While Overall Participation Rates Remained High, Industry Sees Change in Activity Trends
SILVER SPRING, MD (November 3, 2021) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has released its 2021 Tracking the Fitness Movement Report, which features an in-depth analysis of specific trends, participation habits, and purchasing behaviors in the fitness industry. The COVID-19 pandemic impact reverberated throughout the sports and recreation world, but nowhere was the simultaneous positive and negative impact felt more dramatically than in the fitness business.
While participation levels in fitness remained strong in 2020, staying flat from 2019 with over 200 million fitness participants, the pandemic altered the sorts of activities that individuals could participate in. Activities that could be done at home, outdoors, or through digital connection thrived, while fitness activities taking place in health clubs or other enclosed fitness spaces struggled due to forced health club shutdowns.
2020 showed us that Americans really came to understand the value of being active during the pandemic, not just for physical health, but for mental health. This led to changes in the types of fitness activities that active Americans were participating in, dramatically affecting the fitness business that even led to a reduced supply of fitness products on shelves and online. Walking for Fitness, Bodyweight Exercise, Yoga, Running/Jogging, and Free Weights were the top fitness activities that Americans participated in during the pandemic.
“Despite the challenges we faced with COVID-19, more Americans longed to be active,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO of the SFIA. “We saw individuals adapting the nature and venue of their fitness activities. While the connected fitness trend was already on the rise prior to the pandemic, it allowed active Americans to digitally connect. We saw more capabilities to be physically active from our own homes, and the use of digital tools to connect, partnered with the ability to participate in socially-distanced outdoor activities.”
One unique characteristic of fitness in 2020 was that Americans focused more on a single activity rather than a wide variety, which had been the previous trend. With many health clubs being closed for extended periods of time, Americans had less options to stay active in a communal facility, and in turn, we saw a 40.5% increase in at-home equipment sales. Some of the top sellers included free weights, with over a 104% increase in home-use sales, with other items seeing massive increases since 2019, such as home gyms (74%), exercise cycles (67.1%), rowing machines (47.1%), and treadmills (44%).
“Looking forward, we do believe the health club consumer will return to clubs, although it may take time,” Cove states. “The multitude of fitness activities to choose from, along with access to innovative new equipment, group classes, and in-person personalized training, will attract and inspire returning and new fitness enthusiasts.”
The 2021 Tracking the Fitness Movement Report is free to SFIA Members and is available to the public for purchase 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, 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 www.sfia.org.
Industry Speakers Announced for Three-Day Event
SILVER SPRING, MD (November 2, 2021) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has announced the speaker line-up for the 2021 Trends & Insights Event, taking place in one week, next Tuesday, November 9 through Thursday, November 11, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST.
The three-day virtual event will feature top sports and fitness industry executives during live sessions, discussing trends impacting the industry.
Confirmed Speakers Include:
- James Zheng, President & Executive Director, Anta Sports Products Limited
- Tony Reagins, Chief Baseball Development Officer, MLB
- Cammi Granato, NHL Professional Scout, Seattle Kraken; Former Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist, U.S. Women’s National Ice Hockey Team
- Jim Gerson, President, Speedo USA
- Marjorie Lopez, Vice President, Rx3 Growth Partners
- Joe Dudy, President, Wilson Sporting Goods
- Alexander Thiel and Eric Falardeau, Partners, Sporting Goods and Retail, McKinsey & Company
- Laura St. George, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Gared
- Matt Powell, Vice President & Senior Industry Advisor, The NPD Group
- Jason Kra, President, Li & Fung North America
Topics will include:
- Post-pandemic economic recovery and organizational resiliency
- Youth sports
- Sustainability in both manufacturing and packaging
- Workplace changes and trends
- Return to gyms and fitness
- Supply chain challenges and global logistics
- Intellectual property protection
- Trade & tariff
Click here to see our full speaker lineup and session topics.
In addition to hearing from sports and fitness industry experts, attendees will have the ability to connect with other industry professionals, including scheduling one-on-one virtual meetings, roundtable discussions, and networking.
Trends & Insights is FREE for SFIA members and $299 per registration for non-members.
