According SGMA International's Recreation Market Report, sales of sporting goods equipment, sports apparel, and athletic footwear at wholesale in the U.S. were $52.2 billion in 2004, up 4.2% over the 2003 mark. Equipment sales were also up for the year, increasing 4.0% to $18.2 billion from $17.5 billion last year.

The five largest categories of sporting goods equipment are:

  • Exercise Equipment Machines ($3.94 billion);

  • Golf ($2.51 billion);
  • Firearms/Hunting ($2.03 billion);
  • Camping ($1.75 billion); and
  • Fishing ($1.05 billion).

Sport categories registering significant sales gains were:

  • Snowboards (up 11.3% to $157 million);

  • Firearms/Hunting (up 7.4% to $2.030 billion);
  • Scuba & Skin Diving (up 7.1% to $257 million);
  • Paintball (up 6.9% to $417 million);
  • Archery (up 6.9% to $278 million);
  • Tennis (up 5.7% to $222 million);
  • Racquetball (up 5.6% to $19 million);
  • Baseball/Softball (up 4.0% to $489 million); and
  • Exercise Equipment (up 3.9% to $3.945 billion);

In exercise equipment, treadmill sales account for 26.6% of that category. Also, sales of elliptical machines increased by 28.6% — from $140 million in 2003 to $180 million in 2004. After treadmills, the next three largest fitness categories are home gyms ($315 million), exercise cycles ($190 million), and free weights ($190 million). Consumer spending for exercise equipment accounts for 80.2% of the entire exercise equipment category.

In traditional team sports, the three largest categories were:

  • Baseball/Softball ($489 million);

  • Basketball ($383 million); and
  • Soccer ($252 million).

Sports apparel sales rose 4.9% in 2004. It is the largest segment of the sports and recreation industry with sales of $23.9 billion. Activewear tops had the highest sales — $13.6 billion in 2004. Swimwear had the highest percentage gain – 9.0% (from $1.960 billion in 2003 to $2.136 billion in 2004). Other sports apparel items experiencing sales growth were tops, sweatshirts, outerwear, socks, pants/slacks, caps/hats, underwear/intimate, and sport/exercise bras.

Athletic footwear sales rose 3.1% in 2004. Total sales were $10.03 billion, compared with $9.73 billion in 2003. Two athletic footwear categories exceeded the billion dollar mark:

  • Running/jogging ($2.89 billion); and

  • Basketball ($2.08 billion).

The growth categories in athletic footwear were aerobic (up 32.7%), recreational boots (up 25.3%), low performance (up 24.5%); aerobic (up 11.1%), sport sandals (up 8.2%), skateboarding (up 6.9%); basketball (up 6.2%); and running (up 4.6%).