Super Show hits the mark as industry looks to score - sporting goods market seen as growing 3%

DSN Retailing Today, Feb 10, 2003 by Mike Troy

LAS VEGAS -- The sporting goods market is projected to grow nearly 3% this year and retailers who attended the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association's annual Super Show got a look at some of the trends and products that could influence the forecast growth.

Total industry sales measured in wholesale dollars--including footwear, apparel and equipment--are projected to grow by 2.9% to a record $50.5 billion, marking the second year of consistent growth despite otherwise difficult economic conditions. Industry sales grew 2.8% last year to approximately $49 billion and reversed a negative trend from 2001 when sales defined 2.3%.

In the $18.3 billion equipment segment, the exercise and fitness category continues to dominate with projected sales this year of nearly $4 billion. Expected to contribute to that total are several new items. Although ICON Health & Fitness did not exhibit at the show, the company recently introduced the $499 Cross Bow under its Weider brand. The multipurpose home gym is modeled after the successful Bowflex product from the Nautilus Group, which filed suit against Icon alleging patent infringement.

Several more straightforward fitness products that fall under the "how come no one thought of it sooner" category is the Danskin fitness brand. Donna Savage, president of Fitness EM licensed the Danskin name and took seriously concerns of women and incorporated those concerns into product design. As a result, the weight bench is shorter, narrower and easier to adjust while other products such as weight plates, barbell locking devices and barbell handles are designed with the preservation of women's longer fingernails in mind.

Savage said she came up with the design because "there was really no strength training equipment designed especially for women. Our target market is 35 and up. We are not going to the 20-year-olds at the gym."

Another emerging trend related to fitness involves inversion therapy. The Teeter Hang Ups division of STL International displayed several models of its inversion products at the show that are designed to help athletes offset compression of their spine and joints. Although inversion tables have been around for decades, they are enjoying more mainstream appeal thanks in part to their exposure on the Home Shopping Channel and word-of-mouth from satisfied users.

Another category expected to grow this year is basketball, especially considering manufacturers' abilities to add new features to lower-priced portable goals while making higher end ground models more affordable. Huffy is among those suppliers that fall into this group, but other developments at the company include its entry into the inflatable business with a line of footballs, soccer balls and volleyballs, as well as last year's acquisition of Gen-X Sports and its well-known golf brands such as Tommy Armour and Ram.

"The real story for us in inflatables is that it takes the well-known Huffy name outside of basketball," said Mike Kermendy, director of marketing and product development. "We remain committed to the basketball category, but we are also positioning our brand to become more of a full-line sporting goods company."

Accordingly, Huffy introduced four models of an indoor/outdoor putting green under the Tommy Armour brand. The product is unique from other putting products because its elevated platform allows made puts to fall into the cup. In addition, contour pads are included so that breaks can be created on the simulated bent grass surface.

"This is as close as you can get to being on a golf course and putting," Kermendy said.

From a trend standpoint, technology features continue to be incorporated into indoor games such as darts, foosball, air hockey and even skateboards. Sportcraft's Arena model 8-foot air hockey table features twin motors for consistent air flow levels throughout the playing surface and overhead scoring with lights and audio that simulates an arena announcer. Other air hockey tables come with miniature flashing lights in the paddles, side rails and goal. Sportcraft and other darthoard manufacturers, such as Regent, also continue to add new features to electronic products.

"People are wiling to spend money to get a higher-quality board with more features and the more dartboards you sell the more darts you are going to sell," said Ian Sandman, director of marketing with Regent.

Technology features have also been added to an innovative skateboard from Sport-Fun, which introduced the Street Smartz Intelliboard. The board features a microprocessor and audio device that provides the rider with feedback about their skating technique and how to improve performance of tricks.

In addition to technology, another trend and opportunity area for retailers involves catering to fans' passions for their favorite teams by offering an increasingly broad range of fan-oriented products. The most obvious of these is face paint, and according to John Girton, president and owner of The Ultimate Sports Fan, "There is no niche business that is as hot as this is right now."