SGMA

U.S. soccer participation dips after reaching peak in 2001.

By Gary Davidson
SoccerTimes

(Friday, May 23, 2003) -- After reaching a peak in 2001, soccer participation slipped in the United States last year.

According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers of America International 2003 Superstudy of Sports Participation, 17.641 million Americans played soccer at least once in 2002, a 7.4 percent decrease from the 19.042 million in 2001. Still, the number of players in 2002 represented a 14.6 percent increase from the 1987 benchmark of 15.388 million.

"In the grand scheme of things, it's not significant," SGMA director of communications Mike May said. "If it was a double-digit drop, I might be worried. Long-term growth has been strong and steady. We really don't give too much credence to year-to-year (changes)."

The study showed a steeper decrease among "avid" soccer players, those who play the sports a minimum of 25 times per year. The report showed 7.783 million avid participants in 2002, down 14.6 percent from the 9,117 million of 2001. Regardless, by that measure, that makes soccer the second most popular U.S. team sport behind basketball (19.982 million) and ahead of softball (5.438 million) in 2002.

"Like movie box office numbers, they can't always be going forward, so any time there's a leveling off or a slight dip, it's not indicative of the sport's popularity, based on how far we've come the last 15 years" said U.S. Soccer Federation director of communications Jim Moorhouse. "At some point, you're going to see a dip along those lines and these are such large numbers to begin with and pretty broad-based. The important thing to remember is where the sport is now and where we were, literally 15 years ago, 10 years ago, five years ago, not just in participation, but success on the field at the international level. Having Division I leagues for men and women. Having soccer-specific stadiums being built."

Soccer also was tied for 21st with target shooting (with pistols and rifles) among participation activities done at least once in the U.S. in 2002, a category led by bowling (53.2 million), treadmill exercise (43.4), freshwater fishing (42.6), tent camping (40.3) and billiards (39.5), stretching (38.4), fitness walking (38.0), day hiking (36.8), basketball (36.6), running\jogging (35.9), stationary cycling (29.1), dumbbells (28.9), hand weights (28.5), weight reseistance machines (27.8), golf (27.8), calisthenics (26.9). barbells (24.8), inline skating (21.6), darts (19.7) and RV camping (18.7).

May said that list might be somewhat misleading regarding soccer's popularity since those playing it would be more likely to do it more often than some of the other activities named. "Anyone who plays soccer once, will play it more than once," he said.

The study also confirmed the obvious -- the large majority of players in the country are youngsters and an increasing number are women. Three-quarters of those playing are aged between 6 and 17 while 37 percent are women.

"It's a strong market (and) it's youth dominated," May said. "Long-term, we're seeing more players in their 20s beginning or staying with the sport. And we're seeing more female players."

A more comprehensive report is expected in about a month by the Soccer Industry Council of America (SICA), an arm of the SGMA which is based in North Palm Beach, Fla.

Gary Davidson is a SoccerTimes managing editor and can be e-mailed at gary@soccertimes.com.