Skier demographics

[trtaylor]

http://industryreport.mountainnews.com/2009/05/nsaa_2009_all_about_those_boom.shtml

Discuss.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Once the baby boomers join the ranks of the elderly..it's going to be tough for the sport of skiing to continue to grow..the next generation after the Baby Boomers..Generation X has significantly less disposable income so they aren't introducing the sport to their kids as much as the Boomers did to their kids. I see a decline in skier visits in the future as skiing is expensive and with prices rising and income levels stabilizing..buying power is on the decline..just my inflation adjusted 2 cents..

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

Once the baby boomers join the ranks of the elderly..it's going to be tough for the sport of skiing to continue to grow..the next generation after the Baby Boomers..Generation X has significantly less disposable income so they aren't introducing the sport to their kids as much as the Boomers did to their kids. I see a decline in skier visits in the future as skiing is expensive and with prices rising and income levels stabilizing..buying power is on the decline..just my inflation adjusted 2 cents..

good news for you...as they get older and start dying your business should be booming...though I imagine people are opting for less expensive/elaborate head stones right now.

While visits we're in line with the 5 year average, retail sales are down and preseason orders to the vendors (softgoods, equipment, accessories, etc) have dropped substantially...20-30% range. So, people still went skiing, they just didn't spend as much on all the extras like skis, jackets, goggles, etc... Thanks for everyone on the AZ who continued their gear and garb collecting!

 

[Rambo]

I'm thinking all us skiers should appreciate all those young gung-ho snowborders who frequent all the various ski resorts. They definately add greatly to the resorts income.

 

[deadheadskier]

Why in the hell would you hold the annual NSAA convention in FLORIDA?


Here's a thought, have the convention in a location such as SLC or Reno and make it a massive event that skiers want to go to. Instead of just 'talking' about growing the sport, do something about it.

 

[wa-loaf]

Why in the hell would you hold the annual NSAA convention in FLORIDA?


Here's a thought, have the convention in a location such as SLC or Reno and make it a massive event that skiers want to go to. Instead of just 'talking' about growing the sport, do something about it.

:lol:

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

good news for you...as they get older and start dying your business should be booming...though I imagine people are opting for less expensive/elaborate head stones right now.

While visits we're in line with the 5 year average, retail sales are down and preseason orders to the vendors (softgoods, equipment, accessories, etc) have dropped substantially...20-30% range. So, people still went skiing, they just didn't spend as much on all the extras like skis, jackets, goggles, etc... Thanks for everyone on the AZ who continued their gear and garb collecting!

It's excellent news for us and the funeral homes as the death rate right now is actually slightly declining because people are living so darn long. We have been selling just as many ornate headstones..although I think customers are shopping around more.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Why in the hell would you hold the annual NSAA convention in FLORIDA?


Here's a thought, have the convention in a location such as SLC or Reno and make it a massive event that skiers want to go to. Instead of just 'talking' about growing the sport, do something about it.

times 2

 

[RootDKJ]

I can't believe you guys missed this in the article.

"As the baby boomers reached their mid-50s, all we had to do was groom it up better, serve great Alfredo, and make the skis easier to turn, and we did all those things," Berry said.

On that note, I had the revelation on Saturday that if took some bump lessions, I'd probabily be able to extend my season next year....maybe not??

 

[thorski]

Once the baby boomers join the ranks of the elderly..it's going to be tough for the sport of skiing to continue to grow..the next generation after the Baby Boomers..Generation X has significantly less disposable income so they aren't introducing the sport to their kids as much as the Boomers did to their kids. I see a decline in skier visits in the future as skiing is expensive and with prices rising and income levels stabilizing..buying power is on the decline..just my inflation adjusted 2 cents..

I wonder why. Things that make you go HMMM

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I wonder why. Things that make you go HMMM

globalization!!!!

 

[thorski]

globalization!!!!

So foreigners will be coming to ski more often and the ski resorts will thrive. No worries.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

So foreigners will be coming to ski more often and the ski resorts will thrive. No worries.

No..the average Blue collar people aren't making what they made in the 70s and 80s so can't afford to take their families skiing..it just seems like skiing was a bit more middle class in the past than it is now..but the lack of little mom and pop skiers explains that..

 

[thorski]

No..the average Blue collar people aren't making what they made in the 70s and 80s so can't afford to take their families skiing..it just seems like skiing was a bit more middle class in the past than it is now..but the lack of little mom and pop skiers explains that..

Shocking.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Shocking.

But since people can't make the big bucks working for Bethlehem steel..they either need to go to school and get edumacated or work at Wal-Mart for $9 an hour..

 

[thorski]

But since people can't make the big bucks working for Bethlehem steel..they either need to go to school and get edumacated or work at Wal-Mart for $9 an hour..

You can buy cheap chinese made stuff there, and save money.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

Why in the hell would you hold the annual NSAA convention in FLORIDA?


Here's a thought, have the convention in a location such as SLC or Reno and make it a massive event that skiers want to go to. Instead of just 'talking' about growing the sport, do something about it.

for the same reasons the Snowsports Industry of America (SIA) is located in McClaren, VA...dumb ass ones.
Sounds like a case of CEO disease...instead of actually involving the people they are interested in attracting, they go somewhere warm and sunny, drink drinks with umbrellas, and pontificate. Too far up in that lofty tower to relate to the rest of us.
I guess the flip side is these guys have been surrounded by winter since Nov and this event gives them an opportunity to "get away" and look at things from a different perspective. Personally, I bet my frequent flyer miles would come pretty damn close to theirs at this point in the year (already made Premier status for 09)...all of them flying around to different winter resorts for work and if you gave me the choice between hell (oh, I mean Florida) and someplace I could ski, I'd pick the skiing everytime. Yes, I'm an addict.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

You can buy cheap chinese made stuff there, and save money.

Everything is made in China..it's reality..check the label of your shirt and see where it was made..

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

No..the average Blue collar people aren't making what they made in the 70s and 80s so can't afford to take their families skiing..it just seems like skiing was a bit more middle class in the past than it is now..but the lack of little mom and pop skiers explains that..

I disagree...skiing is no less attainable to the middle class now that its ever been...all the cheap gear you can get online beats the hell out of the old "swap", season pass pricing at many resorts is lower than it was 10, even 20 years ago, there are all sorts of inexpensive day ticket options available...the difference is there are many other activities and consumer goods that are fighting for our discretionary income. More indoor, winter seasons for typically fall or spring sports like soccer and tennis...parents push their kids to be more well rounded, etc...those sports are taking away valuable winter weekend time. More and more people snowmobiling. Snowmobiles come with payments, additional seasons of soccer, etc come with fees...different shoes, etc. Household budgets are more strained because the avg consumer wants more, more, more of everything...so there's less for the really important things like skis and lift tickets. The avg American is more distracted by the myriad of activities available to them and their wallet. We need to grab them by their short and curlys, slap them out of their advertising induced stupor and get them to drop everything from Dec to March (I still want Nov and April for us!) and go freakin chill out on the hill ALL WINTER long...skis, boards, fruitboots, whatever, just buy a lift ticket, some hot chocolate, a turtle-clava and some apres beers!
That's my $.02...talk about value!

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Also people are generally in pretty poor physical condition..something like 25% of all adults are Obese and more than half are overweight..I know people used to be alot skinnier before everything went supersized..In fact the average adult male is 20 pounds heavier now than in the 70s...