Sports have always been synonymously associated with the youth, specifically teenagers. To play a sport, one needs the right gear and sports accessories play a major role in the development of fineness and prowess in a sport. Without the proper equipment, the training is hardly complete. One cannot play football in the true sense of the sport without spikes, or cricket wouldn’t be cricket without the adequate protective gear. The surge in interest in sports and with it, the rise in sale of such accessories is something that has been capitalized on by the sports companies. This rise in interest is because of two main factors:

Firstly, parents are more interested in ensuring their children get the adequate exposure in this field, not just because of its health benefits but also because it helps their children spend their pent up energy constructively. Sports is fast becoming more than a hobby and diverging into concrete career paths for teenagers these days.

Secondly, with the advent and intrusion of the internet into all the aspects of their lives, teenagers of today are far more informed and aware of everything around them, which includes sports. The enthusiasm to look good and healthy has taken on a new meaning with the all pervasive digital presence and sports are the most fun method to reach the ‘look’. With this growth spurt in sports, there has been an obvious and simultaneous rise in the purchase of sports accessories.

Teenagers not only want to be playing the sports but also look the part and have the exact sports accessories linked with the said sport. With off-beat sports such as soul cycling, yoga and Pilates gaining momentum, the appropriate outfits have emerged as a prime requirement for those want to start investing time into these sports.

Sportswear is not just a fashion trend but also has several masked health benefits. The compressive skins that have gained popularity in the sports accessory market is actually nothing but a stretched garment which provides the required support to the active muscles. Teenagers of the 1980’s wouldn’t have be aware of it, because it is essentially used by elite athletes; but with the rise in awareness and availability of sports accessories to the layman through online shopping, the demand for such initially-classified apparel is on the rise.

Fantasy sports, too, are on the rise due to the easy availability of player information and team analyses on the internet. Teenagers have taken to managing their teams more keenly than before and this has turned casual fans into ardent followers.

With such eager interest comes their fancy to spend money on their team’s apparel, and companies have been exceptionally creative in marketing their goods in this aspect and teenagers are the easiest target market. Starting from water bottles and changing bags to ties with the desired team’s logo printed on them, accessory-marketing has become a great deal snazzier.

The sale of active wear has surpassed that of traditional apparel by such a margin that companies that initially focused only on casual wear have started manufacturing sportswear and accessories! Such is the immense rise in the sale and there is still an untapped market that remains. The transgression of gym/ yoga wear beyond the sports club has become a fashion statement that is being capitalized by sportswear giants, and propelled further. So now, wearing your sweatpants beyond the gym is no longer a sign of laziness!