Power Boating Leads Growth Among High Participant Activities

MOUNT PROSPECT, IL – Among 16 sports and recreation activities with more than 20 million participants in 2006, power boating had the highest rate of growth, up 6.2% to 29.3 million power boaters, according to the new Sports Participation studies published annually by the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA). At the other end of the spectrum (sports with less than five million participants), cross-country skiing soared almost 37% to 2.6 million participants.

The only other high participant sport with more than 5% growth was camping, up 5.7% to 48.6 million participants. The bulk of the 16 sports (11 in all) grew or fell in a relatively narrow band of +5% to -4%.

Other high participant sports and their rate of change include: workout at club, +4.8% to 36.4 million; hiking, +4.0% to 31.0 million; exercise walking, +1.7% to 87.5 million; aerobic exercising, 0.0% to 33.7 million; golf, -1.0% to 24.4 million; bowling, -1.3% to 44.8 million; running/jogging, -1.6% to 28.8 million; weightlifting, -1.9% to 32.9 million; fishing, -2.5% to 40.6 million; swimming, -2.6% to 56.5 million; exercising with equipment, -3.4% to 52.4 million; basketball, -7.4% to 26.7 million; billiards/pool, -9.8% to 31.8 million; and bicycle riding, -13.3% to 35.6 million.

For this survey, a participant is someone age seven or older who takes part in the sport or activity more than once in a calendar year. The “Sports Participation in 2006 – Series I and II” reports cover 41 sports, recreation and fitness activities. Participation rates for all 41 sports surveyed may be viewed on the NSGA website at www.nsga.org/public/pages/index.cfm?pageid=149.

These reports, published by NSGA for more than 25 years, provide data on total 2006 participation, frequency of participation, and average number of participation days. Single-time participation, which is not counted in the total, is included separately. Demographic data on participants includes gender, age, mean age by gender, gender by age, household income, and education of male and female head of household. Geographic analysis includes nine census regions and metro area size. Presence of children is also noted.

In addition to Series I and II, state-by-state data will be available in “Sports Participation in 2006: State-By-State.” This report covers 33 sports and activities, and provides data on total participation, frequency of participation and total participation days for sports with more than seven million participants nationally.

For more information on pricing for these and other NSGA research reports, please contact the NSGA Research Department, (847) 296-6742, ext. 108, or e-mail: info@nsga.org. Information is also available on the NSGA web site, www.nsga.org.

NSGA, which has served the sporting goods industry since 1929, organizes and hosts the annual NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit, the sporting goods industry’s premier educational and networking event (Next: May 20-23, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa, Bonita Springs, Fla.).

For more information on NSGA member services, visit the Association home page (www.nsga.org); call Rhonda Onuszko at NSGA, (847) 296-6742, Ext. 130; e-mail: ronuszko@nsga.org; or fax (847) 391-9827.