Business Development      

Female Sports Participation 
drives Sporting Goods Business

NORTH PALM BEACH, FL.  According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), women and girls sports participation is flourishing.  The 2000 Edition of Gaining Ground: A Progress Report on Women and Sports, describes trends by sport and fitness activity, as well as participation in high school, college and community leagues. The second report of its kind updates information published in 1998, when the first “Gaining Ground” was issued.

The comprehensive report outlines sports participation trends and figures, and includes manufacturer’s response to the needs of female sports participation, such as technical changes in apparel and equipment designed for smaller hands, etc.

Key Findings of the report include:

• Women make up 80% of purchasing decisions on sports apparel, buying 90% of children’s and 60% of men’s apparel, in addition to their own.
   
• The number of women competing on NCAA college teams increased 48% between 1990 and 1998, compared to a 10% increase for men.

The report is free to SGMA members.  Non-members may purchase a PDF version for $125 or a hard copy version for $175.00. To order a copy of this report contact Mary Ellen Bishop at mesgma@aol.com, or call 561-840-1121.  

[Source: Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), at 200 Castlewood Drive, North Palm Beach, FL. 33408-5696, Tel (561) 842-4100, Fax (561) 863-8984]

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