Winter Sports

From the slopes to the city: the business of winter sports

Winter sports reach far beyond the slopes. SGI Europe tracks the business of winter sports in the sporting goods industry: skiwear and challenger brands, sport meeting fashion, retail and flagship stores, sustainability on the mountain, and the partnerships, events and competitions that shape the category.

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Winter sports: the 2026 State of Play

2026-11-09T15:10:00+00:00

Skier visits, participants and federation counts for the US, Europe, Japan, China and ice sports, with each method compared.

Lululemon launches Ventscape cold-weather run vest

2026-11-09T11:43:00+00:00

Lululemon presented the Ventscape Run Vest, built with PrimaLoft insulation and mesh panels, at CIIE in Shanghai

Comdaily AI study, part 2: when skiers ask AI

2026-11-08T18:06:00+00:00

Part two of comdaily’s SGIE exclusive: in German-language AI answers, premium-technical brands lead ski and rainwear advice.

H&M Move launches 2026 ski collection on Nov. 2

2026-10-30T10:43:00+00:00

Developed again with outdoor agency Grand Studio, the range adds waterproof shells, insulation and avalanche rescue reflectors.

Balenciaga launches 2026 skiwear with RECCO reflectors

2026-10-29T12:35:00+00:00

Balenciaga’s 2026 skiwear adds RECCO rescue tech as the house prepares for its second creative handover in three years.

Fondation du Sport Français seeks 2030 athlete funding

2026-10-29T12:16:00+00:00

Patronage through a public-interest foundation lets companies of any size fund athletes and qualify for a corporate tax reduction.

Bogner launches Chalet Icons winter collection

2026-10-26T15:26:00+00:00

A shearling and knitwear line targets après occasions, while the race-team contract keeps sport at the core of the brand.

Re/Icons: Moncler builds a wardrobe from its archive

2026-10-22T14:21:00+01:00

Cher, Grace Jones and Jennie front a Re/Icons season that adds skirts, T-shirts and sunglasses to four old Moncler jackets.

France returns the world’s leading ski destination

2026-10-16T14:46:00+01:00

Visits rose 2.4 percent year on year, putting France ahead of Austria at 53.7 million and the US at 52.6 million.

361° becomes apparel partner of Dutch skating federation

2026-10-16T14:30:00+01:00

All Dutch national skating teams switch to 361°, with short track first in Vancouver and long track following in Beijing.

Head rebuilds US leadership ski team

2026-10-16T09:10:00+01:00

Matteo Murer joins from Tecnica Group to run Head’s global ski boot unit, and Frank Shine is hired as a marketing consultant.

Intersport Austria logs record year

2026-10-14T14:03:00+01:00

Winter gear, e-bikes and a 35 percent jump online lift domestic sales to €690 million after rival Hervis changed hands.

SIA: U.S. snowsports participants reach 31.96 million

2026-10-08T14:27:00+01:00

Snowboarding gained riders while alpine skiing stayed flat, according to a new U.S. study by snowsports trade body SIA.

2030 Winter Olympics names interim chief after exodus

2026-09-17T17:08:00+01:00

Vincent Roberti, already the committee’s Director General, now doubles as interim president after a run of senior exits.

399m

Ski visits worldwide in 2024/25, a record

Laurent Vanat

56.1m

Visits in France in 2025/26, the world’s No. 1 again

Domaines Skiables de France

−14%

US ski visits in 2025/26

NSAA

+3%

US snowsports participants in 2025/26

SIA

Sources: Laurent Vanat, International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism (2025 edition); Domaines Skiables de France; NSAA, final count of 53.1m visits against 61.6m in 2024/25; SIA 2025–26 Participation Study (15,000 respondents, Americans aged six and over). A ski visit is one person on snow for one day.

CONSUMER

Winter sports: the 2026 State of Play
2026-11-09T15:10:00+00:00
Skier visits, participants and federation counts for the US, Europe, Japan, China and ice sports, with each method compared.
Comdaily AI study, part 2: when skiers ask AI
2026-11-08T18:06:00+00:00
Part two of comdaily’s SGIE exclusive: in German-language AI answers, premium-technical brands lead ski and rainwear advice.
France returns the world’s leading ski destination
2026-10-16T14:46:00+01:00
Visits rose 2.4 percent year on year, putting France ahead of Austria at 53.7 million and the US at 52.6 million.
SIA: U.S. snowsports participants reach 31.96 million
2026-10-08T14:27:00+01:00
Snowboarding gained riders while alpine skiing stayed flat, according to a new U.S. study by snowsports trade body SIA.

STATE OF PLAY - PARTICIPATION REPORT

Winter sports: the 2026 State of Play

2026-11-09T15:10:00+00:00By Victoria Woollven and Valentina Giannella

Skier visits, participants and federation counts for the US, Europe, Japan, China and ice sports, with each method compared.

