Cover_Sport Insight cover 6 QX 1 04/05/2012 15:38 Page 1 SportsSERVING THE SPORTS TRADE IN THE UK AND ROI www.sports-insight.co.uk £3.50 MAY 2012 Insight THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF SPORTS AND PLAY ASSOCIATIONS 80 ESTABLISHED BRANDS SPORTS APPAREL INCLUDING THE FUTURE OF DISTRIBUTION! ✔ Ordering up until 8.30pm ✔ Next-day delivery ✔ Order from as little as 1 item ✔ Over 5 million items in stock Visit www.ralawise.com INSIDE THIS ISSUE SEE PAGE 38 WANT LONG-TERM JENNY MEADOWS FOOTBALL IN SEASON PROSPERITY? Bidding for Olympic glory NPD Group analyses the Focus on trail running The only way is ethics at London 2012 UK replica kit market and table tennis Create your own sporting legacy... The Business Honours Club is an exclusive group of companies working in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust to help young people be the best they can be through sport and activity. If your company champions innovation, has specific skills or experience, we can provide an attractive opportunity which offers a variety of commercial benefits. Contact us for details www.youthsporttrust.org [email protected] 01509 226624 `TUf6#hqfADI6G%pvqq $! ! !)$$ How does an independent retailer punch above it’s weight? Turnover to see how to save money and increase your profits. Increase your profits, cut your costs and keep control in one swift hit Join the largest Sport and Outdoor Buying Group in the UK and ROI and instantly get: Trade discounts from top brands An increase of your margins and your profits The buying power of over 480 independent businesses T W ! U To start punching above your weight, call Ward on: 01793 715406 www.stagbuyinggroup.com the shoe buying group Team kit pro_Layout 1 04/05/2012 15:43 Page 1 Contents_Layout 1 08/05/2012 12:47 Page 2 IN THIS ISSUE CONTENTS 05.12 E-CATALOGUES ABC Certification SportsInsight To view, download or print the latest trade working with e-catalogues visit www.sports-insight.co.uk. Sports Insight has a current ABC certified Easy to use, viewable on any device and saving circulation of 5,496 (audit period July 1, 2010 - the environment. June 30, 2011). The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) is an independent audit ONLINE COMPETITIONS watchdog that verifies magazines’ circulation figures, providing Go to www.sports-insight.co.uk and check accurate and comparable data for advertisers. out the online competitions for your chance to win. ABC Certification demonstrates a media owner’s integrity, in their willingness to be audited and to conform to WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER industry standards. Are you missing out on the latest industry news? Then subscribe to the only FREE weekly e-newsletter for the sports trade and keep your finger on the pulse. COVER STORIES FOOTBALL To subscribe simply go to 8 WWW.SPORTS-INSIGHT.CO.UK NPD Group analyses the UK replica kit market TWITTER 32 JENNY MEADOWS Bidding for Olympic glory at London 2012 Follow us @SportsInsightUK to keep up to date with breaking news and special Sports WANT LONG-TERM UNDER THE COUNTER Insight offers. 40 66 PROSPERITY? A sideways look at the world of independent retailing The only way is ethics IN SEASON REGULARS 44 FOOTBALL NEWS 48 TABLE TENNIS 10 TRAIL RUNNING Latest headlines, key dates and events 52 14 KIT STOP FEATURES Essential stock for your shop 36 LOOKING FOR A LEGACY 25 FOCUS ON How much of a cultural and commercial impact do Spalding imprint range the Olympic Games have in reality? Lauren Fox reports from Beijing 26 MOVERS & SHAKERS BAGS OF POTENTIAL Martin Newton, sales director at Aqua Sphere 42 The humble sports bag has morphed into a multi- 29 FSPA FOCUS compartment machine capable of coping with all kinds of equipment The latest news from the Federation of Sports and Play Associations 31 TALKING SHOP Steve Pascale-Jones, general manager of FrogIslandSports in Leicester 58 UPWARDLY MOBILE Today retailers have a choice of services that will take an existing website and create an app version for smartphones. But which one should you choose? Editor: Jeff James. Tel: 01273 748675 Group Editor: Ted Rowe All contents © Maze Media Limited. The views expressed in this Email: [email protected] Publisher: Matthew Tudor magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure the veracity and integrity of the companies, Assistant Editors: Catherine Eade and Louise Ramsay Art Director: Jim Philp persons, products and services mentioned in this publication and Advertising Manager: Keith Marshall Tel: 01206 508601 details given are believed to be accurate at the time of going to Tel: 01206 505947 Email: [email protected] press. However, no responsibility or liability whatsoever can be accepted for any consequence or repercussion of responding to any Email: [email protected] Designer: Chris Ashworth information or advice given or inferred. No part of this publication Fax: 01206 500243. Advertisement Art Director: Clare Brasier may be copied, broadcast, interpreted, or stored, in any form, for Advertising Sales Reproduction: Ace Pre-Press. Tel: 01206 797541 any purpose, without the written permission of the publisher. 