumer Products, Riddell
- Erin Kelly: Area Sales Manager, BSN Sports
- Tyler Klostermann: Regional Sports Video Consultant, NEVCO
- Jordan Johnson: Associate Product Manager/Designer (Collaboration & Energy), New Balance Athletic Company
- Brian Morrison: Recruiter, Brooks Running
- Kweku Quansah: Global Social Media Specialist, Clarks
Left Photo by: Dustin Satloff, Pottheiser Photography
“The NFL is proud to be an SFIA member and support the development of the next generation of industry leaders from diverse communities. We all are responsible for engaging, mentoring, and developing future leaders in the sports business,” said Roman Oben, Vice President of Football Development Strategy, National Football League and an SFIA Executive Board Member and the Chairperson of the DEI Committee.
Jacqueline Leamer, Co-Founder, Head of Strategy, The Venn Collective said, “We couldn’t be more proud to energize and support SFIA’s Excelerator program and to develop and raise up leaders. The industry will only benefit from the cohort’s growth.”
Click here to learn more about the Excelerator Program and the 2023 Associates.
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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 VENN COLLECTIVE: The Venn Collective connects business and people to energize peak performance so that business is better for people and people are better in business. They create customized solutions for individuals, teams, and organizations that tap into the potential of all talent levels. Their work spans coaching leaders to clarity and energy, training managers and teams for performance, and designing solutions for organizations that enable sustainable change and growth. For more information, please visit thevenncollective.com.
32 Individual Single Sport Reports Are Now Available for Purchase
SILVER SPRING, MD (April 18, 2023) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has released its first batch of 2023 Single Sport Reports, including 32 individual sport reports from the team sports, racquet sports, and action 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 2023 Topline Participation Report, more Americans participated in at least one sport, fitness exercise, or outdoor recreation activity in 2022 than in any of the five previous years. We also saw activity in the U.S. increase for the fifth consecutive year.
“In 2022, SFIA saw the overall physical participation rate in America continue to rise, and the team sports rates overall approached 2019 levels for first time since the pandemic hit,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “Our Single Sport Report series provides actionable, drill-down data on every team sport including basketball, outdoor soccer, and flag football, which all saw increases, and of course we anticipate pickleball being one of the most highly requested Single Sport Report as it continues to be the fastest-growing sport or activity in the United States.”
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 32 Single Sport Reports are now available:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Bicycling (BMX)
- Bicycling (Mountain/Non-Paved Surface)
- Bicycling (Road/Paved Surface)
- Boardsailing/Windsurfing
- Cheerleading
- Football (Flag)
- Football (Tackle)
- Football (Touch)
- Gymnastics
- Ice Hockey
- Lacrosse
- Paintball
- Pickleball
- Roller Hockey
- Rugby
- Skateboarding
- Soccer (Indoor)
- Soccer (Outdoor)
- Softball (Fast Pitch)
- Softball (Slow-Pitch)
- Surfing
- Swimming on a Team
- Track and Field
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Volleyball (Beach/Sand)
- Volleyball (Court)
- Volleyball (Grass)
- Wakeboarding
- Water Skiing
- Wrestling
All 2023 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.