MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. (BRAIN) — Early figures from the 2018 edition of the National Sporting Goods Association's Sports Participation in the U.S. report shows participation in the study's "Wheel Sports" category, which includes cycling, remains flat, up just 0.1 percent over the prior year. NSGA will release more detailed data on bicycling participation later this spring.
Last year, NSGA found that bicycling participation was up 0.5 percent over 2015, while the larger Wheel Sports category was down 0.5 percent.
The NSGA report is one of the largest and longest standing participation studies in the sports industry. The study has tracked cycling since 1984, and defines participants as those Americans age 7 and up who have ridden a bike six or more days per year.
NSGA sells its full reports for about $400 for members and $600 for non-members. The organization releases a limited amount of data publicly.
The public data released this week shows mixed performance among the ten segments tracked by NSGA. In total, 2017 saw five segments increase in participation, four segments decrease, and one segment remain flat versus 2016.
Segments experiencing growth included Open Water Sports (+2.7%), Outdoor Activities (+2.5%), Snow Sports (+1.4%), Personal Contact Sports (+0.6%), and Individual Sports (+0.5%). Segments declining included Team Sports (-0.6%), Fitness Activities (-1.3%), Shooting Sports (-1.9%), and Indoor Games (-1.9%). As noted, the Wheel Sports segment was essentially flat.
"While the percent changes among the different segments in recent years have not been drastic, the industry has not seen the kind of sustained growth that is beneficial to all organizations" said NSGA's president and CEO, Matt Carlson.
More information at nsga.org/researchofferings.
