Category AI Visibility Report
Athletics AI Visibility Report 2026: Top Brands & Buyer Topics in AI Search
Data updated 2026-08-27 · 30-day window · ChatGPT · Google AI Mode · Google AI Overviews
≈212,291
Est. AI queries / month
439
Buyer topics monitored
301
Brands on the AI shelf
46
Categories covered
Key insights
- Over the last 30 days, GEOly monitored 439 buyer topics in Athletics across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews — an estimated 212,291 AI queries per month.
- Nike leads the AI shelf with 5.7% of brand mentions, followed by Wilson (3.6%) and Bauer (2.9%). The top three hold 12.2% combined — a shelf that has not consolidated yet, leaving a clear window for challengers.
- The highest-demand topic is “Mary Jane tennis shoes” (top keyword “mary janes tennis shoes”, ~27,100 searches/mo).
- AI answers lean on reddit.com most (28.6% of citations) — earning presence on these sources is the shortest path to being recommended.
Brands AI recommends most
Share of brand mentions across AI answers in the last 30 days (Share of Model).
| # | Brand | AI mentions | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nike | 10,988 | 5.7% |
| 2 | Wilson | 6,941 | 3.6% |
| 3 | Bauer | 5,599 | 2.9% |
| 4 | adidas | 5,575 | 2.9% |
| 5 | CCM | 3,951 | 2% |
| 6 | Rawlings | 3,948 | 2% |
| 7 | Warrior | 2,844 | 1.5% |
| 8 | Cliff Keen | 2,808 | 1.4% |
| 9 | Fairtex | 2,784 | 1.4% |
| 10 | Hayabusa | 2,515 | 1.3% |
What shoppers ask AI
Buyer topics monitored in this category, with estimated monthly AI queries and the top Google keyword behind each topic.
| Topic | Est. AI queries / mo | Top keyword | Search volume / mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Jane tennis shoes | ≈18,241 | mary janes tennis shoes | 27,100 |
| dress tennis shoes | ≈14,697 | men dress tennis shoes | 18,100 |
| 12 oz boxing gloves | ≈7,773 | 12 oz boxing gloves | 5,400 |
| 14 oz boxing gloves | ≈7,662 | 14 oz boxing gloves | 3,600 |
| beginner boxing gloves | ≈6,524 | beginner boxing gloves | 5,400 |
| indoor basketball hoops | ≈5,140 | hoops indoor basketball | 14,800 |
| basketball hoops for trampolines | ≈5,115 | basketball hoops for trampolines | 6,600 |
| custom baseballs | ≈4,697 | team logo baseballs | 4,400 |
| youth basketball shoes | ≈4,535 | youth basketball shoes | 6,600 |
| foam and soft baseballs | ≈3,755 | toy baseballs | 1,900 |
| FIFA approved soccer balls | ≈3,671 | soccer balls fifa | 3,600 |
| Indoor soccer balls | ≈3,629 | indoor soccer balls | 4,400 |
Sources AI cites in this category
Root domains AI engines cited most when answering category queries in the last 30 days.
