Demand for Sporting Goods in the Czech Republic is Growing

The Czech Republic has a proud history of sporting achievements in both winter, and summer, as well as indoor sports; hence the market for sporting goods is growing within this Central European nation. The most popular sports in the Czech Republic are ice hockey, football, tennis, cycling, downhill skiing, ski jumping, and cross country skiing. On average in 2013, a male aged between 25-35 spent € 680 euro’s annually on sporting goods and the sports industry, and a female in the same age bracket spent €574 euros, a typical family would spend approximately € 1000 euros per year. Sports apparel accounts for 41% of total spending, sporting goods/equipment 34%, gym/sports club membership, 16%, and tickets for tournaments/live events 9%.

Skiing is the fastest growing winter sport in the Czech Republic, followed by cross country skiing, as there has been a big increase in funding to improve winter resorts; which is increasing the popularity of winter sports amongst the locals, as well as winter sports fans from neighboring Central European countries, such  as Poland and Germany. Volleyball is the fastest growing indoor sport, with quite a few Czech players playing in international leagues, basketball has experienced a slight decline in recent years. Hiking, mountaineering, and cycling are the most popular outdoor summer sports; there are a lot of professional cyclists who are part of foreign teams, with 2 Czech cyclists taking part in the 2014 Tour de France.

The Czech Republic has one of the highest densities of fitness centers within Central Europe, so there are opportunities for manufacturers of treadmills, spin bikes, steppers, rowing machines, weight machines, etc. Outdoor gyms in public parks/spaces are becoming increasingly popular, with the Czech government targeting the health and wellbeing of the nation as a focus in the coming years, so public financing is available for the development of this sector.

Golf is becoming more popular in Central and Eastern Europe, with an increase of 82% in the number of golf courses in the CEE area, The Czech Republic is the leading golf market within CEE, with 38% of the total number of players in the region. The Czech Republic has just under 50% of all golf courses in CEE, as Prague is a major tourist destination, golf in the Czech Republic is a big draw for golfing tourists as well.

The population of the Czech Republic expects quality sporting goods, so the market is not as price sensitive as its larger Central European neighbors, in 2013 the average bike purchased in the Czech Republic was the highest in the CE region, at a cost of € 257.77 euros, which was higher than both Germany, at € 242.14, and Poland, at € 165.33 euros.

When any sporting goods manufacturer or supplier is looking to enter the Czech market, it's important to find the best suited local distribution partner, who not only understands the Czech market and doing business there, but is also familiar with the products that you can offer. They must also have a strong dealer network, which will increase the speed of your results and the likelihood of success. It's also good to keep in mind that an experienced distributor in the Czech Republic will also be familiar with the Slovakian market due to the countries shared histories. Market research is always important, but some of the best, most efficient research any company can do is actually by entering the market and adjusting as they proceed, therefore it’s important not to get tied down in a long agreement, if it turns out that your local partner is not suitable. Trade shows and advertising are increasingly important in the Czech Republic, but these methods can be costly, time consuming, and rather hit or miss; a better way of finding the ideal experienced sporting goods distributor is by working with a company who specializes in connecting sporting goods manufacturers with local partners in the Czech Republic and the Central European region.

To learn more about what CeSport can do for you click here

Follow us on twitter

Image from :© Evdoha | Dreamstime.com - Skis On Sale In The Store Photo
© Anna Yakimova | Dreamstime.com