Market Size/ Growth. Evaluated by the terms of direct consumer spending in sports market, the
overall market was worth exactly £10bn in 2008, and is provisionally estimated to have fallen to
£9.85bn in 2009 as the recession took hold and trends continued away from formal, competitive
sports and `equipped' sports.
The basic reasons for relatively low consumer spending are twofold: the ability to follow
professional sport in the media (mainly television) at a low cost to the consumer; and the government
subsidy provided for sports participation in terms of local facilities. Furthermore, the trend to `pure'
fitness activity such as road running or aerobics classes, away from competitive, `equipped' sports,
has reduced spending on equipment, at least in relative terms.
Market Demographics. A socio-demographic analysis by age shows that buying sports clothing
is important through to the early 40s, but then dwindles in the 45 to 54 age group. The class
breakdown shows that the propensity to wear `sporty' garments increases with status, but peaks in the
group for both men and women.