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 | Planet Extras! | | Industry News: Inline Skating Falls From List of Top U.S. Activities Bowling Retains Top Spot; No. 2 Treadmill Exercise Can't Seem to Gain Any Ground! By Robert "Don't Shoot the Messenger" Burnson For the first time since the The annual list is compiled by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) and based on a survey by American Sports Data, Inc. Last year, inline skating was ranked 18th on the list and estimated to have 19.2 million U.S. participants. (American Sports defines a participant as anyone who takes part in a sport at least once a year.) This year, inline skating is one of three sports to be dropped from the list. (The others are darts, which was ranked 17th in 2004, and saltwater fishing, which was ranked 27th.) No estimate is yet available for how many people are still thought to be inline skating. But the new estimate, expected to be released later this month, apparently won't be pretty. The 30th-ranked sport on the new list (target shooting with a rifle) is estimated to have 14.1 million participants. Somewhere below that, apparently, is inline skating. That means the new estimate will peg participation at below 14.1 million, which would mean a one-year drop of more than 5 million skaters. Is that possible? Probably not. But it is possible that last year's estimate of 19.2 million participants was inflated. Skate manufacturers will be disappointed, but not completely surprised, by the new figures. They reported a drop in sales of 14 percent last year, but have said that sales appear to be rebounding. With Inline Skating Down, What's Up? Replacing inline skating in the 18th position on the Top-30 List this year is the sport of stationary cycling, which climbed two spots in the rankings. In fact, all the stationary sports are quite popular. Five made the Top-30 List this year, including a new activity, exercising with an elliptical motion trainer, which ranked 22nd. Elliptical motion trainers are hybrid treadmill-StairMaster-NordicTrak-type devices. It is not clear why they are not listed under the "treadmill exercise" category, which is second most popular sports activity in America. Another newcomer to the Top-30 List is "other exercise to music," which apparently means Jazzercise and other forms of aerobic dance. It is ranked 21st. The reigning and still U.S. champion of American sports activities is bowling. Some 53.6 million Americans bowl at least once a year, according to the survey. Next year, the survey may be expanded to include beer mug lifting, although no doubt the bowling ball manufacturers will not be pleased! (Talk about this story ... in the forum.) (posted on April 11, 2005) | Discuss Related Reading: | |||||||||
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... Copyright © 2005 by Robert Burnson | |||||||||||||
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