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A s the world of sports navigated the pitfalls and potholes of 2020 where virtually all sports seasons were suspended, post- poned, delayed or, in many cases, cancelled, there has been a universal yearning for a return to normalcy in sports. There's no doubt that sales of sports gear, equipment, uniforms and footwear were down substantially in 2020, along with partici- pation and revenue, with the possible exception of golf, running and bicycling. As we get used to life in 2021, it's worth taking a look back at sports in the U.S. before COVID-19 came crashing down on the American sports scene. The numbers provide a bit of optimism to where the business of team sports can return post-pandemic. The Good and the Bad The most recent participation study – "2020 Trends in Team Sports Report" -- from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), provides a benchmark goal for the industry to strive for in its effort to return to life in sports prior to COVID-19. Even pre-pandemic, 2019 represented a mixture of good news and bad news in team sports. Good News: Roughly 2.2 million more Americans (ages six and above) played team sports in 2019 over 2018 — 70.8 mil- lion in total. That represented a 3.2 percent increase in team sports participation over 2018. That small surge is largely attributed to growth in the more popular team sports, such as basketball (2.9 percent growth), outdoor soccer (4.5 percent), flag football (3.2 percent) and lacrosse (0.8 percent). Bad News: While the SFIA report indicates healthy growth in the team sports category, 16 of the 23 team sports tracked actually decreased in participation. Many niche sports, such as ultimate frisbee, paintball, beach/sand volleyball and ice hockey, expe- rienced significant declines. "Team sports have suffered greatly in 2020. Our industry, youth leagues and sports organi- zations must unite forces to welcome children back to the game once it is safe to do so," says Tom Cove, SFIA president and CEO. Another significant trend is that in 2019 the number of sports per participant decreased to its lowest number ever at 1.84 sports per participant. As recently as 2014, the number of sports per participant was at 2.02. "This metric speaks directly to the issues of specialization in team sports," explains Cove. The Specialization Challenge The SFIA report does reveal that there are a larger number of sports per participant at younger ages. According to Cove, this suggests children are sampling more sports, which encourages the development of a vari- ety of skills, reduces repetitive use injuries and exposes athletes to a greater variety of opportunities for a lifetime of activity. Another conclusion from the SFIA study has to do with household incomes. "Individuals in higher income households participate at a far more frequent rate than individuals in lower income households," adds Alli Schulman, SFIA's manager of com- munications and marketing. The top three team sports, participa- tion-wise, have remained unchanged from previous years: basketball (24.9 million par- ticipants), baseball (15.8 million) and outdoor soccer (11.9 million). — Mike May Participation numbers from 2019 lay a hopeful foundation for a return to pre-pandemic levels in 2021. A Look Back At Normalcy Roughly 2.2 million more Americans played team sports in 2019 over 2018. But many niche sports, such as ultimate frisbee, paintball, beach/sand volleyball and ice hockey, experienced significant declines. 54 • sportstyle • March 2021 sportstylemag.com TEAM / TRENDS

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