Solid Foundations Footwear Sales at Specialty Shops Turned Upward Last Year, Leading to Optimism—And Many New Oﬀ Erings—In 2019

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OUTLOOK 2019: SHOES Solid Foundations Footwear sales at specialty shops turned upward last year, leading to optimism—and many new oﬀ erings—in 2019. By Kent Oswald

his past year may not be considered a “great” year for tennis footwear, but it might go down as a “very good” year, according to data from Sports Marketing Surveys. And that may well o er a good foundation for optimism about the 2019 court shoe market. TWhile fi nal fi gures for year-end 2018 weren’t available at press time, through the third quarter, unit sales for specialty shops were up 3 percent (vs. down 6, 5 and 2 percent in years 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively). If trends hold, dollar sales will rise 9 percent, year over year, to an estimated total of $95 million, helped by an average price rise to $100.28 a pair (through the fi rst three quarters), compared to average pric- ing of $95.60 in 2017, $92.17 in 2016 and $90.05 in 2015. Past performance, as they say, is no guarantee of future results, but the trend from red ink to black ink is always good to see. Ideally, these shoe o erings for 2019 will continue to help spark sales. (Prices are suggested retail.)

Head / head.com /800-289-7366

Complementing the Sprint Superfabric (men’s, $159.95) introduced in late 2018, the Revolt and Sprint lines will have new iterations, both with Jan. 16 releases. The low-proﬁ le Revolt 3.0 (men’s/women’s, $119.95) o ers increased comfort and stability for side-to-side play, while the lightweight Sprint 2.5 (men’s/women’s, $119.95) should add to the repu- tation, in terms of wear and performance, of a shoe created for quick movements throughout the court. For younger players, the Revolt Pro 2.5 Junior ($79.95) and Sprint 2.5 Junior ($59.95) provide high-performance options at lower price points.

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Past performance, as they say, is no guarantee of future results, but the trend from red ink to black ink is always good to see. Ideally, these shoe offerings for 2019 will continue to help spark sales.

Fila / ﬁ la.com Wilson / wilson.com K-Swiss / kswiss.com 800-845-FILA 773-714-6400 800-768-472

From the fi rst ball Down Under For 2019, the premium Amplifeel 2.0 The brand unveils its lightest through 2019, Fila athletes including (men’s, $159) will have the same mid- performance shoe ever, the low-riding Marin Cilic, John Isner and Karolina cut profi le and extra support through Aero Knit (men’s/women’s, $160), Pliskova will be wearing the new col- the ankle, superior cushioning and featuring new Surge technology that orways of little boy blue/black/white rebound, and available in a new, black/ provides both cushioning and energy in the men’s version of the Axilus 2 ebony/green gecko version. The Rush return in the heel. Also new for 2019 Energized ($110) and crystal rose/ Pro 3.0 (men’s/women’s, $129) will is an improved Ultrashot 2 (men’s/ salmon rose/white in the women’s. also have updated colorways as well as women’s, $135). The lightweight, fl exible shoe was enhanced breathability, stability and Also of note, K-Swiss o ers footwear released in 2018 with a durable durability. Options for younger specifi c to pickleball. The Express outsole, breathable sockliners, and players include the Kaos 2.0 Junior Light Pickleball shoe (men’s/women’s, thematic touches that are part of Fila’s ($79), the Rush Pro QL Junior ($69) $95) is comfortable, lightweight and tradition of making sure outfi ts work and the Kaos QL Junior ($69), each comes customized with a pickleball

COURTESY HEAD, FILA, WILSON, K-SWISS FILA, WILSON, HEAD, COURTESY together stylistically, from head to toe. dressed up in new color options. sock liner and heel logo callout.

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New Balance / newbalance.com Mizuno / mizunousa.com Nike / nike.com 800-595-9138 800-966-1211 800-344-6453

The new Fresh Foam Lav (men’s, The Osaka-headquartered sporting Nike o ers the latest versions of the $149.95) combines superior cushion- goods manufacturer returns to the light, durable and cushioned Court ing with high-performance lateral United States with a grassroots mar- Zoom Cage 3 (men’s/women’s, $130), support and a heavy-duty outsole. keting plan that includes sponsoring with its extra comfort at the forefoot; The shoes, built in part by studying a handful of juniors and high-ranking the Air Zoom Zero (men’s/women’s, where Milos Raonic’s movement on adult amateurs. Shoes include the $130) with its surprising response, feel court exerted the most pressure, are Wave Exceed Tour 3 AC (men’s/ and styling; and the premium Court christened “Lav” in the Canadian’s women’s, $140) supporting stop-and- Air Zoom Vapor X (men’s/women’s, honor (“lion” in Serbian) and will be start movement in all directions for $140), built to stand up to the tough- available in an array of colorways. elite players, and the sleek, lightweight est hard-court conditions and deliver The company will also be providing and comfortable Wave Impulse superior control. new options for the ultralight 896v2 (men’s/women’s, $120), with a distinc- (men’s/women’s, $109.99) and the tive silhouette for competitive adults 996v3 (men’s/women’s, $129.99). and high-performance juniors.

30 TennisIndustry February 2019 www.tennisindustrymag.com The average price for a pair of tennis shoes at pro/specialty shops topped $100 through the ﬁ rst three quarters of 2018, leading to an overall rise in dollar sales year over year.

Yonex / yonexusa.com 424-201-4800

The latest reveal from the Japanese sporting goods leader is the Fusion Rev 3 (men’s/women’s, $140), which has been redesigned in all-court and clay-court versions for extra shock absorption, and features asymmetrical lacing for a more natural feel. The new year will also see new colorways and an improved ﬁ t for the Eclipsion 2 (men’s/women’s, $140), shoe choice of Stan Wawrinka, as well as new colorways for the stable, ﬂ exible Sonicage (men’s/women’s, $99). All shoes feature enhanced cushioning, which the company tested by dropping an egg 22 feet onto the “power cushion” material inside. Not only did the egg rebound whole, but it reached 13 feet o the bounce.

Babolat / babolat.com 877-316-9435

Babolat is thoroughly updating its footwear o erings. The top-of-the-line Jet Mach II with one-piece Kevlar uppers, enhanced lateral stability and stability- optimizing Michelin outsoles will have striking new colorways, ranging from dark yellow/black for men to pink/black for women in both the All Court and Clay versions (men’s/women’s, $140). The Jet Mach I All Court (men’s/ women’s, $110) will also be dressing up di erently, including a “Wimbledon” all-white version. The Jet All Court Junior ($70) also receives new colorways, ranging from a dark blue/black version to “Wimbledon.” There will also be new looks for the Propulse Fury All Court (men’s/ women’s, $120), Blast All Court (men’s/ women’s, $105) and All Court Junior ($60). New colorways will be o fered for the Propulse Fury All Court (men’s/women’s, $120), Propulse Blast All Court (men’s/ women’s, $105), Propulse All Court Junior ($60) and, in a March release, the Shadow Spirit (men’s/women’s, $105). The lightest of Babolat’s shoes, the Shadow features a

COURTESY NEW BALANCE, MIZUNO, NIKE, YONEX, BABOLAT NIKE, YONEX, NEW BALANCE, MIZUNO, COURTESY mesh upper and venting at the midsole.