Super Bowl XL Kicks off the Year of HD, Says CEA

ARLINGTON, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jan. 30, 2006–Super Bowl XL is proving to be a huge driver in the sales of digital television (DTV) products – especially high-definition televisions (HDTV), according to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA(R)). Based on figures released today by CEA, November and December 2005 factory-to-dealer sales of DTV products hit 2.3 million, marking a 35 percent increase over November and December 2004 sales.

November 2005 DTV sales were the highest for the year, which is directly attributed to consumer electronics retailers stocking their shelves in preparation for holiday and Super Bowl purchases. Overall, total DTV sales for 2005 reached more than 12 million units and $17 billion in revenue, an increase of 60 percent compared to year-end 2004. High-definition products comprised 85 percent of total sales.

A recent survey, “Inside the Mind of the HD Sports Fan” conducted by CEA and the Sports Video Group, shows sports enthusiasts are driving the sales of new high-definition television. Nearly 50 percent of HDTV owners cited HD sports programming as the primary force behind their HDTV purchase. Out of sports fans, 78 percent said the Super Bowl was their favorite sport to watch in HD.

“CEA forecasts HDTV will outsell analog sets by more than 89 percent in 2006,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA. “The constant exponential momentum throughout 2005 and the exciting HD programming in 2006 – like the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics and the World Cup – give me confidence that DTV and HDTV sales will hit new levels this year.”