The Sporting Goods Industry

The last 20 years have brought remarkable growth and change to the sporting goods industry. The term “sporting goods” once comprised only equipment like golf clubs, basketballs and tennis rackets. With the recent explosion in apparel and footwear sales, though, the industry has moved far beyond equipment manufacture. Skyrocketing marketing budgets have resulted in top-name athletic endorsements and relentless branding, and athletic companies’ logos are now easily among the most recognizable corporate trademarks in the world.
This work, both a valuable text for students and an indispensable handbook for professionals, offers insight into every major function of the sporting goods industry. Chapters cover the development of the industry; the industry’s structure and size; manufacturers’ products and market shares; channels of distribution; sports medicine and product liability; sports marketing, including licensing, endorsement and sponsorship; the use of traditional media and market research; sales trends and profitability; and e-commerce. Each chapter includes discussion questions and exercises. Appendices provide directories of sporting goods vendors, retailers, and multi-sport media and trade associations.
Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

Former marketing research director Richard A. Lipsey is president of SBRnet, and also adjunct professor at Sacred Heart University.

Richard A. Lipsey
Foreword by Thomas B. Doyle
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 177
Bibliographic Info: appendix, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2006
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2718-5
eISBN: 978-1-4766-1313-0
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      v

Foreword by Thomas B. Doyle      1

Preface     3

1. Historical, Cultural, and Technological Perspectives on the Industry     5

2. Structure and Size of the Industry in the United States      19

3. Sporting Goods Vendors: Products, Market Size, Organizational Structure, and Market Segmentation      36

4. Channels of Distribution: Consumer Retail, Consumer Online, Team Dealers, and Distributors      49

5. Sports Medicine and Product Liability      66

6. Sports Marketing: Licensing, Endorsement and Sponsorship      71

7. Broadcast and Print Advertising and Market Research      89

8. Financial Dimensions: Sales Trends and Profitability      102

9. E-Commerce: Vendors, Brick-and-Mortar Retailers, E-Tailers      115

Appendix: Leading Vendors, Retailers, and Multisport Media and Trade Associations      129

Bibliography      161

Index      163

For Instructors