From Deseret News archives:
Outdoor sports impact economy in a big way
Having looked at the price of new drivers and irons last fall, I would have guessed golf. And, I would have been wrong.
According to a recent survey on spending, people spend the most on exercise equipment $5.22 billion in 2006, which is the most recent figures.
But then, in second place is hunting/shooting at $3.7 billion and third is golf at $3.6 billion.
Anyway you punch keys on the calculator, that's a lot of money spent on recreating.
According to numbers released by the National Sporting Goods Association, the money spent on hunting/shooting is up 4.1 percent over 2005 figures.
Golf was No. 2 in 2005, but dropped to No. 3 in 2006.
According to the report, it shows sportsmen are willing to spend to enjoy their sport. I think anyone who has visited Cabela's recently can attest to that. The store is constantly busy.
Broken down in the report by categories, firearms accounted for $2.18 billion in 2006 sales, airguns $224.1 million, ammunition $977.1 million, knives $51.8 million, paintball guns/packages $220.9 million and reloading equipment $52.0 million.
According to another report, this one from the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, "Utah's 351,000 hunters and anglers are among the most prominent and influential of all demographic groups, spending more than $696 million a year on hunting and fishing."
The report goes on to say that "spending by hunters and anglers directly supports 13,000 jobs, which puts $350 million worth of paychecks into pockets of working residents around the state ... and generates $70 million in state and local taxes."
It then went on to offer comparisons:
• Sportsmen support more jobs in Utah than the combined employment of Brigham Young University and Utah State University 13,000 jobs vs. 11,000.
• Utah sportsmen annually spend more than the combined cash receipts from cattle and dairy the state's top two agricultural commodities $696 million versus $631 million.
• Utah sportsmen outnumber the populations of Salt Lake City and Provo 351,000 versus 292,000.
• The economic stimulus of hunting and fishing equates to an astounding $1.9 million a day being pumped into the state's economy.
Comments
- BYU football recruit turning heads 9:04 a.m.
- Audit: S.L. County 911 'inefficient' 9:02 a.m.
- Audit calls for end to 'double dip 9:02 a.m.
- UCAT cheaper education option 9:02 a.m.
- VA promises response to war illness 8:17 a.m.
- Military sees increase in wounded 8:16 a.m.
- Who knew Hasan's radical contacts 8:13 a.m.
- Bomb kills 9 officers in Pakistan 8:13 a.m.
- Lights back in Brazil after outage 8:11 a.m.
- Missing US soldier's body found 8:10 a.m.
- Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
- Utah group finds homes for orphans
- Hair-pulling raises more questions
- Wyoming writer amazed by BYU
- Y. tight ends talented tandem
- Utah Jazz have a problem at point
- Utes get extra motivation
- 4 Jazz players make All-Star ballot
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends
- House passes health care bill
266 - TCU showdown has big implications
188 - Lobo suspended
185 - Senators want food tax restored
155 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
106 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
104 - Utes pound winless Lobos
89
Does the LDS Church support "Everything-But-Marriage" as in Washington?? ...
I have never understood this. The LDS church does not want to support...
now how about the rights for "beastialitist", "transvestites", "polygamists"...
...is where were the officials while all this garbage was going on? They are...
but TCU's defense will score more than your offense. I admire the Utes...
The church recognizes these things as an obvious right of all people, will...
Good form Mr. Menlove and Mr. Witt, good form.
We beat a team that gave up. We beat a team we always beat. We beat a...
for those of us who don't follow BYU sports in general and especially not...
This guy was NOT a nice man who "snapped". He was an Islamic Extremist. A...

You can be the first to comment on this story.