Softball is a bat-and-ball game. It is a variation of baseball. The difference is that softball is larger than baseball in size. But it is played on a smaller field. According to an estimate, about 65 million people play baseball and softball in the world. It is a healthy game for the body and mind. According to Jerry Rhoads, softball burns 300 calories per 7 innings.
Now let’s observe some detailed insights into the trends of softball. It’ll help you to decide whether you should start your wholesale softball accessories business in 2022 or not.
The Popularity of Softball in the US
Before starting a softball business, it’s best to conduct research beforehand. Wholesalers who want to start softball accessories need to know about the popularity of the sport in the United States.
Here are some important statistics about softball. These will help you make an informed decision about stocking up on softball accessories.
Softball Player Statistics
Softball is currently one of the most popular sports in the United States. According to a report by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), baseball and softball had 25 million registered players in the US in 2016. It made it the most played team sport in the US.
In 2018, about 9.69 million people from the country participated in softball games. In 2021, about 2.09 million people played fast-pitch softball. In the same year, an average of 6.01 million people played soft-pitch softball.
Softball is a popular sport at the high school and collegiate levels. Over 364 thousand participants played high school softball in the 2018/19 season.
Softball Fan Following
Large crowds gather in stadiums to watch softball competitions in the United States. Recently, the Women’s College World Series event in Oklahoma was attended by 12,533 people. It set a single-day record for the highest attendance at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium.
According to ESPN’s official press release, an average of 1.2 million people watched the 2021 WCWS softball games on television. Softball was the first sport to be broadcast on ESPN.
The ever-growing popularity of softball has had a huge impact on the softball accessories market. Wholesale marketplaces understand the importance of softball as a sport.
List of Softball Accessories
The softball accessories include:
- Softballs
- Softball bats
- Softball chest protectors
- Softball cleats
- Softball equipment bags
- Softball gloves and mitts
- Softball headwears
- Softball helmets
- Softball shin guards
Current State of Softball Accessories Market
According to a report by Fact.MR, the global softball equipment market is expected to grow at a revenue of $550 million by 2026.
Recently the wholesale softball accessories industry has seen a growth in sales and revenue in the US. In 2021, wholesale softball sales were valued at $37.4 million in the US. Baseball and softball equipment revenue increased by 19% in the first quarter of this year.
Softball accessories manufacturers generate profitable revenue from the sale of these accessories. For example, leading sports equipment manufacturer Wilson Sporting Goods has an estimated annual revenue of between $458.6 million and $518.9 million.
Highest Selling Wholesale Softball Accessories
According to a 2021 survey, baseball and softball bats are one of the highest-selling accessories in the wholesale sporting goods category. In the US, wholesale sales of baseball and softball bats have amounted to about $270 million. The second most popular equipment is gloves and mitts. The wholesale sales of gloves and mitts are estimated at $137 million.
Softball Accessories at Wholesale Marketplaces
The softball accessories business has a wider scope in the wholesale industry. Many wholesale marketplaces like SeeBiz offer sellers an opportunity to sell softball accessories to retailers in bulk. As a result, wholesalers offer a wide range of softball products at wholesale marketplaces.
China
Chinese wholesale marketplaces have provided wholesalers with a great platform to sell softball accessories in bulk. The leading Chinese wholesale marketplace Alibaba has 1843 wholesale softball accessories. Other notable Chinese marketplaces such as Global Sources and Made-in-China offer a variety of wholesale softball accessories.
United States
Most of the sports manufacturers are selling softball accessories at retail prices on their websites such as:
- Easton
- Louisville Slugger
- Worth
As a result, wholesalers in the US do not have much scope for selling softball accessories online. However, marketplaces have resolved this problem. They offer many products at bulk prices in the category of baseball and softball accessories. So they divided the accessories into many sub-categories:
- Balls
- Bats
- Batting Gloves
- Equipment Bags
- Equipment Care
- Field Equipment
- Hats & Headwear
- Men’s Clothing
- Protective Gear
- Shoes & Cleats
- Training Aids
- Women’s Clothing
Conclusion
In light of current trends, softball accessories is a profitable business for the wholesalers in the years to come. The sales of sports apparel are growing. The sports apparel market has accumulated a revenue of $193 billion this past year.
Sports goods are selling at a fast pace in the wholesale industry. Sports products have generated sales of $111.7 billion for manufacturers and $30.8 billion for wholesalers.
This sales data is a testament that the sports equipment market is a profitable industry for wholesalers. There is no surprise that B2B marketplaces offer so many sporting goods. With digital wholesale marketplaces, sellers have a great opportunity to make profits by wholesale softball accessories.
