NSGA NOW - March/April 2023

FRAUD’S

PAINFUL PRICE ON YOUTH SPORTS

SOURCE FOR HOCKEY UNVEILED IN U.S. WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND THE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE NOCSAE, RULES UPDATES

4 CEO NOW Letting us know what’s happening in your backyard

6 ASSOCIATION NOW

Remembering industry veteran Gary Niland

10 CONFERENCE NOW Why you should be in Nashville in May

13 ADVOCACY NOW

New website spotlights how NSGA can help you

16 OPERATIONS NOW The impact and danger signs of youth sports fraud

23 NEWS

NOCSAE winter meeting recap, Mueller partners with football legend Donald Driver, high school football and volleyball rules updates

31 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT NOW

Give Me Five with Shawn Hancheroff, MVP Athletic Supplies

HDA NOW

Source For Hockey unveiled in US; Awards for RinkSide, Bauer 10 23

CEO NOW

Voicing opposition to a couple of significant sports-related issues in the last decade was not a problem for NSGA.

One was a lawmaker’s effort to remove the physical education requirement in Illinois schools. The other was a bill to require schools to develop a policy to limit tackling in Illinois high school football practices to once a week.

It was not a challenge for us to be aware of these situations since they occurred in the proverbial backyard of NSGA’s headquarters in suburban Chicago. They were hot-button topics that received significant attention from our local media. But a lot happens outside of our window to the world. NSGA does its best to stay on top of important legislation, but it is a big country and media cutbacks have limited local coverage and attention some of these issues used to receive.

We urge you to reach out and let us know if there is a pending piece of legislation that could affect your business in your region. It could be an issue for other NSGA members in other states, too.

In many cases, legislation at the federal level that could impact members grows from a state issue. Knowing about it gives our team the opportunity to examine, prepare and

respond to the issue at hand. It also allows us to collaborate with other organizations, like the National Retail Federation (NRF), to achieve a better outcome. A couple of years ago, we were made aware of a proposal in Maine to increase the minimum salary threshold for overtime pay, which would have a significant impact on families and businesses. NSGA joined the NRF, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) to amplify its opposition. We also encourage you to check out the advocacy pages on NSGA’s new website at nsga.org/ current-initiatives/. It is a great resource where you will find contact information for NSGA staff regarding corporate and rulemaking questions and how to contact your local senators and representatives. The NSGA advocacy pages illustrate what we are monitoring with details on some of the current issues in play and others that came to a successful resolution.

Nobody wins them all in the advocacy arena. But we cannot get a win if we’re not on the field. We are ready to help where we believe we can. Help us amplify your voice.

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

PAT DONNELLEY

BSN Sports, Twin Falls, ID

CHAIRMAN-ELECT

GORDON GEIGER

Geiger’s, Lakewood, OH

PAST CHAIRMAN

DAVID LABBE

Kittery Trading Post, Kittery, ME

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

KEVIN BEZANSON

Cleve’s Source for Sports, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

BOB FAWLEY

Capitol Varsity Sports, Oxford, OH

TROY FREEMAN

Play It Again Sports, Minneapolis, MN

MICK MONTGOMERY

Denver Athletic Supply, Englewood, CO

RON RUGAL

B&R Sporting Goods, Shelby Charter Township, MI

JOHN SCIPIO

SV Sports, Pottstown, PA

NSGA TEAM LEADERS

MATT CARLSON

President & CEO

MARTY MACIASZEK

Director, Team Dealer Division, Communications

JULIE PITTS

Director, Public Affairs and President, NSSRA

NICK RIGITANO

Director, Insights and Analysis

JENNIFER SHAFFER Comptroller

Best regards,

MATT CARLSON PRESIDENT & CEO

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 2023 all rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

BUILT. BETTER.

GARY NILAND, FIXTURE IN SPORTING GOODS INDUSTRY, PASSES AWAY AT 68

Gary Niland, a former long-time member of the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Committee, passed away in January in Framingham, Massachusetts. Niland was 68.

Niland was a fixture in the sporting goods industry for decades and joined Schutt Sports in late 2005 as a Vice President of Sales. Niland owned his own sales agency, Gary Niland and Associates, and was President of the Sporting Goods Agents Association.

Niland, who courageously battled cancer, was born in Boston and attended nearby Framingham State University. His achievements on the football field led to his induction into the Framingham State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. Niland met his wife of 43 years, Jean (Caldaroni) Niland, at the school and remained involved in its football community until his passing. His obituary said, “Gary was a man of character and integrity who never compromised his principles as he ascended the corporate ladder, holding various management positions and owning his own sales agency. Gary took the lessons from the football field and applied them to his everyday life — set your goals, work hard to achieve them, do the right thing and treat everyone with respect. He was absolutely respected by all who he came into contact with because he was a straight shooter. He never forgot who

he was, he never forgot where he came from and he always took care of his own.

