Play It And Wear It

Sports apparel is a multibillion industry, not only in the U.S. but around the globe. For 2005 alone, the sports apparel and athletic footwear industries gained more than $55 billion from the U.S. market. This figure was not surprising since sports apparel and footwear are the dynamic duo in U.S. sports industry. The combined earnings of the two industries have never been below the $50 billion dollar mark in the past four years.

Moreover, the U.S. sporting equipment sales amount to around $43 billion annually, bringing the total earnings of the U.S. sports market to an amount not less than $375 billion a year.

Sports apparels stores are making a killing. From basketball jerseys to golfing tees, sports clothing shops are enjoying the gains that sports have played in the past years especially now when fashion designers are tapping into the sports apparel industry to showcase their designs. Fashion designers are now cashing in on the lucrative sports apparel industry. Sports clothes are no longer seen as boring pieces of clothing.

Designers are now trying to make sports apparel as fashionable as possible. A lot of thought are being put on sports clothing designs since colors, designs, and being trendy are not the only fundamentals that make a good sportswear. Above all else, they should also provide comfort for the athlete.

For example, runners need to wear something that is not made purely of cotton since cotton absorbs moisture. Soon enough, they would feel heavy with sweat and experience a lot of drag when they run wearing cotton shirts and shorts.

Having running shorts, tights, and socks would ensure that the runner would remain dry in the long run. And a runner, of course, would need a very comfortable pair of running shoes. Compare this attire with the clothes that are worn by golfers, tennis players, basketball players and the like. Each sport has its own specific needs. It is finding the right materials and assembling it using the right design that counts.

Nevertheless, sports business is not all about clothes and shoes. As we travel around the world, we'll find out that different people have their own views and interprets the business in their own ways. Some might see sports as a gambling opportunity, while others would see it as a means of personal recreation and fitness.

On the other hand, business oriented individuals would see sports as a profitable marketplace where the right investments would lead to very lucrative gains. Still others envision sports as their stepping stone for fame and fortune. World governments also cash in on the sports industry. Sports can easily be a country's revenue source from tourists and local fans.