In its Monthly Retail Trade Survey, the US Census Bureau reported that preliminary sales from sporting goods stores totalled $2.86 billion for April, up 1.6% from $2.82 billion in April 2006.

Sales for the first four months of 2007 reached $10.64 billion, up 5.5% compared with the first four months of 2006, at which point sales were up 12.5% over the previous year.

Sales for full-year 2006 were $35.04 billion, up 12.9% over 2005, a record high and the strongest growth reported for ten years.