Team Insight

behind soccer, basketball logged the fastest growth rate over the last five years. As the SFIA report also reveals, "By gender, the largest one-year participation rates for 18-to 24-year-old females are basketball (6.1 percent). For men in the same 18-to 24-year-old bracket, basketball participation at 23.1 percent far exceeds the second and third most popular activities of baseball and outdoor soccer over the last year." Moreover, there were approxi- mately 3.9 million combined core and casual basketball players in 2021, far exceeding the second-most played sports for the age bracket in baseball at 1.6 million. Now that COVID-19 is entering the endemic phase, basketball is coming back full-force, particularly at the youth and high school levels. For high schools, basketball is the third most popular sport for both boys and girls, according to the most recent NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey. e organization is now focused on building back participation as well as recruiting and retaining officials and coaches. Likewise, USA Basketball is looking to boost youth basketball this year and is working to provide opportunities for women and people of color. Expanding USA Basketball youth clinics and camps, growing the Women in the Game initiative, and building the new Torch Program designed to connect with and mentor young people of color are all on the docket. All of these trends bode well for team deal- ers, many of whom note that the basketball business is finally getting back to "normal" despite some lingering supply chain issues. Building Momentum "Business has been solid," reports Dan Proulx, a buyer for Stateline Sports in West Lebanon, NH. "e hardest part has been getting product — we've had to scramble to find product, but we've been successful in getting what our customers need." He adds: "School teams had uniforms le over from the pandemic so they haven't had to order anything lately, but sales of hardgoods such as basketballs, sticky mats, backboards, rims, nets, whistles and officials' shirts are strong." Although Stateline Sports doesn't service many travel teams, Proulx is happy with the school business. "We did a lot with high schools and elementary schools this season and we're doing more with schools this year than we did last year," he says. "Budgets seem to be steadier and schools are getting ahead and ordering early, which really helps us." At All-Star Sports in Florence, SC, pres- ident Wayne Grantham is finding that the basketball business "is doing fairly well," but it's still challenging to source hardgoods such as ball carts and gym equipment. "Post-pandemic demand is getting back to normal and schools are buying a full spectrum of uniforms, shoes, equipment and inflatables," he says. "Even through the pandemic, teams wanted new uniforms and demand has stayed high." Although All-Star Sports focuses mostly on the school business, it also services some travel teams, primarily on the recreational level. "Travel sports as a whole have mirrored school programs in terms of demand and the requests are similar," Grantham says. "School budgets are challenging in a lot of ways, but better education at the head coach and AD level have brought greater awareness of budgetary priorities at schools." Michael Bodart, owner of Columbus, IN- based Hoosier Sporting Goods, is also pleased with the basketball category. "Basketball is primarily a uniform and ball business for us. We service lots of elementary and middle schools and sublimated uniforms and game balls are key items," he points out. "We're already most of the way through this season, so practice gear and spirit wear are big right now." Furthermore, he explains that elementary schools in his area had a "nice reserve before the pandemic and are doing well financially, whereas high schools have less money to spend and players have to chip in for their gear." In the larger scheme, says Bodart, "the bas- ketball business is cyclical in terms of buying. We don't sell shoes, but we handled a fair number of uniform orders pre-COVID and we did a lot of uniforms this past fall. is season seemed to be fine for uniforms, but the hardgoods side was more problematic." Travel teams are an important component of Hoosier Sporting Goods' business and the dealer services two large travel leagues — one consists of kids from second through eighth grades, with two teams per age group, and the other covers third grade through middle school, with one team per age group. "Travel teams order uniforms every year since kids outgrow their uniforms, which is good for us," says Bodart. "Travel is a bigger business for us than schools because travel teaminsightmag.com January/February 2023 ~ Team Insight • 25

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