7/15/2013
Tackle football has experienced a 13% decline in participation since 2011, led largely by 7-to-11-year-olds, according to the National Sporting Goods Association. These children have become either avid football participants or are opting out entirely. Thus, the drop-off among 7-to-11-year-olds in tackle football came from from the infrequent (two to nine times) or occasional (10 to 49 times) players, but there was an increase in frequent (50-plus times) participants ages 7-11.
Among the 47 team sports/activities examined, 32 experienced participation growth in 2012, driven by indoor gaming activities. Snow sports saw the largest decline in 2012.
Participation declined in basketball, baseball, ice hockey, and soccer and increased in lacrosse, softball, and volleyball.
SOURCE: National Sporting Goods Association, Bruce Hammond, Director Marketing, 1601 Feehanville Dr., #300, Mt. Prospect, IL 60056; 847-296-6742, x102; bhammond@nsga.org; www.nsga.org.
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