21-23 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Rd, Accounts: Philip Bale. Tel: 01206 505907 ABC certified circulation: 5,496 Colchester, Essex CO2 8JY Published by Maze Media Limited, 21-23 Phoenix Court, (audit period July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011) Group Advertising Manager: Sam Reubin Hawkins Rd, Colchester, Essex CO2 8JY UK/ROW SUBSCRIPTION: £25/£42.50 for one year (10 issues) 06 Follow us @SportsInsightUK Sci sport_Layout 1 04/05/2012 15:58 Page 1 NPD_SI Template 04/05/2012 15:32 Page 1 KITTEDOUT The NPD Group analyses the multi-million pound UK replica kit market, the largest of its kind in Europe As the Premier League reached its ANNUAL INCOME hoping for successful 2012-13 campaigns to conclusion, there was plenty of drama Replica kit provides football clubs with a ensure a return on their investments. on the field as clubs battled to keep steady and almost guaranteed annual The NPD Consumer Panel estimates their place in the richest league in the income that is relied upon to fund other that the annual replica market in the UK is world, while others attempted to secure activities. The competition among kit worth over £300 million, and the UK is the their entry to next season’s Champions manufacturers can be fierce and the rewards biggest market in Europe for replica sales. League - all in the quest for extra cash. are extensive. We have recently seen the With Euro 2012 taking place in Ukraine and Off the field, clubs are preparing for next announcement of several high profile deals Poland this summer, many national team kit season, talking with sponsors, booking involving Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and manufacturers will be hoping their summer tours to Asia and North America Aston Villa and new replica kit sponsored countries perform well to boost and organising new kit launches. manufacturers. Both clubs and brands will be exposure and purchases. 08 Follow us @SportsInsightUK NPD_SI Template 04/05/2012 16:13 Page 2 FOOTBALL IN 2011 MORE THAN 60 PER CENT OF REPLICA SHIRTS PURCHASED WERE “NOT FOR THE BUYER analyse female purchasers of replica shirts, we can see that over 90 per cent of the purchases they made were not for themselves. Male purchasers, on the other hand, mainly buy for themselves. With replica shirts attracting female purchasers who are buying for someone else, this category provides a good” opportunity to upsell to this demographic. Given that replica shirts are generally a high priced item, being able to squeeze an additional purchase from the buyer can make a significant difference to revenues. Socks, shorts, hats and other football accessories can be positioned strategically to increase visibility when searching through replica shirts. Bundling items together could also prove beneficial, as the incremental spend is a relatively small percentage of the main item. When females shop in sports shops, it is often because of something a child is asking for, so taking advantage of this moment is critical for retailers. By offering a variety of other products with the main item, it allows the retailer to educate the buyer about the other items available and also allows the buyer to go ‘off script’ and perhaps purchase an additional product independently. The NPD Group monitors the sales of sports footwear and apparel in many countries around the world. For more information contact The NPD Group sports team on 01932 355580. Children make up more than a third of the replica football market, worth over £100 million, and, when compared to 2009, the last year without a major tournament, the segment grew by eight per cent. With prices remaining stable, it was a volume driven increase that led to the growth in this area. PURCHASING EXPERIENCE With the majority of replica shirts being bought for someone other than the buyer, it is clearly in retailers’ interests to make the purchasing experience as easy as possible. In 2011 more than 60 per cent of replica shirts purchased were not for the buyer. When we www.sports-insight.co.uk 09 News_News 1QX (lewis) 08/05/2012 10:09 Page 1 ALL THE VERY LATEST IN THE SPORTS INDUSTRY... WHAT’S NEWS Send your news stories to the Sports Insight news desk at [email protected] or call 01273 748675 INTERSPORT Dates STAG ALL IRELAND EXCLUSIVE TENNIS CAMPAIGNS 2012 BUYING SHOW 2012 INTERSPORT started 2012 with a OCTOBER 21-22 great tennis campaign from Tullamore Court Hotel Wilson with an exclusive on the Tullamore, Co Offaly Steam 100 racket, promoted in- store with a consumer promotion.