Whether you’re a Nike fan or an Adidas advocate, a sneaker freaker or a hardcore triathlete, Roy Morgan’s Research latest findings reveal Australian men sports shoes are trending.
Last year, 791,000 Australians bought men’s sporting shoes in any given four-week period – up from 728,000 in 2014.
Surprisingly, 30% purchases are made by women; while 70% men retain control of their choice.
Basketball legend Michael Jordan who wears size 13 (right shoe) and 13.5 (left shoe); once said “It’s not about the shoes; it’s about what you do in them” – a bit rich, coming from a man with his own line of sporting footwear. 
Whether you’re an Olympian or a back-street jogger, Messi in the making or a weekend golfer; the right pair of shoes counts for a lot.
Roy Morgan Research reveal that nearly 800,000 Aussies 14+ buy men’s sporting shoes in any given four weeks, spending an average of $108 each.
For the second consecutive year, Rebel Sport is the most popular store for buying men’s sporting footwear.
The 2015 winner of the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Award for Sports Store of the Year accounts for 9.2% of all shoppers (some 73,000 people) who buy men’s sporting shoes in an average four weeks.
Top 10 retailers for men’s sporting footwear: customer volume
In second place is Rivers (8.1%/64,000 shoppers), while The Athlete’s Foot (winner of the Shoe Store category in last year’s Roy Morgan Research Customer Satisfaction Awards) is the third-most popular store for buying men’s sporting footwear, attracting 6.3%/50,000 of total shoppers.
Five of the remaining seven stores in the Top 10 are specialist sports retailers, with discount department stores Big W and Kmart also making an appearance.
Andrew Price, General Manager – Consumer Products, Roy Morgan Research said that “Purchase incidence of men’s sporting shoes… has been relatively stable in Australia…
“Since 2009, Rebel Sport and The Athlete’s Foot have battled it out as the country’s most popular men’s sport-shoe retailer, with the former currently attracting a higher number of shoppers and the latter leading for highest average customer spend.
The Athlete’s Foot leads with dollars
However, considering the average amount spent by each customer at these retailers, a different picture emerged.
With an average customer spend of $177, The Athlete’s Foot leads the field in terms of dollars spent per person.
Foot Locker, although, ranks eighth in terms of shopper numbers, but it shoots up to second place for the average amount – $146; its customers spend on men’s sporting footwear.
Customers at Nike Stores spend the third-highest amount ($140), while those shopping at Rebel Sport come in fourth ($133). Budget sneakers are the go at Kmart, where thrifty customers spend an average of $30.
“Sporting footwear must strike a balance between specific performance requirements (which vary depending on the sport) and the demands of fashion-conscious customers who want to look stylish even when exercising…” Price concluded.