The popularity of racquet sports, both as activities and as fashion, is having a positive impact on apparel, footwear and equipment sales.
The market for athletic skirts and dresses increased a combined 24 percent in the past 12 months compared to the prior year, and sales have more than doubled since 2019. Sales for tennis-inspired sneakers, which have the performance-based heritage of a tennis shoe but are intended for everyday wear, increased by 9 percent in the past 12 months, compared to the previous year.
“While it’s clear that the increased participation in racquet sports is propelling the sale of the performance footwear worn for these sports, the related — and perhaps even more interesting — trend is the growth of tennis footwear as a fashion statement,” said Beth Goldstein, footwear industry analyst at Circana.
“Racquet sports are trending right now,” said Julia Day, executive director of business development at Circana. “From pickleball’s popularity to the recent excitement of Wimbledon and the upcoming U.S. Open, these are moments that create an enthusiasm that transcends the sports themselves.” Meanwhile, the growth in racquet sports equipment sales is primarily being led by more buyers in the market, some 20 percent more compared to a year ago, and buyers spending more. Year-over-year sales for racquet sports equipment gained 27 percent to $684 million in the past 12 months, led by the continued surge in pickleball sales. Capturing $50.8 million in retail sales three years ago, pickleball paddle and ball sales are now a $304.2 million business.
“I may not have a crystal ball, but I can confidently say that pickleball is here to stay,” said Day. “Pickleball is fun, easy to learn, highly social and has a low barrier to entry. We are seeing market share shifts, as pickleball racquets are gaining share at the expense of tennis racquets. To become the dominant player, retailers and manufacturers need to equip themselves with actual sales ad shopper data to understand market dynamics and quantify opportunities.
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Northbrook 4-bedroom home with clay tennis court: $1.3M231 Summerfield Road, Northbrook: $1,250,000 | Listed: May 30, 2023 This four-bedroom home has three full bathrooms, two half baths, brick paver driveways and a vaulted glass ceiling atrium. The kitchen has a pantry, a double oven and ceramic tile flooring. The primary bedroom suite features a walk-in closet and a bathroom with skylights. The finished basement offers a recreation room, an exercise/playroom, a utility room and a walk-in storage room. Outdoor space includes a paver patio, a gas grill and a clay tennis court. Three fireplaces and a two-and-a-half attached garage with an epoxy floor complete this home. Agents: Beverly and Marshall Fleischman, Coldwell Banker Realty, 847-217-0494 *Some listing photos are “virtually staged,” meaning they have been digitally altered to represent different furnishing or decorating options. To feature your luxury listing of $1,000,000 or more in Chicago Tribune’s Dream Homes, send listing information and high-res photos to ctc-realestatechicagotribune.com. Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news.
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