SIA Releases 2009 Snow Sports Market Intelligence Report

SIA RELEASES 2009 SNOW SPORTS MARKET INTELLIGENCE REPORT
Report provides rare insight into snow sports trends, sales and demographics

MCLEAN, Va. (Sept. 21, 2009) - SnowSports Industries America (SIA) is pleased to announce the release of the 2009 Snow Sports Market Intelligence Report, a comprehensive topline of the snow sports marketplace. Celebrating its 32nd annual update, the Report provides valuable insight into retail sales and participation trends, demographics for snow sports participants, analysis of the season’s weather, and comprehensive analysis of the snow sports industry. This highly valuable information is only available through SIA. Few industries have a source of detailed and comprehensive market data that rivals the information offered in the 2009 SIA Snow Sports Market Intelligence Report.

The Snow Sports Market Intelligence Report boasts an easy-to-follow analysis and highlights, along with stand-alone chapters for alpine, snowboard, cross-country, telemark, backcountry, randonee/AT, equipment and apparel accessories, and apparel categories. Additionally, full reports on the market for women’s and junior’s specific snow sports products will be available soon as a special version for snow sports retailers for the first time in 2009.

While the 2008.09 season will be remembered for the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, snow sports participation was healthy and some categories of equipment, apparel and accessories grew. Here’s just a sample of information that can be found in the 2009 Snow Sports Market Intelligence Report:

2008.09 Sales
$2.8 billion in sales of snow sports equipment, apparel, and accessories from specialty shops and Internet sales. Category breakdown:

-$760 million in equipment
-$1.1 billion in apparel
-$951 million in accessories

Adult high performance alpine ski boots were a hot trend, with an increase of 16% in units sold and an additional $11 million in sales.

2008.09 Online sales
-Online sales grew 12% in dollars and 23% in units
-$547 million total Internet sales were recorded
-15% of all snowboard equipment was sold online

2008.09 Demographics/Participation
-1 in 14 of Americans consider themselves to be skiers or riders
-14.8 million Americans participated in a snow sport in 2008
-The average snow sports participant is about 30 years old, has a college degree and household income exceeding $100,000 annually
-1 in 5 female snowboarders are over 35 years old and plenty of girls are in the pipeline
-The snow sports demographic experienced a doubling in unemployment rate during the 2008.09 season as the economy tanked

Click here to learn more about the SIA 2009 Snow Sports Market Intelligence Report. Media can contact Anovia Daniels, SIA Communications and Public Relations Manager, at ADaniels@snowsports.org for specific requests regarding information from the Report. For more information on this and other research available through SIA, contact Kelly Davis, SIA Director of Research at 703.506.4224 or by email at KDavis@snowsports.org.