Some interesting stats on hockey participation

Just found this short FAQ on the National Sporting Goods Assn. website. This is an excerpt -- visit the site to read the whole thing:

Frequently Asked Questions about Hockey

Is hockey primarily a youth sport?

In 2009, the largest single age group playing hockey was 35-44 year olds, followed by 12-17 year olds.

How expensive is hockey?

Approximately 85% of all hockey players come from households with income of $50K or more.  Almost 30% come from households with $100K or more incomes.

Do girls/women play hockey?

Definitely.  And their numbers are on the rise.  In 2009, femals represented more than 27% of all hockey players.  In 1987, only 7.5% of the hockey players were female.  Almost half of the female hockey players in 2009 were of the pee-wee variety, 7-11 year olds.

I need to dig around to find some more detailed numbers, but it strikes me as kind of weird that there are more middle-age adults playing the sport than kids. If I was in the ice rink or hockey business, that would concern me.

--S.H.