industry triathlon Cross-Training to Cross-Selling
The popularity of the ultimate cross-training sport continues to grow in the UK, with numbers of registered triathlon members and participants steadily increasing in recent years. As we enter the 2016 triathlon season, SGB takes a look at the opportunities it presents for sports retailers
W
ith over 500 registered triathlon clubs in the UK, the sport is a growing passion among both
men and women. Accessible and exciting, triathlon is the perfect sport for those seeking to reach the next level in their sports participation. As Simon Griffiths notes in his interview on page 16, consumers are looking for adventure, challenge and excitement in their sports, and triathlon offers all three – with the added incentive of a well established and growing competition circuit. By doing three different sports, triathletes
can avoid many of the injuries that single sports athletes can fall prey to – for example, runners knee. Training for a triathlon is a great cardiovascular workout, and can help to build and maintain good muscle tone. Data from leading sports research
company Sports Marketing Surveys estimates that within the UK adult
population who are avid runners (meaning they running at least once a week throughout the year), approximately 14% are also avid cyclists, 16% also avid swimmers and 4% are avid participants in all three sports. An athlete who is proficient and enthusiastic about one sport is likely to also be confident and able enough to pick up the others at a reasonably competitive level. Swimming is the number one sport in the
UK, with almost a third of the adult population classing themselves as a swimmer (participating four times a year or more). Running is the second most popular sport in the UK, reports Sports Marketing Surveys, with around 10.5 million participants. Cycling comes in third, with just under 9 million, a quarter of which also profess to be avid runners, one-fifth of which swim weekly, and 7% of which are avid in all three. Around 10% of the UK adult
population participates in two of triathlon’s three sports, and over half of those participate in all three activities. It is no surprise, therefore, that the numbers of registered triathlon participants are growing year-on-year as more and more consumers are drawn to this unique sport.
How can retailers capitalise? For sports retailers, triathlon provides a fantastic opportunity to cross-sell to their existing customers. Keen triathletes require kit for not just one sport, but three, as well as triathlon-specific kit such as quick-change wetsuits and combination running/cycling shoes.
Although bricks-and-mortar retailers can be out-priced by online bulk retailers, triathletes who are serious about their sport will often choose to buy from independent and specialist stores to benefit from the specialist knowledge and advice of staff.
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