Visits fell, people didn’t

US winter 2025/26, change on 2024/25. Apparel, rental and lift tickets follow days on snow; skis, boards and boots follow people.

People drive skis, boards and boots

Snowboarders (10.6m)

+9%

All snowsports participants (31.96m)

+3%

Days on snow drive apparel, rental and lift tickets

Snowboarding days, self-reported

−3%

Skiing days, self-reported

−6%

Ski area visits (53.1m)

−14%

−14%0+14%

Sources: SIA 2025–26 Participation Study (15,000 respondents, Americans aged six and over); NSAA final count, 2025/26 vs 61.6m in 2024/25. Days on snow are self-reported; skiing and snowboarding days fell by nearly 6% and nearly 3%. A visit is one person on snow for one day.

BRAND MARKETING

Comdaily AI study, part 2: when skiers ask AI
2026-11-08T18:06:00+00:00
Part two of comdaily’s SGIE exclusive: in German-language AI answers, premium-technical brands lead ski and rainwear advice.
361° becomes apparel partner of Dutch skating federation
2026-10-16T14:30:00+01:00
All Dutch national skating teams switch to 361°, with short track first in Vancouver and long track following in Beijing.
Moncler and the city: nostalgia meets Fifth Avenue
2026-09-10T12:36:00+01:00
A five-day citywide exhibition of Moncler’s New York campaigns opens days before its largest global flagship debuts nearby.
Same name, no relation: two Fischers team up in ski jumping
2026-07-13T22:07:00+01:00
Austrian ski maker Fischer Sports and German fastening group fischer share a surname but not ownership: now they share a ski jumping deal through 2030.

PRODUCT

Lululemon launches Ventscape cold-weather run vest
2026-11-09T11:43:00+00:00
Lululemon presented the Ventscape Run Vest, built with PrimaLoft insulation and mesh panels, at CIIE in Shanghai
H&M Move launches 2026 ski collection on Nov. 2
2026-10-30T10:43:00+00:00
Developed again with outdoor agency Grand Studio, the range adds waterproof shells, insulation and avalanche rescue reflectors.
Balenciaga launches 2026 skiwear with RECCO reflectors
2026-10-29T12:35:00+00:00
Balenciaga’s 2026 skiwear adds RECCO rescue tech as the house prepares for its second creative handover in three years.
Bogner launches Chalet Icons winter collection
2026-10-26T15:26:00+00:00
A shearling and knitwear line targets après occasions, while the race-team contract keeps sport at the core of the brand.

CORPORATE

Toni Sailer completes generational ownership handover
2026-08-28T15:31:00+01:00
The transfer follows Kevin Taubenberger’s 2022 CEO appointment, formalizing succession already underway operationally.
Moncler appoints Bottega Veneta chief as new CEO
2026-01-21T17:05:00+00:00
The new CEO will lead the winter outerwear brand as founder Remo Ruffini shifts to Executive Chairman to focus on long-term strategy.
Reusch opens new headquarters near Milan as part of long-term European growth strategy
2025-10-10T09:43:00+01:00
Reusch inaugurates new €20 million headquarters in Vignate to strengthen logistics and European operations.
Elan Sports Director promises better service for retail partners
2025-09-17T09:23:00+01:00
Leon Korošec explains the current leadership changes.

CORPORATE

Moncler tops Dow Jones apparel sustainability index
2026-05-05T14:10:00+01:00
The luxury outerwear group scores 91/100 in S&P’s global sustainability assessment — the sector’s highest for the seventh consecutive year.
Odlo reaches Fair Wear’s highest tier
2026-04-01T11:46:00+01:00
Swiss sportswear brand reaches Fair Wear Foundation’s highest performance tier two years ahead of schedule.
Olympics face rival views on climate legacy
2026-02-17T17:34:00+00:00
The IOC claims a milestone in responsible Games delivery; athletes and advocacy groups say the bar needs to move much higher, and faster.
IOC honors climate leaders at Milano Cortina
2026-02-08T21:20:00+00:00
Athletes, NOCs and IFs recognized for measurable climate action ahead of Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games

Nine countries account for 79% of the world’s ski visits

Skier visits by country, 2024/25 (million), and change on 2023/24. A visit is one person on snow for one day.

Visits (m)

vs 2023/24

61.6

+1.8%

France

54.8

+5.6%

Austria

51.9

+3.6%

Italy

34.1

+6.6%

Japan

28.2

+15.6%

Switzerland

26.3

+13.7%

China

26.1

+13.0%

Canada

19.8

+13.1%

Russia

12.7

+28.3%

World

399

+7.8%

Source: Laurent Vanat, 2025 International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism (17th edition), as reported by SnowBrains.com. Countries ranked by 2024/25 visits.