Super Bowl Will Drive 2.6 Million HDTV Sales, Says CEA

Super Bowl XLIII is expected to drive the purchase of some 2.6 million high-definition television (HDTV) units, according to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®. For the fourth year in a row, the Super Bowl retains the title of top driver for HDTV purchases.

This year is expected to be another record-breaking year for HDTV sales with 29.8 million HD sets expected to ship, out of a total of 34.5 million digital televisions sold in the U.S. in 2009. This is up from 26.8 million HD sets sold in 2008. In addition to key sporting events like the Super Bowl, another factor driving this demand is the drop in the average wholesale price of sets. In the past five years, the average wholesale price for an HDTV has fallen nearly 50% to $849 in 2009.

“Even in this tough economy HDTV growth has remained strong and steady,” said Jason Oxman, CEA Senior Vice President, Industry Affairs. “Since the early days of HD, sporting events have lead the way in high-def broadcasts. Sixty percent of consumers said the Super Bowl is one of their favorite sports to watch in HD. It is no surprise that most Americans would not think of hosting a Super Bowl party without watching the game in HD.”

All categories of digital television (DTV) sales are on the rise. CEA projects that more than 34.5 million DTVs will ship in 2009. The 26.8 million LCD TVs expected to ship will make up the bulk of these sales. Plasma displays will account for 10 percent of total sets sold in 2009. Overall digital displays remain the primary revenue driver for the industry with dollar shipments representing 15 percent of total industry sales in 2009.

About CEA:

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $172 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,200 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES – Where Entertainment, Technology and Business Converge. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services. Find CEA online at www.CE.org.

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Contacts

Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)
Megan Pollock, 703-907-7668
mpollock {at} CE(.)org
www.CE.org
or
Meghan Henning, 703-907-7654
mhenning {at} CE(.)org