Plunkett's Sports & Recreation Industry Almanac 2027

Jack W. Plunkett is CEO & Publisher of Plunkett Research, Ltd., a Houston-based provider of market research and industry information in printed and electronic formats. Plunkett Research provides analysis, statistics and other vital data on all major industry sectors, from InfoTech to Retailing to Banking and Internet of Things. Plunkett's client list includes 10,000 leading corporations, universities and government agencies worldwide. Plunkett's products are distributed electronically through subscriptions to its online service, and around the globe by major distributors, including ThomsonReuters.Jack Plunkett is the author of numerous books, including the gold medal-winning The Next Boom: What you absolutely, positively have to know about the world between now and 2025. Plunkett is frequently interviewed as an expert source by publications such as Time magazine, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Investor's Business Daily, media outlets such as NPR's Marketplace, ABC, and Marketwatch, as well as local and regional newspapers and national columnists. Plunkett received an Academic Book of the Year Award for his Plunkett's Health Care Industry Almanac, and he was a regional finalist in the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards sponsored by EY.

Introduction 1 How To Use This Book 3 Chapter 1: Major Trends Affecting the Sports & Recreation Industry 7 1) Major Trends Affecting the Sports & Recreation Industry 8 2) Introduction to the Sports & Recreation Industry 8 3) NFL (National Football League): The Biggest Money in U.S. Sports 10 4) Broadcasting Fees, Digital Access and Investment Savvy Boost MLB (Major League Baseball) 11 5) NBA (National Basketball Association) Goes Global 12 6) NHL (National Hockey League) Covers the U.S. & Canada 13 7) Television Rights/Streaming Contracts Bring in Lucrative Revenues for Major Sports Leagues 14 8) Soccer (Football) Leagues Around the World Reap Significant Revenues and Sponsorships 15 9) New Sports Stadiums Launched in the U.S./Stadium Sponsorships Offset Costs 16 10) Women's Sports Are Becoming Big Business 17 11) NCAA College Sports Are Immense Revenue Generators, Thanks to Broadcast Rights 17 12) Student Athletes Eligible for Endorsement Fees/ Fight for Compensation and Benefits 18 13) Golf Is a Major Sports Sector, Dominated by the PGA (Professional Golf Association) 19 14) Tennis Is a Massive Global Sport for Professionals and Amateurs Alike 20 15) Fantasy Sports Post Growth, with 53 Million Players 21 16) eSports: Electronic Games Become Spectator Sports 22 17) Sports Betting Gains Traction with Online Betting 22 18) Sports Equipment Manufacturers Offer the Latest High-Tech Advantages 23 19) Wearable Sensors Track Exercise Data/Apparel and Shoe Manufacturers Adopt Technologies 24 20) Sports Agents Are Indispensable/Sports Marketing Booms in China 25 21) Sports Licensing Heats Up 26 22) Video Game Console History/New Technologies and Features Boost Console Sales 27 23) Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality and 3-D Games Create Opportunities in the Tech Industry/ Immersion Games to Grow 29 24) Aging Baby Boomers Will Cause Significant Changes in the Leisure Sector, Including Sports and Activity-Based Travel 30 25) Athletic Footwear Sales Boom, Drawing Big Names from Athletes to Designers 31 26) The Vast Majority of Shoes Sold in the U.S. Are Made Elsewhere 31 27) 3-D Printing and Robotics Revolutionize Manufacture of Shoes and Fabrics 32 28) Exercise Apparel Sales Rise/Athleisure Clothing Sales Remain Strong 33 29) Sports Equipment and Social Media Converge 33 30) The Future of the Sports Industry Will Be Shaped by Technologies and Demographics 34 Chapter 2: Sports & Recreation Industry Statistics 37 Sports & Recreation Industry Statistics and Market Size Overview 38 Estimated Monthly Sporting Goods Stores Retail Sales, U.S.: 1992-April 2026 39 Overview of the Media Contracts of the Four Big Sports Leagues 40 Sports Industry Employment by Business Type, U.S.: 2022-April 2026 41 Chapter 3: Important Sports & Recreation Industry Contacts Addresses, Telephone Numbers and Internet Sites 43 Chapter 4: THE SPORTS & RECREATION 400: Who They Are and How They Were Chosen 71 Index of Companies Within Industry Groups 72 Alphabetical Index 82 Index of U.S. Headquarters Location by State 86 Index of Non-U.S. Headquarters Location by Country 89 Individual Profiles on each of THE SPORTS & RECREATION 400 91 Additional Indexes Index of Hot Spots for Advancement for Women/Minorities 504 Index by Subsidiaries, Brand Names and Affiliations 506 A Short Sports & Recreation Industry Glossary 521