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Professional American football garners much of the media limelight, but thumbnail statistics published by USA Football illustrate the potential magnitude of the football helmet market outside the pro ranks. In 2010-2011, football led the way in terms of total number of participants among all high school sports, with 1,134,000 athletes playing the sport at freshman, junior varsity and varsity levels. College, of course, represents another tier of football participation. According to NCAA statistics, colleges with active football programs at the Division 1, 2 and 3 levels currently number 120, 149 and 236, respectively. Further, at most universities football is the major revenue source for funding of all other sports programs. In the 2012-2013 school term, average revenue among Division 1 schools was US$15.1 million per school.

This short article is a sidebar to a feature article on the advent of fiber-reinforced plastics in American football helmets, titled "Composites tackle concussions." Read the feature article by clicking on its title under "Editor's Picks" at top right.