DVD rental revenues havealready surpassed $2bn in 2002, according to figures announced by the VideoSoftward Dealers Association (VSDA), eating into the home video rental marketwhich has so far amassed $4.12bn this year. 'DVDscontinue to contribute significantly to the video rental market and showunprecedented growth in an otherwise sluggish economy,' said VSDApresident Bo Andersen in a statement.

The VSDA point-of-saletracking technology VidTrac has released data which puts DVD rental revenues toSept 29 at $2.03bn, accounting for 33% of the home video rental market. In thethird quarter, that percentage went even higher to 37%. For 2001 the year-endpercentage share was just 17%, with total revenues standing at $1.4bn. In 2000,the percentage was 7% and the revenue total at $569m.

By year-end theVSDA estimated that DVDs could account for 40% of the total rental market,reflecting the growing hardward penetration of DVD players. Top renting DVD sofar this year in the US is Warner's Training Day ($29.5m in rental revenues), followed by20th Century Fox's Don't Say A Word ($27.9m) and Dimension's TheOthers ($23.7m). Toprenting VHS titles are Don't Say A Word ($54.2m), Training Day ($47.8m) and Universal's TheFast And The Furious($47.1m).