NSGA: Pacific States Lag Behind in Sporting Goods Sales

In the Pacific states – WA, OR, CA, AK HI – overall sporting goods store sales grew 21.4% from the 1997 Census versus total U.S. growth of 23.5%. Sales for 2002 in the Pacific states reached $4.71 billion. Of that amount, $2.31 billion moved through full-line sporting goods stores, $2.39 billion through specialty sport shops.

Although sales in full-line sporting goods stores grew 36.7% from the 1997 Census, the number of stores declined 10% to 1,150 stores. Sales in specialty sport shops grew 9.6% while the number of shops (2,508) rose 8%. This activity is reflected in “Sales per Store” data, $2.01 million (up 52%) in full-line sporting goods stores and $954,000 (up 19%) in specialty sport shops.

“Sales per Employee,” an important measure of personnel productivity, was stronger in the full-line store channel of distribution. In full-line sporting goods stores, employees generated $138,800 in sales, up 23% from the previous Census. In specialty sport stores, employees generated $125,400 in sales (up 5%).

Sales in Pacific athletic footwear stores rose to $1.18 billion in 2002, a 38% increase from 1997. The number of stores (917) generating those sales rose 23%. Sales per employee declined 3.4%, to $134,000.

“Residents of the Pacific states spent more than the average American in sporting goods stores and specialty sport shops, and in athletic footwear stores,” said NSGA Vice President of Information & Research Thomas B. Doyle. “They represent 14.8% of the U.S. population, but spent 19% of the total dollars spent in sporting goods stores and specialty sport shops. In athletic footwear stores, they spent 16.7% of the total dollars.”

Total U.S sales in sporting goods stores, which includes full-line and specialty sports shops, rose to $25.02 billion in 2002 versus $20.04 billion in 1997.

Total U.S. sales growth was stronger in the full-line store segment, up 39% to $12.98 billion in 2002 versus $9.31 billion in 1997. Sales in specialty sports shops rose 12% to $12.05 billion versus $10.73 billion in 1997. In the previous Census of Retail, sales had grown more rapidly in specialty sports shops than in full line stores, 42% versus 35%.

Total U.S sales in athletic footwear stores reached $7.1 billion, a 21.5% increase from the $5.85 billion reported in the 1997 Census. The 1997 Census had shown a 66.5% increase over the previous census (1992).

The U.S. Bureau of the Census conducts the Census of Retail Trade once every five years. The data was collected in 2003 for the 2002 calendar year. The first data was released in late 2004 and final data released in late 2005.