Triathlon Business International (TBI), the industry organization dedicated to promoting the sport and the business of triathlon, has today announced the results of its third TBI Business Confidence Survey. Conducted by MultiSport Research, the survey results reflected the discussions at the recent TBI Conference in Dallas where conference attendees shared concerns, challenges and solutions about an effectively flat multisport market in the United States.
"The 2017 TBI Industry Confidence Index does have a generally downbeat feel, with industry respondents pointing to a flat market, particularly in terms of triathlon participation rates,” said Gary Roethenbaugh, Director at MultiSport Research. “Even though the industry sentiment on customer demand levels has dropped over the past 12 months, this index category has kept encouragingly positive in 2017 when compared with the 2015 benchmark year. This points to a marketplace with an underlying base of engaged and spending athletes/consumers.”
A few of the out-takes of the study include:
With an index score of 101.7, when compared with the baseline year of 2015, customer demand has kept positive overall. It is the second most positive data point in the 2017 TBI Industry Confidence Survey (after household finances).
In 2016, pricing was hovering around a more positive mood, with an index score of 101.4. This year, the combined index score has shifted down by 3.7 points to 97.7.
Into 2017, the mood on the economy remains downbeat. Even though there has been a slight pickup in this index category when compared to 2016, it remains the lowest point on the index when referenced with the baseline year of 2015. The 2017 index on economic conditions stands at 88.9, up slightly on 85.5 in 2016.
“As an industry voice, TBI is pleased to invest in this type of research for its members,” said TBI President Richard Adler. “Data for each year, and the year-over-year comparative data, can help all categories of multisport businesses calibrate their expectations and plan for the future.”
The inaugural TBI Confidence Survey was implemented in January 2015 and provided a baseline for the data gathered in January 2016, and now 2017. Participants in the survey included a cross-section of the sport, including retailers, manufacturers, event producers, service providers and triathletes. All survey respondents received a summary report of the findings, and TBI members receive the full report including all data sets and analysis. Non-members can purchase the full report for US$450.
Survey participants responded to 13 online questions that encompassed their impression of: customer demand; staffing levels; personal/household finances; product/service pricing; profits; growth/business of the sport; business competition; and US economic conditions, including optimism levels following the 2016 presidential election. Survey responses were aggregated to create a picture of the 2017 multisport business landscape and then compared to the 2015 and 2016 data collected for the same questions.
Triathlon Business International is 'the world's leading organization dedicated to promoting the sport and business of triathlon'. Founded by a coalition of industry leaders, TBI's mission is to leverage the knowledge, talent, and resources of the leaders in triathlon to the benefit of the sport by increasing and retaining advocates of triathlon and fostering a positive image of the sport.
Triathlon Business International is positioned as the world’s leading organization dedicated to promoting the sport and business of triathlon. Founded by a coalition of industry leaders, TBI’s mission is to leverage the knowledge, talent, and resources of the leaders in triathlon to the benefit of the sport by increasing and retaining advocates of triathlon and fostering a positive image of the sport.
TBI will once again host its 25,000 sq ft Triathlon Pavilion at Interbike on 22-24 September 2017. For information about exhibit space in the Triathlon Pavilion or the 2018 Conference, email feedback[at]triathlonbusinessintl.com. Details on how to become a member of TBI and receive the 2017 Business Confidence Study, can be found on TBI’s website.
Founded in 2010, MultiSport Research is a specialist research and consulting firm to the international endurance sport industry. The company was born out of a personal passion for multisport. Immersed in the world of endurance sport, MultiSport Research is committed to delivering the most robust insights on all category trends. The company offers a wide range of services – from consumer and market research through to economic impact studies, product and consumer segmentation, pricing analyses, commercial due diligence, branding and strategy. MultiSport Research also produces (this site!) triathlonbusiness.com, the dedicated news and information site for the international triathlon & endurance sport industry.
www.triathlonbusinessintl.com www.multisportresearch.com