Should Local Youth Gymnastics be considered a potential competitor to a player development program?

• A. No, Not a Competitor
• B. Yes, Indirect Competition
• C. Yes, Direct Competition
• D. Only as a Partner

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is how to categorize competition in youth athletic programs. Indirect competition means two offerings aren’t the same product, but they compete for the same customers’ time, attention, and money.

Local Youth Gymnastics provides athletic development for kids, focusing on general movement skills, balance, coordination, and discipline. A player development program for golf targets a different sport-specific outcome, but they still vie for the same families and slots in calendars and budgets. Because the services aren’t the same, and families might choose gymnastics for general athletic foundation before deciding on golf, this relationship is best described as indirect competition. It’s not direct competition, since the exact service and outcomes differ, and it’s not primarily a partnership—which would involve collaboration rather than competition.