While comp store data is not tracked on a monthly basis in the sporting goods, athletic footwear, and athletic apparel business, SportsOneSource analyzes POS data compiled by SportScanINFO to develop a market view of the overall sporting goods business.
Based on the SportScanINFO data, total sport footwear sales for the month of April were estimated to grow nearly 10% for the month. Sales in the Sports Retailer sector were up in low-singles, while the Family Retailer sector increased in the mid-teens, and the Discount/Mass business declined in mid-teens. Athletic footwear sales were up in mid-single-digits for the period, which indicates a low-single-digit decline in comp store sales.
The SSI data indicates that athletic apparel sales were up in the low- to mid-singles in the Sports Retailer sector for the April period, but performance apparel sales increased in the mid-teens. The average selling price in the shirts & tops segment rose 7.6% in the Sports Retailer sector as more consumers trade up from basic t-shirts to performance and fashion tops.
According to the SSI data, total projected licensed product sales were essentially flat for the month of April, with the NBA, which was down 40% for the month despite the start of the playoffs, a continued drag on the business, The NHL saw the biggest increase, an obvious reflection of the loss of the season last year. The NFL saw a mid- to high-single-digit gain for the month, but should see jersey sales pick up next month when Reebok gets draft pick jerseys in the market. MLB headwear was up more than 30% for the month, but overall jersey sales were down by the same, led by the NBA.
In Athletic Hardgoods, total sales were estimated to have increased in the mid-singles, or about flat on a comp store basis. Tennis and bicycle-related sales were both down in the low-singles, while fitness took a 10% fall due to strong double-digit declines in the Club/Discount/Mass sector. Golf hardgoods was up in high-singles, thanks in part to a mid-teens increase in the Club/Discount/Mass sector. Skating products got another lift from the Heely phenomenon, increasing more than 20% for the month and more than tripling in the Internet/Catalog channel. Heeling Sports had six of the top ten products in the category in the month. Indoor and outdoor recreation products saw an increase in the mid-teens.
Baseball/softball product sales were up in the low-teens for the month. In soccer, sales of balls were up in the low 20s and footwear was up in the high-teens.
In the Outdoor Hardgoods segment, backpacking sales were up nearly 10% and camping was up in strong double-digits. Fishing was up in mid- to high-singles while hunting and marine & watersports sales were both up over 20% for the period.
