According to a new US National Sporting Goods Association (NGSA) survey, March sporting goods store sales increased 8.6% to $3.14 billion (preliminary) compared with $2.89 billion in March 2006. The increase follows a 3.6% increase in February.

Sales for the first three months of 2007 reached $7.78 billion, up 6.8% compared with the first three months of 2006, in which period sales were up 13.7% compared with the previous year.

Total sales for 2006 were $35.24 billion, up 13% compared with 2005, representing the strongest increase for ten years. Total sales were $31.18 billion in 2005 (+8.1%), $28.85 billion in 2004 (+6.2%) and $27.17 billion in 2003 (+3.1%).