The Goalpost Market 2025 – Goalpost Manufacturers
Goalpost Manufacturing in the 21st Century
Goalpost manufacture is a niche segment within the sporting goods industry. Goalpost Manufacturers supply local authorities, schools, junior and professional sports clubs and the home user. The very first safe plastic goal for children was created in 1986 by ITSA GOAL based in Sheffield the home of football and that boosted the stagnant industry that was dominated by two companies Edwards Sports in Bridport and Harrods UK based in Lowestoft. Both were born from the fishing net trade.
The new portable goalposts for children were welcomed by both the Football Association and the world governing body FIFA. A new market of safer plastic goals for children was introduced on the back of several deaths of children from toppling dangerous steel goal posts. This introduction of smaller proportional football goals for children kickstarter women’s football and goalpost safety standards in Europe.
What followed once the market had been created by ITSA GOAL was that the inevitable copies of their plastic goals would be produced often by cutting corners on the design and functionality of the products to make them cheaper.
When lower quality and cheaper imported goals entered the market, it made the selling and manufacture of quality difficult especially through retail outlets.
Amazon has increased the take up of price over quality and many such products end up in landfill.
Long lasting quality plastic goals are still available if you search but after such a long time of inadequate products a shift towards durable lightweight and strong materials like aluminium is now happening.
The leading innovator in the industry ITSA GOAL are ahead of the game with a new range of safe lightweight sturdy aluminium self-build goals with integral net fitting and long warranty. These are slowly becoming the number one choice for junior clubs and home use.
At long last users are beginning to look at the product, genuine reviews and warranty before the price..
Key trends in 2025 include:
Increased Demand for Durable Products: Clubs are investing in high-quality easier to use goalposts that withstand the elements.
Consumer Awareness: Home users are becoming more discerning, preferring products that offer safety and durability, particularly for children’s play.
Customization and Design Innovations: There is a rising trend towards bespoke solutions, with clubs looking for goalposts like ITSA GOAL that can be tailored to their specific requirements.
Major players in the market are ITSA Goal posts Ltd, who have established themselves over four decades to have quality products and strong customer service.
These trends suggest that users should enhance their search for recyclable materials including aluminium.
Goalposts Market Size in the UK
The football goal post market in the U.K. is estimated to be valued at approximately £12 million, with a projected growth rate of 5.5% year-over-year. This is driven by the growth in the women’s game and by the increasing participation in youth and amateur football leagues.
Wooden goalposts were banned by the football Association many years ago to be replaced by Plastic aluminium and steel. The sporting goods market as a whole is growing at about 3% annually.
Factors influencing this growth include:
Technological Advancements: Enhanced manufacturing processes for lighter, safer and easier to use raw materials.
Economic Factors: Increased disposable income among families and investment in sports at the community level.
Consumer Behaviour: A growing focus on health and fitness.
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Customer Demographics and Psychographics
The target audience for the client includes football clubs and home users, predominantly located in the U.K. A detailed segmentation reveals:
Football Clubs: Typically include local amateur teams, schools, and youth leagues, with decision-makers aged 30-50, predominantly male, having moderate to high income levels. Their values include community engagement and youth development.
Many Football clubs and schools are transitioning from the lesser engineered goals such as Samba, Forza and other Far East plastic products to aluminium goals.
Buyers have little or no understanding of the goalpost safety standards BSEN1659:2018 & BSEN 748:2013-AI:2018. These standards exclude toys, and many plastic football goals are flimsy Toys and not sports equipment.
Home Users: Parents purchasing for children aged 6-16, typically between 30-45 years old, with a balanced gender mix. These consumers value safety, durability, and ease of storage.
Schools:
Primary schools in 1989 were offered, with the help of the Football Association and their sponsor COCA-COLA, smaller football goal pitches to play Mini soccer. These were the very first safe plastic goals. The Big Red Pitch was manufactured by ITSA GOAL and presented to schools to enable football pitches to be set up quickly at any time and in any location. This was the start of radical change in the industry.
The Goalpost Manufacturers Industry in the 2020’s
New challenges in the football goal post industry include:
Price Sensitivity: Home users due to the nature of online shopping may opt for cheaper plastic options despite aluminium’s advantages. These products if from the Far East do not have spare parts and back up. Once broken these low-grade plastic goals are destined for landfill. No import checks appear to be made on such plastic as they may be in some cases carcinogenic. Many. Other lesser engineered plastic goals can be identified as most have net supports just pushed in a hole and not secured to the goal frame. Spare parts are available for these goal products but it is advisable not to extend the life of such a poor product but reinvest in a better one and save money in the long run.
Market Competition: Established brands dominate, making it hard for newcomers to penetrate the market. The actual goalpost brands available in the UK are ITSA GOAL – FORZA GOAL & FOOTIEGOALS
Consumer Education: There is often a lack of awareness regarding the benefits of investing in higher-quality products.
Product reviews: – The problem with reviews is their authenticity. It is well known that many may have been used that are not genuine thus making products look better than they are. Pressing for reviews straight after sale before the users have had time to evaluate the product is common. Companies who do not pester customers for reviews often have less customer reviews but in the main they have more detailed ones especially from customers who have purchased poor quality goals previously. Beware one-line comments about quick delivery and comments that do not accurately describe the product. Look for genuine and detailed individual customer comments when it comes to product reviews
TOP TEN web sites: – Such sites do not properly evaluate products they may well put forward products that pay them the most. You need to look hard and long on sites such as Amazon for the better quality and more expensive goal post products. Companies selling volume at bottom price pervades on such sites.
The best on-line Presence: – These are the sites that do not sell, sell, sell but have educational content that informs customers about safety and performance benefits. Detailed five-star customer feedback over a long period of time not a long list of one line reviews that may well not be genuine.
“ The best deal is to pay a little more for a lot more”
Written by JOHN WILSON
Founder member of the European goalpost safety committee.
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