NPD Looks at the Impact of World Cup Competition On the Business of Football

Port Washington, NY – June 11, 2010 - Nothing gives the global football market a better boost than a World Cup Tournament. As the 2010 World Cup is about to commence, The NPD Group, Inc. a leading market research company, takes a look at  the global football market.

Global Football Footwear and Apparel Market post 2006 World Cup

• Germany hosted the previous World Cup in 2006 boosting the European economy.
• According to The NPD Group, Inc., Consumer Tracking Service, the Football Footwear and Apparel market grew 13 percent from 2005 in the European Big 5* countries. The total value in Euros was estimated at €1.7 billon**.
• Great Britain and Germany Football Apparel sales drove the increase.
• Largest National Kit purchases were seen with England’s Three Lions Shirt. For 2006, total retail sales were almost €200 million. Purchases of Germany’s national shirt totaled almost €50 million by the end of 2006.
• The French market saw sizeable increases but along with Italy & Spain are not historically large replica shirt buyers.

NPD’s Global Sports Estimate 2008 and the Football Market
- The Global football market is valued at 10.9 billion USD according to The NPD Group, Inc.’s Global Sports Market Estimate+. Individually some of the world’s markets are valued accordingly++:

• U.S.A. football market is valued at 900 million USD
• Brazil football market is valued at 535 million USD
• Great Britain market is valued at 1400 million USD
• German market is valued at 800 million USD
• French market is valued at 500 million USD

*European Big 5* = France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Spain
**2006 exchange rate £1 - €1.32

+The Global Sports Estimate:
The NPD Group is now able to estimate the market size for 90 countries in the world. For the top 15 countries, NPD measures or estimates market size broken down by sport. For each sport within those countries, NPD estimates footwear, apparel, equipment, sales intended for sport use and sales NOT intended for sport use separately. The estimate covers the years 2008 and 2007.

Methodology: This study’s estimates of the global sports market’s size are based on The NPD Group, Inc.’s consumer panel tracking data, statistical projections, and the company’s extensive sports industry expertise.  The NPD Group measures the athletic footwear and sports apparel markets in 10 countries, representing 70% of the global sports sales.  For the remaining 30%, NPD estimates are based on assumptions related to Gross Domestic Product development.

++Exchange rate calculation: 1€=$1.3

For additional information or to set-up interviews with an industry expert please contact:
Beth Boyle
beth.boyle@npd.com
516-625-4603