Event Sponsors and Corporate Partners: Globalization Partners, FlipGive, The NPD Group, Exponent, OpSec Security, Baird, SBRnet
Members of the media are invited to attend Trends & Insights 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 www.sfia.org. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
SILVER SPRING, MD (October 19, 2021) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Stan Jurga Jr. to fill the open sporting goods industry seat on the Board of Directors of the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE). Mr. Jurga is Vice President of Product Development for All-Star Sporting Goods, a brand specializing in baseball and softball protective hardgoods.
NOCSAE is responsible for setting standards for equipment in football, baseball, softball, equestrian (polo), lacrosse, field hockey, soccer, and ice hockey. SFIA was instrumental in the organization’s formation in 1970, and with that, fills two seats on the Board of Directors, currently at 19 members. Mr. Jurga joins Gregg Hartley, SFIA’s lead consultant on standards, who currently serves as NOCSAE Vice President.
Mr. Jurga’s roll in the sports industry is ideal for this position. With one foot in the test lab and one foot on the field, he splits time between developing new products with his design and engineering team, while also being the main point of contact with the professional athletes who choose to wear All-Star products. Mr. Jurga is often found in All-Star’s in-house NOCSAE impact test lab by morning, and later that afternoon, seen at Fenway Park showing pro players the latest prototype and listening to their insight.
He graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences and was a staff researcher at the Harvard Robotics Lab. He then completed a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering at MIT. After managing a biotech startup, Mr. Jurga officially joined Allstar in 2005.
“Our responsibility as Board members with NOCSAE is to represent the licensee’s interest in the development, revision or implementation of standards to ensure they meet the highest thresholds of technical expertise and are equitable to licensees, said Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA.
“Stan’s experience and expertise as an unparalleled engineer is key to ensuring standards are on target and appropriate, and he has a great rapport with the trendsetters in the industry; bringing innovative, real-play tested experience to the table.”
Mr. Jurga replaces former Board member Shaun Gilday, previously the Senior Manager of Innovation for Wilson Sporting Goods, who served on the Board for four years. SFIA greatly appreciates Shaun’s commitment to the industry and the insights he brought to the NOCSAE Board.
You can learn more about NOCSAE and the Board of Directors at NOCSAE.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 www.sfia.org.
Washington, DC, September 24, 2021 – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) today sent a letter to President Biden requesting additional COVID vaccines, tests, and PPE resources be directed to Vietnam and other partners in the region. Vietnam is the second largest foreign source of sports and fitness products to the United States. This letter was released one day after the Biden administration announced this week that 500 million additional vaccines doses are being sent to developing countries worldwide.
“Our industry is facing unprecedented supply chain challenges and getting vaccines to key global partners will help our industry, our consumers, and the US economy, as well as making progress on the global effort to fight the pandemic,” says Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA.
Recognizing the United States as the world leader in vaccine production, SFIA urges the United States Government to take care of domestic needs and also make more vaccines available in an effort to eradicate this horrible disease around the world, including in key Asian countries where they are desperately needed.
“The COVID pandemic has illuminated the importance of Americans staying physically active, getting outdoors and having fun with sports and other activities,” states Cove. “As one of America’s primary industries responsible for supporting these aspects of physical and mental health, we respectfully make our request to drive pandemic resources to key partners while emphasizing this connection between supply chains and American health benefits.”
You can find a copy of the letter that was sent to the President here.
For further information please contact Bill Sells, SFIA SVP of Government and Public Affairs, 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 www.sfia.org.
Washington, DC, September 20, 2021 – To the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) disappointment, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has officially reported that 16 states now have obesity rates of 35% or more. This staggering and discouraging figure went up from only 12% in 2019, and is a huge increase over the last decade from just zero states reporting rates at the 35% level back in 2012.
The CDC noted that adults with obesity are at an increased risk for serious health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and poorer mental health, as a result. Obesity has also been found to increase the risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
The CDC recommends improved nutrition and increased physical activity to help prevent obesity and support weight maintenance to help reduce substantial health care costs and early loss of life.
The SFIA applauds the CDC for promoting action at the policy and systems level to ensure obesity prevention and weight management starts in one’s early years, and that everyone has access to quality food and space to be healthy and physically active.
