Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2020 - 37

of younger participants and their parents is
still a challenge.
Recreation and vacation options in the winter abound, says Mike Erwin, North American
sales manager for the protective gear company Sweet Protection. "Is it easier to get family up to a ski resort over the holidays or plop
them on a beach?" he asks. Where boomers
often made skiing a regular family activity-
going to the family ski cabin every weekend-
the nature of kids' sports has changed. Active
families are more likely to be locked into yearround training for sports like baseball, swimming, or lacrosse, notes Sargent.
Still, the gorilla in the room is cost: "Skiing is
expensive," admits Brendan Madigan, owner
of Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City, California.
"Which makes it a sport of privilege." Even
when skiers are saving on the cost of the resort
day pass and heading into the backcountry,
"All of the gear plus avalanche education easily
runs $3,000-$4,000," Madigan says. Sargent
points out, that's money a family might spend
on home improvements, college tuition, or
paying off debt.
Not to mention that perceptions about
winter sports are like the weather-literally.
"With global 'weirding' we can't rely on typical
weather patterns as in the past," says Erwin.
"If reports are good, it's good-bad, it's bad.
When weather forecasts go negative, people
can change their holiday plans on a dime."

"WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE CUSTOMERS
WITH EDUCATION AND ACCESS TO LOCAL GUIDES
AND EXPERTS, TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO CHECK ALL
THE BOXES, INCLUDING SAFETY." -BRENDAN MADIGAN,ALPENGLOWSPORTS
OPPORTUNITY #1: ENGAGE AND RETAIN
THROUGH COMMUNITY
How are retailers approaching these challenges? Alpenglow Sports is focusing on good, old
fashioned customer service and community
building. "We have a community-centric business model that gives back to new customers as well as to those who have supported the
shop for 40 years," says Madigan.
The store hosts year-round community events for free and puts on the nine-day
Alpenglow Mountain Festival each February,
which includes guided tours, natural history
talks, films, and outdoor education-all aimed
at serving beginner or intermediate participants who might not yet have the equipment or skills. Nearly 3,000 people attended
Alpenglow's festival last year.
"It's hard when you sell someone new to the
sport a multi-thousand-dollar setup. You want
them to have a good experience," says Madigan.
"We have a responsibility to provide customers with education and access to local guides
and experts, to encourage them to check all the

PARTICIPATION OVER TIME
The 2018-19 numbers were up 1.2% overall, but the longterm trend isn't as rosy.
SKI

SNOWBOARD

Growth %

CROSS-COUNTRY
Growth %

SNOWSHOE
Growth %

2012/2013

14.5M

7.4M

-3%

4.5M

4.0M

-2%

2013/2014

14.9M

7.4M

4.3M

-5%

3.6M

-11%

2014/2015

15.3M

7.7M

4.1M

-3%

3.9M

2015/2016

15.6M

7.6M

-1%

4.6M

12%

3.5M

-9%

2016/2017

15.3M

-2%

7.6M

-1%

5.1M

3.7M

2017/2018

14.7M

-4%

7.1M

-7%

5.1M

3.5M

-5%

2018/2019

14.9M

1.1%

7.8M

9.4%

4.9M

-4.4%

3.4M

-3.1%

boxes, including safety." Alpenglow has had
stellar results with this approach; business has
doubled over the last four years.

OPPORTUNITY #2: CAPITALIZE ON
CROSSOVER SPORTS
Sweet Protection and Alpenglow both take a
crossover approach to the products they produce and sell. Sweet Protection's products
span seasons and three sport types-snow,
bike, and paddle. Alpenglow is similarly diversified. "We're two stores under one roof-
a backcountry and nordic store in the winter,
and in the summer we're a trail running, hiking, backpacking shop," says Madigan.
The trends data supports this approach,
noting popular crossover sports for skiers and
snowboarders, including running, hiking,
biking, walking, and gym activities.
WEATHER IS WEATHER-THE REST IS UP
TO YOU
"In many ways, skiing and snowboarding have
never been better," says Sargent. The multimountain pass has proven to be a great way to
reengage people, he posits. But he takes the
flat and fluctuating participation trends seriously. "We are going to have a hole in our industry if we don't do anything about it. It's like
climate: If you feel you can't make a difference
or feel it's not your job, you are mistaken. We
are all in this together."
Sargent envisions a collective effort that
ensures first-time users get to the resorts, try
products, buy products, and have a great experience. To that end, Sargent would like to
see more companies pooling resources-giving gear to engagement programs, for example-because the experience is paramount.
"That's what is going to get them to come
back time and again, to make them lifelong
participants." O.R.

U.S. population age 6 and over

SOURCE: SIA PARTICIPATION STUDY 2019

Winter 2020 / OUTDOOR RETAILER 37

Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2020

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