While some COVID-accelerated themes proved to be a better solution (remote work, freelancer economy, and so on) – others have been outright rejected by the American public.

Perhaps no greater example of this than the current rejection of home fitness in favor of good old-fashioned outdoor activities and sports.

Out: At-home (indoor) Fitness

Desperation during early pandemic lockdowns led once in a generation trend shift – finding a way to work out at home was top of mind for the entire country.

Unfortunately for companies like Peloton (PTON), this shift proved unsustainable in the long run.

Erosion in demand continues, with Peloton consumer demand levels trending 66% lower on a year-over-year basis in the current (and extremely important) winter/resolutions quarter:

Fortunately, the company relies heavily on a subscription model and generally has a loyal, low-churn subscriber base.

In: Outdoor activities & sports

Consumer demand for sports equipment has exploded to all-time highs over the past few months.

Pickleball is taking over. We’re here for it.

According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP), more than 36.5 million people played pickleball from August 2021-August 2022.  

Pickleball is becoming a lifestyle.

Chatter about going hunting is surging, eclipsing all-time high levels set during the meat of the COVID lockdowns.

Bottom line: Indoor is out, and outdoor is in.

We’ll continue to monitor the fitness/sports/activities trends for big opportunities.