“The obesity problem in the U.S. continues to get worse and will have a negative impact on America’s physical and economic health for generations if we do not enact policies to reverse this trend,” says Tom Cove, President and CEO of SFIA. “Chronic disease is what drives our healthcare spending. The good news is we can reduce both sickness and health care costs by promoting healthy lifestyles.”
The CDC announcement follows a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study on the cognitive benefits of activity. Researchers found that the exercise induced hormone, irisin, improves cognitive performance in mice and could be used to treat disorders such as Alzheimer’s.
The SFIA supports efforts to provide more activity spaces through Land & Water Conservation Grants and CDC’s High Obesity Program. Congress and the Federal Government need to do more to prevent this disease through increased activity, or the U.S. will continue on its current path and healthcare will, in turn, eat up more of our GDP and harm our economy. Lower healthcare spending per person will stretch our healthcare dollars to provide greater coverage for all Americans.
Cove states, “We know the problem, but we also know some solutions. Policies and programs to get Americans to be more active and to make good dietary choices will make a difference, and should be a national priority.”
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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 www.sfia.org.
For Second Time in Decade, Industry Trends Up As Overall Economy Sees Hit
SILVER SPRING, MD (September 8, 2021) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has released its 2021 State of the Industry Report, an in-depth analysis of the trends and issues affecting the sports and fitness industry, including participation, economy, and industry environment for 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unique changes to the sports and fitness world. Even in the worst of recessions, the industry has never experienced anything like the unprecedented, immediate global shutdown of retail, operations, workplaces, travel, and sports and fitness facilities. Following the initial shock, the industry pivoted, and in turn, persevered, adapting to focus on ecommerce and responding to the demand for new products, such as home fitness and cycling products.
Since the start of the pandemic, the sports and fitness industry outperformed other sectors of the U.S. economy. Despite COVID-restrictions, sporting goods sales overall were able to recover to post a small, but positive, growth rate of 0.6%. While the sporting goods industry and GDP almost always trend in the same direction, in 2020, the industry grew while the overall economy saw a 3.5% hit. This hit to the GDP was greater than the impact of the stock market crash in 2009, when the sporting goods industry contracted by more than 4%. 2018 was the only year in the last decade besides 2020 where GDP grew faster than sporting goods.
Additionally, almost two-thirds of businesses expect sales to recover to at least pre-COVID predictions by the end of 2021, and 73% of businesses predict a strong future for the sports industry, substantially higher than in 2018 and 2019. While the top industry concerns are product sourcing and material cost/availability, businesses will continue to rely heavily on online sales in 2021, with websites being the fasted growing point of sale in 2020.
“Even during such a unique time, the sports and fitness industry was able to adapt and perserve, with more capabilities to be physically active from our own homes and the use of digital tools to connect, partnered with the ability to participate in socially-distanced outdoor activities,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “The increase we saw in participation has led to more industry optimism for the rest of 2021 and into 2022 – and the industry is primed to respond.”
Despite the challenges COVID-19 presented, the overall number of sports and fitness participants in the United States still saw an increase, with a participation rate of 75.6% – the highest seen over the last six years, with inactivity dropping by 2.4%, with the trend leaning towards activities that were more favorable to participate in during the pandemic.
Cove states, “The pandemic changed the way of life for so many Americans, and especially the way that we stay mentally and physically healthy – leading a lot of Americans to take up being physically active as a way to cope, adapting to the the pandemic by participating in ‘COVID-acceptable’ activities.”
The 2021 State of the Industry Report report is free to SFIA Members and is available to the public for purchase 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, 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 www.sfia.org.
Washington, DC, August 25, 2021 – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) supports Congress in recent legislation proposed to ease the challenges that U.S. companies are facing with regards to shipping during the pandemic.
The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021, introduced by Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA) and Dusty Johnson (R-SD) earlier this month would help ease some of the ongoing challenges that importers, exporters and other supply chain stakeholders are facing. The bill includes many recommendations from the U.S. retail and transport industries to address: Service Contracts, Shipping Exchange Registry, Prohibition on Retaliation, Public Disclosure, Additional Common Carrier requirements, Increased Penalties and a Modified Complaint process.
“The disruption to shipping due to the global pandemic has put intense pressure on supply chains and led to a significant increase in shipping costs.” stated Tom Cove, President & CEO, SFIA. “It is our hope that Congressional legislation combined with Administration policies will expedite a return to normal and avoid a spike in costs of getting products to market.”
