Matt Powell
Vice President, Senior Industry Advisor - Sports
@NPDMattPowell
Matt Powell, vice president and senior industry advisor for The NPD Group, is a nationally known expert on the sports industry. He offers his industry expertise on retail and consumer trends across apparel, footwear, and equipment for categories spanning outdoor, running, paddle and snow sports, cycling, and team sports.
With over 40 years of experience in the retail and research industries, Matt has counseled many of the world’s largest brands and retailers in the industry. He is a sought after speaker at key industry events including Outdoor Retailer, Interbike, SFIA’s Industry Leaders Summit, and the Bicycle Leadership Conference. He is also a regular contributor to major media outlets, and is frequently quoted in the press.
Prior to joining NPD in 2014, Matt held positions at Modell’s Sporting Goods, MVP.com, Sportsmart, and Sneaker Stadium. He holds a B.A. in Sociology from Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
Upcoming Event
Trend Presentation and Breakfast at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market
Date: Wednesday, June 19 | 7:00 – 9:00 a.m. MDT
Location: Denver, CO
Speakers: Matt Powell, Senior Industry Advisor, Sports, The NPD Group | Julia Day, Executive Director, Business Development, Sports, The NPD Group
Overview: Join us for breakfast and see where the marketplace is going and what your customers are thinking. This popular presentation will help you understand current market trends and dynamics, explore who is coming into your stores, and discover what drives them there. Get a winning advantage — a clear view of exactly what's happening in outdoor consumers' shopping trends. Breakfast will be available at 7:15 a.m., giving you an opportunity to connect with analysts and executives from our Sports practice prior to the presentation.
Recent Posts
Apr 26, 2019
A series of headwinds dampened U.S. athletic footwear and activewear sales in the first quarter of 2019. In January, the 53rd week in last year’s retail calendar which was accounted for in January 2018 significantly impacted the comparisons; in February, the later and lower IRS refunds dampened results; and the later Easter affected March performance.
Apr 24, 2019
Will golf sales get a lift from Tiger Woods’ recent win? Matt Powell recaps how the team sports markets including golf, baseball, basketball and others fared during the first quarter of 2019.
Mar 14, 2019
While e-commerce giants pose big competition, brands and retailers are successfully building their own niche, online platforms and there remains plenty of room to grow in this space. Matt Powell highlights the strategies and ways in which brands and retailers can win online.
Feb 15, 2019
Matt Powell expects a rocky year for the sports industry in 2019, as macro issues will likely weigh heavily on the industry. In these challenging times, what can retailers and brands do to stand out? Powell outlines his expectations and what opportunities should be seized to thrive.
Feb 5, 2019
Matt Powell provides the highlights and his analysis on how the brands and categories across the U.S. athletic footwear and activewear markets fared in 2018.
Jan 24, 2019
Matt Powell recaps how sales fared for baseball, golf, soccer, and other sports equipment products in 2018. Baseball/softball equipment sales grew largely as a result of new youth bat safety regulations that required most youth players to replace their bats. Golf was another bright spot for the market. After years of soft sales, the category bounced back. One of the top growth categories in golf were complete golf sets, particularly at opening price-points, suggesting new entrants.