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volleyball structured to grow
SECOND ONLY TO BASKETBALL IN POPULARITY Volleyball in the USA remains second only to basketball in terms of team sport popularity, with an estimated 29 million people playing indoor or beach volleyball. In this ever more global economy, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) continues as the largest international federation in the world.
with 217 national federations as members. The FIBV’s most recent estimate of 800 million participants reflects both the worldwide scholastic popularity of the sport and its lifetime nature. Beach volleyball, an American phenomenon, is growing globally and is no longer dominated by USA players. Brazil and several European countries have winning teams battling on international television in the two year international qualification process towards Sydney 2000. The coed option of volleyball, one of the sport’s strengths, consistently remains indoors, with a 50-50 balance between males and females. However, a study by American Sports Data, Inc. found that females account for only 37% (based on participation of 25 days or more) of beach volleyball players. |
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USA Volleyball now offers national championships in the 12 years of age and under division and the 70 years of age and over division. It also hosted a record number of teams in both its National Championships for Adults (400 teams) and for Juniors (over 700 teams). Additionally, the Volleyball Festival, held at the same time in late June as the USA Nationals, remains the world’s largest women’s sporting event, with some 900 teams and 11,000 females playing. The game’s court space ratio (12 players on a 900 square foot court) means the sport is part of every new gym and dedicated court facility. Meanwhile, new beach/sand courts continue to sprout up at parks, apartment complexes, schools, as well as sports and restaurant/bar complexes nationwide. |
Those companies seeking a well established women’s market (at the 25 years of age and under level) continue to have a great option in volleyball, where the elite level shows a 10:1 ratio in favor of women. More than 371,000 high school girls play interscholastic volleyball, the most popular team sport after basketball. Boys high school play continues to grow as well, with over 32,000 participants last year. A similar ratio exists at the USA Volleyball Junior Olympic (age 18 years of age and under) programming level, growing yet again to nearly 80,000 Junior Olympic volleyball female athletes and over 5,000 male athletes.
At the intercollegiate level the sport shows the same ratio, with the women’s intercollegiate game again second only to basketball in team sports participation. The recent 1998 Women’s Final Four, televised on ESPN, set another record crowd at the final match, with nearly 15,000 spectators. The National Intramural Recreation and Sports Association (NIRSA) is now in the second decade of hosting a National Club Championship. These championships continue to grow and have set another record participation level.
In 1999, the USA men’s and women’s national teams, televised by ESPN International, will compete in both the Pan American Games in Canada, and, additionally, for the men, in the America’s Cup. The competition will be fierce, with 217 national federations competing for 12 berths in indoor volleyball and 24 berths in beach volleyball for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. The USA men finished ninth in the World Championships, while the women tied for 13th. USA beach teams are consistently in the medal competition at any international events in which they compete.
Change in the scoring of the indoor game, with every serve now being a point, was adopted internationally on January 1, 1999. This will result in events that are shorter and more predictable in length, helping both television and grass roots programming to stay within a time frame. The future looks bright for volleyball!
This is the fifteenth in a series of excerpts from SGMA’s 1999 State of the Industry Report, which was released on February 11 during The Super Show¨ in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), the trade association of North American manufacturers, producers, and distributors of sports apparel, athletic footwear, and sporting goods equipment, is dedicated to increasing participation in sports and fostering industry growth and vitality.
In the USA alone, there were more than 172,000 volleyball-related injuries that were treated in hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics, ambulatory surgery centers and hospital emergency rooms according to the U.S. Consumer Safety Product Commission.
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