SFIA signed onto a letter sent to Congress in support of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021 to help improve shipping and avoid similar problems in the future. SFIA is requesting that companies who are interested in supporting the legislation sign the letter by completing this form no later than Wednesday, September 8.
For further information please contact Bill Sells, SFIA SVP of Government and Public Affairs, 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 www.sfia.org.
Washington, DC, August 23, 2021 – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Tai and Treasury Secretary Yellen urging the Administration to relaunch trade talks with China and drop some of the Section 301 Tariffs implemented under the previous Administration. SFIA joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The Business Roundtable, The National Retail Federation and almost three dozen other leading business groups on the letter.
“The Tariffs on Chinese imports were restricting commerce prior to COVID-19 and the impact has worsened during the pandemic.” said Tom Cove, President & CEO of SFIA. “The Tariffs have not had the desired effect as China continues to dominate the manufacturing marketplace. Dropping or reducing these tariffs now, will help the industry and the U.S. economy recover faster.”
The business community is concerned that China is not living up to the terms of the “Phase One” trade deal, and many of the remaining trade issues still need to be addressed. The letter identifies the continued imposition of tariffs by both countries as inconsistent with the Biden Administration’s worker-centric philosophy. Additionally, these tariffs are contributing to inflation and price increases. Removal or reduction of the tariffs would ease the inflationary pressure on the U.S. economy and limit price increases.
You can view the letter sent to the administration here: https://www.uschina.org/advocacy/regulatory-comments-on-china/industry-letter-next-steps-after-phase-one
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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 www.sfia.org.
SILVER SPRING, MD (August 17, 2021) – The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has appointed Lisa Futterman to serve as Marketing and Communications Manager, effective immediately.
Ms. Futterman, formerly the Senior Regional Communications Manager for the American Red Cross of the National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region, will be overseeing SFIA’s marketing and communications strategies including branding, media relations, social media, advocacy communications and digital marketing.
Ms. Futterman spent the last six years with the Red Cross, serving as Events Manager, Marketing Manager and as Interim Director of Communications, prior to her last role. She was tasked with performing communications and marketing functions to drive regional business objectives, helping to publicize the mission of the Red Cross, support revenue generations, and educate the public about Red Cross services.
“Lisa comes into the organization at a pivotal time when Americans are looking to return to sports and fitness,” said Tom Cove, SFIA President and CEO. “Given her professional marketing background, coupled with her personal interest in sports and fitness, Lisa will be a great contributor to our association and its world-class members.”
Prior to working for the American Red Cross, Ms. Futterman spent nearly three years at a marketing, public relations, advertising, and events agency, supporting clients in the IT space.
Ms. Futterman received her Bachelor of Science Degree from James Madison University, majoring in Communications Studies with a minor in Sports Communications. She is also a certified Les Mills BODYCOMBAT Instructor and a competitive volleyball player.
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.
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Washington, DC, July 23, 2021 – The United Stated Trade Representative (USTR) announced Friday that the U.S. will not initiate Section 301 Tariffs of up to 25 percent on Vietnamese imports in response to currency manipulation. A USTR investigation launched in October 2020 found Vietnam intervened in foreign exchange markets using excessive and one-sided policies, and practices that placed an unreasonable burden on U.S. commerce. A subsequent U.S. Department of Treasury investigation did not collaborate the USTR findings and recommended against Section 301 tariffs on Vietnamese imports. SFIA joined other business interests on a July 14 letter to the USTR opposing the use of tariffs in response to Vietnam’s currency issues.
“This is a huge relief for our industry.” Said Tom Cove, President and CEO of the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, “ At a time when almost every one of our member companies is scrambling to address multiple supply chain challenges, it is good news to take cost increases from potential new tariffs off the table. We are grateful to the Administration for listening to our concerns.”
The USTR will now rely on an agreement between the U.S. Department of Treasury and the State Bank of Vietnam to resolve the currency issues. The USTR and Treasury will monitor Vietnam implementation of its commitments under the agreement to ensure compliance and fair valuation. Should Vietnam fail to comply with the agreement, tariffs could be applied to its imports. The Federal Register notice with background on the investigations and plan going forward can be found 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.