Nina Jobst
Research expert covering South Korea
Athletic footwear market in the United States - statistics & facts
The lines between athletic footwear and fashion have become increasingly blurred, as evidenced by collaborations between sportswear and luxury companies, such as the Nike x Dior sneaker that costs thousands of dollars. Strictly speaking however, athletic footwear is footwear for playing sport or exercising in, while sport-inspired shoes are sneakers or athleisure footwear. The global revenue of the athletic footwear market has been growing in small increments of around one billion U.S. dollars each year since 2020, reaching 37.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2030. The United States is the biggest market for athletic footwear in the world, generating almost 10.6 billion U.S. dollars in revenue in 2024.
From adidas Sambas to Nike Air Forces, athletic shoes go beyond just their function of a comfortable sports shoe. Incorporated into the wardrobe of many a trend-following consumer, Nike and adidas have become staple brands recognized and worn by all.
Market leaders
Prominent market leaders in the global active footwear market include Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour. As globally-recognized athletic footwear brands, the footwear segments of Nike and Adidas brought in 35 billion and 14.5 billion U.S. dollars in revenue to the respective companies in 2024. Nike’s higher revenue is reflected in their brand value. In 2024, Nike’s global brand value was more than three times higher than that of Adidas.American consumers
In a survey conducted in fall 2025, 50 percent of American teenagers chose Nike as their preferred footwear brand, versus seven percent who preferred Adidas. Both companies have consistently ranked highly on the American customer athletic footwear satisfaction index. Predictably the two companies also came top of the list when it came to awareness of sportswear brands in the U.S., with over 90 percent of consumers saying they had heard of the brands in 2025. Other well-known names included Puma, Reebok, and Champion.From adidas Sambas to Nike Air Forces, athletic shoes go beyond just their function of a comfortable sports shoe. Incorporated into the wardrobe of many a trend-following consumer, Nike and adidas have become staple brands recognized and worn by all.
