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.
Recent Posts
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.
Jan 7, 2019
According to Matt Powell, Holiday 2017 was the most promotional on record for the U.S. sports industry – that is, until Holiday 2018. Powell says we need to return the industry to one of aspiration and inspiration, or we face the risk of running a race to the bottom; and that’s a race nobody wins. A new year brings new opportunity to change course.
Nov 27, 2018
At Outdoor Retailer’s first ever November show, Matt Powell put a different spin on his industry trend breakfast. Here are some the questions and common themes he identified as being top of mind for folks in the industry.