| Domain | Citations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| reddit.com | 8,290 | 28.6% |
| runrepeat.com | 787 | 2.7% |
| nike.com | 779 | 2.7% |
| tennis-warehouse.com | 693 | 2.4% |
| dickssportinggoods.com | 599 | 2.1% |
| verywellfit.com | 459 | 1.6% |
| rawlings.com | 447 | 1.5% |
| fairtex.com | 438 | 1.5% |
Category reports inside
| Category | Est. AI queries / mo | Topics | Top brand in AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennis Shoes | ≈32,938 | 9 | Nike |
| Boxing Gloves | ≈21,959 | 12 | Hayabusa |
| Baseballs | ≈11,247 | 12 | Rawlings |
| Baseball Bats | ≈11,085 | 15 | Rawlings |
| Basketball Hoops | ≈10,255 | 9 | Lifetime |
| Soccer Balls | ≈10,028 | 10 | adidas |
| Basketballs | ≈9,343 | 14 | Wilson |
| Ice Skates | ≈7,525 | 11 | Bauer |
| Footballs | ≈7,068 | 11 | Wilson |
| Track Spikes | ≈6,536 | 13 | Nike |
| Basketball Shoes | ≈6,318 | 8 | Nike |
| Dance Shoes | ≈5,686 | 15 | Capezio |
| Hockey Sticks | ≈5,498 | 11 | Bauer |
| Gym Mats | ≈4,886 | 14 | ProsourceFit |
| Softballs | ≈4,753 | 14 | Dudley |
| Football Helmets | ≈4,551 | 9 | Schutt |
| Punching Bags | ≈4,545 | 17 | Century |
| Court Shoes | ≈4,059 | 8 | ASICS |
| Mouthguards | ≈3,859 | 12 | SISU |
| Batting Cages | ≈3,803 | 8 | Heater Sports |
| Softball Bats | ≈3,783 | 7 | Miken |
| Volleyballs | ≈3,728 | 7 | Molten |
| Tennis Rackets | ≈3,624 | 8 | HEAD |
| Shooting Targets | ≈3,568 | 11 | Birchwood Casey |
| Tennis Balls | ≈2,774 | 9 | Wilson |
| Volleyball Nets | ≈2,532 | 6 | Park & Sun Sports |
| Soccer Goals | ≈2,265 | 11 | QUICKPLAY |
| Hand Wraps | ≈1,690 | 10 | Meister |
| Football Gloves | ≈1,581 | 8 | Cutter |
| Hockey Helmets | ≈1,310 | 7 | Bauer |
| Nunchucks | ≈1,243 | 7 | Flowtoys |
| Lacrosse Sticks | ≈1,021 | 12 | STX Dehydra |
| Megaphones | ≈968 | 7 | Pyle |
| Pitching Machines | ≈871 | 8 | JUGS |
| Wrestling Singlets | ≈858 | 7 | Cliff Keen |
| Hockey Pucks | ≈789 | 10 | Green Biscuit |
| Hockey Gloves | ≈727 | 10 | Bauer |
| Mma Gloves | ≈639 | 8 | Fairtex |
| Cricket Bats | ≈537 | 11 | Gray-Nicolls |
| Wrestling Headgear | ≈516 | 7 | Cliff Keen |
| Lacrosse Balls | ≈507 | 8 | SWAX |
| Cricket Balls | ≈317 | 7 | Kookaburra |
| Soccer Shin Guards | ≈298 | 9 | Nike |
| Baseball Batting Gloves | ≈203 | 5 | Bruce |
| Goalkeeper Gloves | — | 4 | Reusch |
| Tennis Ball Machines | — | 3 | Lobster |
FAQ
Which brands do AI assistants recommend most for athletics?
Over the last 30 days the top brands by AI mention share are: Nike (5.7%), Wilson (3.6%), Bauer (2.9%), adidas (2.9%), CCM (2%). Data from GEOly's continuous monitoring across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews.
How many people ask AI about athletics?
GEOly estimates ~212,291 AI queries per month in this category across 439 buyer topics, led by “Mary Jane tennis shoes”.
Which sources do AI engines cite for athletics?
The most-cited domains are: reddit.com, runrepeat.com, nike.com, tennis-warehouse.com, dickssportinggoods.com. Building brand presence on these sources is the most direct way to win AI recommendations.
Methodology
GEOly continuously runs category buyer prompts across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews and records which brands are mentioned and which sources are cited. Figures aggregate a 30-day window; AI query volumes are modeled estimates from keyword demand and AI-adoption share. Data: GEOly MCP Server, updated 2026-08-27.
See your brand inside this category
GEOly tracks how ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and Google AI Overviews mention, rank and cite your brand against every competitor above — and what to fix to win the AI shelf.