Advertisers Spending On Action Sports Rises Sharply In A Down Year.

The wide of world of sports is slowly making room for action sports. As advertisers spent less in 2001 and traditional sports continue to slump, extreme sports continue rapid growth.

A recent statement by Merrill Lynch & Co. in the November 19th issue of Ad Age predicts an overall 4.5% decrease in ad spending in 2001. Additionally, recent studies in American Sports Data claim traditional sports are beginning to share a strong portion of their popularity with action sports.

Snowboarding, wakeboarding and skateboarding were the 3 fastest growing sports in the United States in 2000. Conversely, football, basketball and baseball were all down between 2 and 10 percent.

Bill Carter, President of leading action sports agency Fuse Integrated Sports Marketing, feels people are still participating in all sports categories, they simply have some exciting action sports options today.

“The combination of a shift away from team sports to social but individual sports and the simple addition of many more options has increased the sports landscape and traditional sports participation has suffered,” explains Carter.
“Simply put, action sports represent today’s youth culture values better than traditional sports.”

Sports Business Journal recently reflected this trend, claiming that ESPN’s X Games is the second most “anticipated event by teens after the Olympics and before the Super Bowl.” With ESPN’s Summer X Games up 66 percent in viewership since 1998 and action sports now seen consistently on ABC, NBC and FOX, action sports have become a formidable part of the sports world. Another telling reflection of the growing importance of action sports was Sports Business Journal’s recognition of Carter as one of forty individuals having the most impact on today’s sports industry via their annual “Forty Under 40” Awards. Bill Carter was the first ever representative from action sports to be given the award. Carter is credited with helping to build the first successful “extreme” sports marketing agency. In 2000, Fuse managed over $15 million in marketing funds in action sport event sponsorships, athlete sponsorships and promotions. Fuse enjoyed a 50% growth in 2001 and shows promise for continuing its leadership in the alternative sports marketing
industry.

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