NPD Sports Tracking Europe: Uncovering the Social and Economic Roles of Sports in France

By Renaud Vaschalde - NPD Sports Tracking Europe Sports Sales Manager, France

To fully understand trends in the sports market and make important funding decisions, the French government’s Department of Sports needs a reliable, independent source of market information. From how much French households spend on sports footwear and apparel to which sports command the highest expenditures by French consumers, NPD Sports Tracking Europe information equips the French Department of Sports with a complete picture of household spending on sports-related apparel and footwear.

Part of the Department of Sports’ responsibility is assisting French sport federations in promoting specific sports in France. While internal statistical sources may effectively provide some of the information required, NPD Sports Tracking Europe is the independent source the French government turns to for assessing household consumption of sports-related goods. NPD can isolate consumer spending on sports apparel and footwear by gender and age and by sports and leisure usage – which has informed government debate about which sports the Department of Sports should promote in the years ahead.

A look at Sports Tracking Europe information makes it clear that sports apparel and footwear are part of a fast-expanding lifestyle in France with growing social and economic significance. Looking at the evolution of sports footwear in France between 1998 and 2004, for example, we see that leisure use of sports footwear has increased significantly, from 785 million euros in 1998 to 1055 million in 2004.

NPD information also helps the Department of Sports understand the importance of various sports to French citizens. Formula One Grand Prix auto racing or a big football (soccer) championship may be one-time “cash machines” for the French economy, but participation in these events by the average French citizen is very low. On the other hand, it’s of interest to the French government that sales of hiking and jogging footwear are growing steadily, while sales of tennis shoes are not as strong. This information indicates hiking and jogging may have greater penetration among French people than does tennis, so it may be more worthwhile for the Department of Sport to invest in infrastructure for jogging and running than in building public tennis facilities.

Another way Sports Tracking Europe information is useful to the French government is in determining the role and importance of sports in French citizens’ lifecycles. Segmenting Sports Tracking Europe information by age shows youth ages 12-18 participate in multiple sports, rather than being loyal to one sport. Once they reach university, students tend to drop the sports in which they participated when they were younger, in part due to busy college social lives. By the time young people secure their first jobs after university (between the ages of 18 and 24), they begin to consider sports a long-term health investment, and they reinvest their energy (and their euros) in sports. This is when sports like jogging and running become important. When consumers become parents, they purchase sports apparel and footwear related to activities families can do together, such as walking and skiing. The focus on sports performance declines and “life sports” like golf and hiking take on importance.