With standout gains in pickleball, baseball/softball, running footwear, and several other categories, wholesale sales in the U.S. sporting goods industry reached $130 billion in 2025, a 3.7 percent year-over-year increase and 34.7 percent since 2020, according to the SFIA 2026 Manufacturers’ Sales by Category Report.
The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) states in the report, “The industry has sustained remarkable post-pandemic momentum, adding nearly $35 billion in wholesale volume over five years.”
Among categories, pickleball continues to be the fastest-growing, with wholesale sales climbing 22 percent year-over-year (y/y) to $409.7 million in 2025, the fastest year-over-year growth among tracked categories. Paddle sales led the growth at $292.8 million (+24 percent y/y), followed by balls at $116.9 million (+17.3 percent y/y).
Among other racquet sports, total tennis equipment wholesale sales grew 2.8 percent year-over-year to $287.0 million and gained 27.3 percent over the last five years. Table tennis wholesale sales reached $73.5 million (+4.9 percent y/y, +20.9 percent since 2000).
Total golf wholesale reached $4.51 billion in 2025, up 3.6 percent y/y and a 61.4 percent jump since 2020. Golf balls nearly doubled (+91.5 percent since 2020, now valued at $1.47 billion).
Traditional Sports Equipment Sales Paced by Baseball
Traditional team sports saw renewed interest. Baseball/softball, one of the industry’s most established categories, delivered sales growth of 7.9 percent in 2025, to $891.4 million, representing 65.7 percent growth since 2020. Bats (+7.9 percent), gloves & mitts (+11.7 percent) and protective gear (+7.2 percent) all showed strong gains year-over-year,
Among other team sports, total basketball equipment sales were up 4.2 percent to $717.4 million and have surged 41.8 percent since 2000. Backboards sales were up 6.7 percent year-over-year, while basketball sales grew 1.2 percent versus the 2024 results.
Total football equipment sales reached $824.7 million, up 5.7 percent y/y and climbed ahead 53.4 percent since 2000. Protective equipment sales were up 6.2 percent y/y to $532.7 million, while ball sales reached $135.1 million, up 3.5 percent year-over-year.
Total ice hockey equipment sales reached $332.9 million in 2025, expanding 4.5 percent y/y and 45.4 percent over the last five years.
Healthy growth in soccer and lacrosse equipment sales was achieved in 2025, but the gains since 2000 were smaller than in other core team sports. Total soccer equipment sales amounted to $485.9 million, up 4.2 percent since 2024 and 22.2 percent over the last five years. Soccer ball sales were up 5.3 percent y/y to $191.1 million. Lacrosse equipment sales were up 5.4 percent y/y to $107.7 million and have grown 20.2 percent since 2020.
Backpacks Pace Outdoor Gains
Total camping sales reached $3,893.6 million, up 6.0 percent year-over-year and ahead 24.6 percent over the last five years. The gains were led by backpacks, camping’s biggest category. Backpack sales were up 10.1 percent year-over-year to $1,119.7 million and have surged 109 percent since 2020.
Among other larger camping categories, sleeping bags/air beds wholesale sales totaled $828.9 million (+4.6 percent y/y, +15.3 percent since 2000), coolers/chests, $771.5 million (+4.7 percent y/y, +16.9 percent since 2020), and tents/shelters, $471.7 million (+4.6 percent y/y, +17.4 percent since 2020).
Firearms are the only sporting goods category to have declined since the pandemic. Firearms sales were flat year-over-year to $4.43 billion and are down 4.9 percent since 2000. Handgun sales were down 2.6 percent year-over-year to $991.8 million and off by 15.9 percent since 2000. Long gun wholesale sales were down 2.3 percent year-over-year to $1.63 billion and down 17.7 percent since 2000. Ammunition wholesale bucked the trend, rising 3.9 percent year-over-year to $1.81 billion and ahead 20.6 percent since 2000.
Total snow sports equipment wholesale sales in 2025 were $857.1 million (+4.1 percent y/y, +40.1 percent since 2000). The growth was led by snow skiing, alpine, with sales of $531.0 million (+5.0 percent y/y, +37.2 percent since 2000) and snow skiing, cross-country wholesale, with sales of $158.8 million (+7.8 percent y/y, +76.9 percent since 2000). Snowboard wholesale sales were off 1.9 percent to $167.3 million but remain up 21.4 percent since 2000.
Apparel Boosted by Team Uniforms and Fan Apparel
Reflecting the continued resurgence in team play, team uniforms rose 5.4 percent y/y and 75.9 percent since 2020, to $1.83 billion in 2025. Every sport tracked showed year-over-year growth — baseball uniforms (+5.3 percent), basketball (+3.8 percent), football (+5.4 percent), and soccer (+7.5 percent) — reflecting healthy youth and recreational league participation nationwide.
Licensed merchandise wholesale reached $13.6 billion in 2025, up 4.3 percent year-over-year and climbing 57.4 percent since 2020. SFIA said in its report, “As fan engagement, live events, and media rights deals remain robust, this category is a strong opportunity for brand-adjacent revenue.”
Athletic apparel wholesale reached $48.9 billion in 2025 (+2.2 percent y/y, +55.0 percent since 2000), with fleece and sweat wear leading at $4.5 billion (+9.0 percent y/y, +109 percent since 2020). SFIA said, “The blurring of athletic and casual wear continues to benefit the performance and lifestyle apparel segments.”
Athletic Footwear Strongly Outpaces Sporting Goods’ Industry Growth
Athletic footwear wholesale topped $24.1 billion in 2025, up 7.4 percent year-over-year — nearly double the overall sports industry’s average growth rate. The athletic footwear category is up 45.4 percent since 2000.
Fitness/workout shoes reached $2.5 billion (+8.6 percent y/y, +107 percent since 2020), and running footwear hit $7.1 billion (+7.3 percent y/y, +61.3 percent since 2020). The running category is the industry’s largest revenue driver. Classic/Originals’ wholesale sales reached $3.3 billion, up 7.6 percent year-over-year and 28.8 percent over the last five years.
Among other larger categories with athletic footwear, team/at basketball wholesale footwear sales were $1,379.5 million (+5.0 percent y/y, +39.3 percent since 2020), outdoor/adventure wholesale sales reached $1.21 billion (+9.2 percent y/y, +37.1 percent since 2020),
casual/fashion amounted to $1,543.5 million (+7.9 percent y/y, +36.6 percent since 2020); and skate/surf wholesales sales reached $1,169.2 million (+6.9 percent y/y, +23.2 percent since 2020).
Exercise Equipment Sees Mixed Performance
Total wholesale of exercise equipment grew 4.6 percent to $8.91 billion in 2025, but performance varied sharply by product. Free weights surged (+7.4 percent y/y, +58.2 percent since 2020), institutional treadmills climbed (+12.1 percent y/y) and exercise benches grew (+3.7 percent y/y). Meanwhile, home machines continue to decline. Ellipticals fell 4.0 percent, Ab machines were down 2.6 percent and ski machines gave back 1.9 percent.
Institutional fitness equipment sales saw broad-based growth, reflecting “continued investment in gyms, health clubs and commercial facilities.” By contrast, portions of the consumer/home equipment segment experienced declines, “signaling a shift in where and how Americans are staying active,” the SFIA wrote in the report.
Image courtesy Little League Baseball and Softball
