Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturers NAICS 339920

Sep 19, 2025 - Shifting Participation Trends Amid Economic Headwinds: SFIA

• According to SGB Media, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) released its inaugural mid-year participation report, highlighting pickleball as the fastest-growing sport and Winter Sports as the leading category, driven by cross-country skiing. Despite these gains, overall activity declined, with U.S. inactivity rates rising to 22.9% amid economic uncertainty and post-Olympic disengagement. Tariff ambiguity and cost concerns, cited by 40.9% of parents, are key barriers to youth sports enrollment. While racquet and fitness activities showed marginal growth, water, outdoor, and team sports saw slight declines. Notably, pickleball’s growth slowed to 14.7%, signaling potential market stabilization. Age-based trends reveal younger demographics favor wellness-oriented activities like running, while older groups lean toward fitness equipment use. The data is critical for sporting goods manufacturers as it identifies shifting consumer behaviors, emerging growth segments, and economic headwinds impacting demand.
• Producer prices for sporting and athletic goods manufacturers were up 2.4% in August 2025 compared to a year ago, according to data from the US Department of Labor Statistics (BLS). Employment by jewelry, silverware, and sporting and athletic goods manufacturers was flat in July 2025 year over year. Average wages for nonsupervisory employees in the industry increased 2.3% in July 2025 compared to a year ago, reaching $24.11 per hour, per the BLS. Sales for miscellaneous manufacturing companies, which include sporting and athletic goods manufacturing firms, increased 4.1% in Q4 compared to a year ago and rose 6.5% from the previous quarter, according to the latest data from the Census Bureau. Shipments of miscellaneous durable goods were up 0.1% in February 2025 compared to a year ago and down 1.2% from the previous month.

• Indicators measuring the collective mood of US consumers showed a downward turn, with consumer confidence and consumer sentiment levels falling. Consumer confidence levels, an indicator of discretionary expenditures, declined in August 2025, month over month, falling by 1.3 points, according to the Consumer Confidence Index. Consumer confidence levels were lower in August, but remained similar to levels in the past three months, according to The Conference Board, which publishes the monthly index. August’s loss can be attributed to consumers under 35 years old, while confidence levels rose for consumers over 55. In addition, the consumer sentiment index from the University of Michigan dropped in September 2025. The index fell to 55.4 in preliminary data for September from 58.2 in August. Year over year, the index was 21% lower than September 2024’s 70.1. Year-ahead inflation expectation results held steady monthly, as consumers convey lingering anxiety about prices amid tariff impacts. The index serves as a predictor of consumer spending as it indicates consumers’ perception of their financial prospects and the broader economy.
• Sales for the US sporting and athletic goods industry are projected to grow at a CAGR of 0.36% between 2025 and 2029, slower than the overall economy's projected growth, according to a forecast from Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. Consumer sentiment is expected to improve in the forecast period, which bodes well for the sector. A factor that may curb consumer spending is substantially higher tariffs on consumer goods, which may be painful for households. On a positive note, lower inflation supports a moderate increase of real disposable income by about 2% in 2025 and 1.9% in 2026. Real income could suffer if average prices rise due to tariff implementation. The durable goods manufacturing sector forecast indicates that the labor force is expected to diminish, barring immigration reform that allows greater numbers. However, new technologies could support labor productivity for the industry.