The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) said it expects retail sales to climb 2% in 2010. At the same time, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) expects wholesale sales in 2010 to increase between 2% and 4.5% versus 2009.

 

NSGA said the expected 2010 gain follows a 3% decline in U.S. retail sales of sporting goods (footwear, clothing and equipment) in 2009 to $50.7 billion, according to its “The Sporting Goods Market in 2010” report. The 2009 decrease follows a decline of 1% in 2008.  NSGA noted that in the past 25 years, the only other decline in sporting goods sales was in 2001, which was less than 0.1%.

 

”Had it not been for the strong shooting sports equipment sales, the declines in 2009 and 2008 would have been sharper,” said NSGA VP of Information & Research Tom Doyle. “Minus shooting sports equipment sales, we would be looking at declines of 4.5% and 3.8%, respectively.”

 

Among categories, sales of athletic and sport apparel lost 8.5% to $9.25 billion, athletic and sports equipment slid 2% to $24.36 billion, and athletic and sport footwear slipped 0.7% to $17.07 billion. In the equipment category, the biggest declines came in golf equipment, down 19% to $2.84 billion and fishing tackle, falling 10% to $1.9 billion. Sales of exercise equipment decreased 2% to $5.2 billion. Winners included hunting & firearms equipment, rising 14% to $5.2 billion; sports optics, up 4%, to $1.07 billion; and camping equipment, ahead 2%, from $1.5 billion in 2009.

 

or 2010, the biggest increase is expected in apparel, up 5%; with gains of 1% predicted for both footwear and equipment.

 

Meanwhile, SGMA said more than 60% of the membership of SGMA predicted that 2010 will be a year of solid, single-digit growth for the sports, fitness, and recreation industry in the United States, according to SGMA's State of the Industry Report (2010 edition). The main category 'drivers' in the industry will be athletic footwear and consumer fitness equipment.

 

Similar to NSGA, the gain would follow a 4.3% decline in manufacturers' wholesale sales of sporting goods equipment, fitness equipment, sports apparel, athletic footwear, and licensed merchandise in the U.S., to $71.8 billion.

 

“For the most part, the drop in sales for the sports products industry in 2009 was a reflection of the challenges which have affected the U.S. economy during the last 12-18 months,” said SGMA President Tom Cove.  “As the U.S. economy shows improvement, consumers will be more inclined to increase their spending on fitness equipment, sports gear, athletic apparel, and athletic footwear.”