The US Census Bureau has released its Monthly Retail Trade Survey which reports sporting goods stores sales of $2.96 billion for May, up 17.8% from the $2.51 billion in May 2005. The increase follows a 9.3% increase in April. Sales for the first five months of 2006 reached $12.99 billion, up 13.4% compared with the first five months of 2005.

Total sales for 2005 were $31 billion, up 7.3% from $28.93 billion in 2004.