The pandemic may have been a bonanza for boat sales, but it was also helped generate video game engagement to unprecedented levels. It means dealers should promote tackle boxes to replace Xboxes as the best way for parents and kids to spend time together.
It’s no small problem. Nine in 10 gamers report that they spend as much or more time playing video games as they did during the pandemic’s peak. Moreover, they are being taken in by an industry offering an ever increasing and diverse spectrum of game genres and devices.
Let’s face it, the video game industry is doing a superb job of promoting a shift in consumer preference away from physical games — baseball, soccer, school athletics, etc. — to online games, all advanced by broadband access, availability and powerful technical innovation.
In the boating industry, we have always competed with sports like golf, RVing or travel for the family’s discretionary dollars. Playing video games now outstrips all of them combined. Reports document that billions of people around the world play video games every day. They claim playing fosters connections, builds skills and promotes health, and there’s an incredible diversity of playing experiences across genres and devices that bring together people of all backgrounds.
Of course, the popularity of video games is a surprise to guys like me (i.e., of a certain age). I know young folks like video games. My grandsons, ages 16 and 19, are avid players. In fact, they often choose to play video games in online tournaments rather than go fishing with me.
On a flight to Tampa last weekend, the gentleman seated next to me was playing a game on his laptop, while the guy across the aisle was playing one on his phone. The upsurge in the sophistication of smartphones has made video games even more accessible and portable. These were obviously seasoned business travelers, and observing them supports some surprising reports that claim the average age of video gamers is 33.
As an industry, we need to adopt a message that urges parents to see the family benefits of getting kids away from screens and into boating and fishing. Moreover, kids aren’t the entire story here. What’s equally concerning is that a broader market is blossoming in which parents are sharing their passion for gaming with their kids.
I’m not suggesting the development of a video game around boating. (Such a concept is above my pay grade.) However, one thing is eye-opening: the incredible growth of adult video gamers when measured by the billions they’re shelling out. It all reinforces the compelling need to emphasize boating’s message to get off the couch and get out and experience the exciting outdoor boating lifestyle.
We need to hammer home the value of boating in all its forms, from family cruising and fishing to water sports and peaceful escapes, because each represents meaningful family outdoor adventure and growth.
Now more than ever, dealers should focus on that message in their showrooms, at boat shows, on their websites, in emails, at open house days, by sponsoring outdoor activities like local fishing events, holiday boat parades, participation in local fishing clubs that target youngsters, and many more.
Similarly, it’s more important than ever that the Discover Boating outreach and the national “Take Me Fishing” campaigns of the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation continue to produce materials that dealers can use to feature the benefits of family boating. And dealers should use them. It’s a route to continued growth and profits.
