Summer Olympics to boost interest in tape, wraps

Mark your calendars, because on Aug. 5 the world will be tuning into coverage of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, and shortly thereafter millions of weekend warriors and fantasy athletes will be looking on drug store shelves for the latest kinesiology tape or copper compression wraps to either relieve the aches and pains generated by pick-up basketball games or beach volleyball tournaments, or to prevent sore muscles in the first place.

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Such brands as KT Tape and Copper Fit Sleeves are up in sales by 39.7% and 157.5%, respectively, reaching dollar volumes of $10.2 million and $36.7 million, for the 52 weeks ended March 20 across total U.S. multi-outlets, according to IRI.



According to the International Olympic Committee, 219.4 million Americans tuned into NBC Universal’s coverage of the London Summer Olympics four years ago. Over the course of those games, NBC averaged 31.1 million prime time viewers, making that the most-watched, non-U.S. summer games in primetime since Montreal in 1976. As was the case with Montreal, Brazil and the United States share a time zone, which means there may be more Americans tuning into the Olympics this year.



One of the U.S. Olympians in pursuit of gold will be NBA superstar James Harden, who is endorsed by KT Tape. Copper Fit Sleeves also boasts a number of athlete endorsements, including nationally ranked gymnast Sugar Tiner.