CEO NOW

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NSGA OFFICERS

NSGA OFFICERS Chairman of the Board Pat Donnelley Chairman of the Board Donnelley Sports, Twin Falls, ID David Labbe Kittery Trading Post, Kittery, ME Treasurer/Chairman-Elect Treasurer/Chairman-Elect Cathy Pryor Greg Miller Universal Athletic, Bozeman, MT Hibbett Sports, Birmingham, Past Chairman AL Past Chairman David Labbe Randy Nill Kittery Trading Post, Kittery, ME Nill Bros. Sporting Goods, Kansas City, KS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kevin Bezanson Kevin Bezanson Cleve’s Source for Sports, Cleve's Source for Sports, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Halifax, Nova Scotia, Rhett Johnson Canada Pat Donnelley Johnson-Lambe Co., Raleigh, NC Donnelley Sports, Twin Falls, ID Rhett Johnson David Lynn Dunham’s Sports, Troy, MI Johnson-Lambe Co., Raleigh, NC Greg Miller Jeff Miller Scholastic Sports Sales, Ltd., Manlius, NY Universal Athletic, Bozeman, MT Jeff Miller Mick Montgomery Denver Athletic Supply, Englewood, CO Scholastic Ron Rugal Sports Sales, Ltd., Manlius, NY John Oehler B&R Sporting Goods, Shelby Charter Dunham's Sports, Troy, Township, MI Ml Jerry Williams Jerry Williams Schuylkill Valley Sports, Pottstown, PA Schuylkill Valley Sports, Pottstown, PA NSGA TEAM LEADERS NSGA TEAM LEADERS Matt Carlson President & CEO Matt Carlson President & CEO Marty Maciaszek Marty Maciaszek Team Dealer Division, Director, Team Dealer Division and Communications and HDAHDA Julie Pitts Julie Pitts Director, Business Development and Director, Public Affairs and Research Larry Weindruch President, NSSRA Director, Public Affairs Nick Rigitano Dan Wiersma Director, Insights and Analysis Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Shaffer Comptroller

It is not a What do you do when your hands are cold … rub them secret that many independently owned sporting goods retailers together? That friction you create is helpful, right?and dealers have been under siege over the We have all experienced our share of friction over last several years. the past several months. Significant weather events, Consumers turn to the internet, thinking it's a better option a global pandemic, which has altered lives in ways for their purchases. The labor market is increasingly tight. few could have imagined, combined with civil unrest and political strife has made for one of the most Manufacturers try to go directly to the consumer and narrow their distribution of products. Those are a challenging times in our history.few of the biggest challenges independent retailers

We do not have the luxury of saying, “I’ll just go and dealers face. The effects are evident throughout the industry as struggling businesses consolidate or close their doors entirely. Our colleagues at NSGA's benchmark associations, the American Booksellers about my business because none of this affects Association and the North American Retail

Hardware Association, echo me.” Especially for business owners who have been those concerns, but none of us is throwing in the towel!

We always search for ways to help significantly impacted by these situations.our core members in their ongoing battle to succeed.

Our new 'Verified Independent The level of friction, particularly caused by COVID, Dealer Program" hits the bullseye. The idea for the varies as we hear from different segments of the sporting goods industry in different locations. Retailers with an emphasis on individualized sports and activities such as golf, biking, tennis program was sparked by a group of NSGA-member team dealers who wanted to emphasize how their experience, knowledge and service differentiates them from their competition. or running may find their challenge is meeting larger-than-normal customer needs for those products. In some states, a team dealer may face the dilemma of a significantly reduced demand from schools and programs because team sports are still in shutdown mode. Supply chains Getting the public to understand the importance of working with a quality independent dealer is one of the critical components to the NSGA Verified Independent Dealer Program. NSGA will assist Verified Dealers by sharing and explaining what it means to be have definitely been disrupted; all leading to more friction. part of this program with their current and potential customers.

The details about the criteria for the MVP and All-Star categories of the NSGA Verified Independent Dealer Program, along with applications and other important information, can be found at www.nsga.org/verified. You can also read more about it on page 22 of this edition of NSGA NOW. We encourage team dealers, full-line retailers and specialty retailers involved in hockey, skiing, running and other sports to apply.

Another benefit of the NSGA Verified Independent Dealer Program will be programming for the group at the 55th Annual Management Conference & 21st Annual Team Dealer

Summit. This will be an excellent opportunity for verified dealers to get together and share ideas and concerns with their peers.

The Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit held May 19-21 in Braselton,

Georgia, is right around the corner. Some of the best aspects of the sporting goods industry's premier event are illustrated on page 11 of this issue. Register now by completing the form in the magazine, or, online at www.nsga.org/events.

We hope everyone had a happy holiday season with family and friends and that you closed out 2018 on a high note. Don't forget that NSGA is here to support you in making 2019 even better! Fight the good fightl

Best regards,

Matt Carlson I President & CEO

Friction can be reduced by a trio of “Ps” which entrepreneur, TV personality and Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis calls his “3 Ps of Business” — People, Process and Product. Having the right people on your team will help you execute your operational process in the most efficient manner possible. This will also give you the opportunity to expand and diversify your product lines. Lemonis suggests that you “try to take a few moments each day to step back from all the activity and take a different perspective. How well are you doing on the 3Ps of business?” That may not seem feasible with the daily demands of running a business. Yet it could go a long way toward helping you compete for new business and reduce some sources of friction. Our mission at NSGA is to help ease the friction as well, and we will continue to support you through all these challenging times. Lemonis encourages us to take a different perspective. Although we have to work harder at it, maybe a better way of looking at the friction is to convert it to something useful … heat on the hands, so to speak. How can you transfer the heat from the friction to fuel your business?

Best regards, Matt Carlson | President & CEO

NSGA works with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to keep you informed on important news and rule changes.

NSGA NOW® (ISSN1045-2087) is published bi-monthly for members of the National Sporting Goods Association, 1601 Feehanville Dr., Suite300, Mount Prospect, IL 60056-6035; Phone: (847) 296-NSGA (6742); Fax: (847) 391-9827. Subscription price of $50per year is included in membership fee. Non-member subscription information available frompublisher. Periodical postage paid at Mount Prospect, IL 60056 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NSGA NOW,® 1601 Feehanville Dr., Suite 300, Mount Prospect, IL 60056-6035. © by NSGA 2019. Printed in the USA. NSGA NOW (ISSN 1045-2087) is published bi-monthly for members of the National Sporting Goods Association, 3041 Woodcreek Drive, Suite 210, Downers Grove, IL 60515. Phone: (847) 296-NSGA (6742); Fax: (847) 391-9827. Subscription price of $50 per year is included in membership fee. Non-member subscription information available from publisher. Periodical postage paid at Downers Grove, IL 60515 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NSGA NOW,® 3041 Woodcreek Drive, Suite 210, Downers Grove, IL 60515. © NSGA 2021 all rights reserved. Printed in the USA.