Larry Weindruch

An advisory council has been formed to identify the needs of specialty fitness dealers and chart the new association's direction.

Nearly 16 million Americans participated in yoga in 2009, marking the second year in a row with growth of 20% or more.

U.S. retail sales of sporting goods (footwear, clothing and equipment), which slipped 1% in 2008, fell 3% in 2009.

Preliminary data from NSGA’s “Sporting Goods Market in 2010” puts the average price point for athletic footwear in 2009 at $45.04, a 3.0% increase from 2008.

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Among the 39 sports surveyed by the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA), exercise walking, swimming and exercising with equipment attracted the greatest number of female participants in 2008.

The Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Committee announced the election of four new members to be inducted into the Hall of Fame next May, one retailer and three manufacturers.

The NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit Planning Committee announced changes that will add more educational and networking opportunities to the sporting goods industry’s longest continuously running event.

Data from the National Sporting Goods Association indicates nearly four-fifths of all Americans participated in a sport, fitness or recreational activity last year.

Consumers purchased $969 million in used sporting goods equipment in 2008, according to a report just released by the National Sporting Goods Association.