Athletic apparel vendors ranked by global market share of apparel revenue 2011
Sporting Goods Industry
Consumer interest in sports has been steadily rising in recent years partly due to wider media coverage of sporting events, making sports popular with huge numbers of people, young and old. TV and internet sports coverage also serve to make sporting events more and more accessible to the masses.
The global sports and fitness clothing industry is highly fragmented, with many brands competing, from basic discount brands to high-end fashion names. Even well-established brands have to work hard to maintain their share of the market. Consumers are demanding more versatile wear with wider functionality, which means retailers continue producing new styles of sports apparel for men and women.
Over the years, the industry has seen many mergers and acquisitions. Key players in the industry include Reebok, Adidas, Puma and Nike, with the latter generating a global revenue over 25 billion U.S. dollars in 2013. Some of these companies are joining up with fashion designers to produce new clothing styles and widen their product lines. As a result, consumption will continue to be driven by a trend toward less formal dress in the workplace and demand from specific demographics such as teenagers and baby boomers.