“Summers were spent at Sagamore Beach with his family and closest friends. Gary was easy to love — he made you feel like the most important person in the room and always made a lasting impression. He was a man

who loved deeply and never hesitated to let his loved ones know what they meant to him. Gary met the challenges of many health issues over the years and fought them courageously. He was loved beyond words and will be missed beyond measure.”

Niland is survived by his wife, four children, five grandchildren and seven siblings. Donations may be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (www.dana-farber.org).

Gary Niland at the 2019 Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit with keynote speaker Jen Welter, who was the first female coach in the NFL.

SO MANY REASONS TO ATTEND THE 2023 NSGA MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE & TEAM DEALER SUMMIT

Education, camaraderie, networking, inspiration and honoring legends of the sporting goods industry are all part of what makes the annual NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit memorable and worthwhile. Here’s a look at why you should be in Nashville, one of the country’s most vibrant and exciting cities, on May 21-23 for this year’s event.

WORLD-CLASS KEYNOTE SPEAKERS AND EDUCATION SESSIONS

Some of the greats of their games and fields have shared their secrets for success such as Bill Walton, Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski and Tom Izzo in basketball, football’s Joe Theismann and Jen Welter, baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., irreverent golf analyst David Feherty, Disney innovator Duncan Wardle and former fighter pilot Lt. Col. Waldo Waldman. NSGA’s keynote speakers push you to tackle the daily challenges ahead.

“Team dealers and retailers should come to the conference for the knowledge and the guest speakers,” said Ron Rugal, the president of B&R Sporting Goods, a specialty hockey retailer in Michigan and Illinois. “There is a lot of invaluable information here that is phenomenal.”

Peter Capolino of Mitchell & Ness (holding plaque) celebrates his 2021 induction into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame with family and friends.

Hot topics are also covered as last year NSGA had panel discussions where experts shared their knowledge on DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) and the supply chain outlook.

“It is important to provide them (team dealers and retailers) with a venue for this continuing education and networking,” said Steve Vogelsang, Vice President Sales & Marketing of Litania Sports Group (Gill-Porter) in Illinois.

“You learn things you didn’t know before,” said Josh Ellsworth, Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing of Michigan-based STAHLS. “Every time I come to the conference, I leave with many new ideas we can implement tomorrow in our business.”

Stay tuned to NSGA for the latest updates on speakers and educational sessions for this year’s event.

THE NEED FOR SPEED NETWORKING

NSGA started Speed Networking five years ago to ensure that retailers and dealers would have guaranteed opportunities to meet with various brands at the Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit. The series of short, structured meetings of Speed Networking, which is now sponsored by Mueller Sports Medicine, has become a huge hit on the Monday afternoon of the event.

“Meeting with individual dealers, team dealers and sales reps, spending 10 minutes with them one-on-one to talk about your product and your company and tell them what is new and upcoming, it’s much more valuable than a tradeshow,” said Grace Schettler, Vice President of Sales of Cap America.

“I love speed networking. I generally joke around calling it speed dating,” said Matt Kaplan, President of OrderMyGear.

“It’s a fantastic way for us to tell our story from a technology perspective for a short period to the masses. The ideal goal really is to set the table and foundation for bigger conversations outside of the speed networking or at happy hour, during (another) session or follow-up meeting.”

The Speed Networking meetings can reinforce existing relationships between retailers and dealers and brands or to build new ones. The meetings are also a chance to discuss more than just a new product.

“I learn about a new product every time. I sat with Stahls’ and I learned about 3 different processes I’m going to bring home that we’re going to start Monday morning,” said Mike Blythe, owner of Blythe’s Team Sports in Valparaiso, Indiana. “There are new products I’ve never seen before. You get to talk to people about your issues. You get answers from guys on top of the food chain. Those are the guys that have the answers and Speed Networking is great.”

MORE NETWORKING AND MORE EVENTS

Speed Networking isn’t the only place to connect during the Conference & Summit. Whether it’s at the daily breakfasts and lunches, during the breaks between sessions or at other scheduled events, or at dinner at one of many options in Nashville, there is always time to meet and have important discussions.

“I think it provides an opportunity to do a lot of networking and really gain insights into things that are happening in the industry,” said John Scipio, CEO of retailer and team dealer SV Sports in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

“If we’re here, the team dealers know we’re in the trenches with them because they are such a vital part of the sporting goods industry,” said Rachelle Manning, Sporting Goods Channel Director of SanMar Sports. “We like to come and learn what they’re experiencing, what kind of pitfalls and pain points they may be having.”

The Conference & Summit also honors and celebrates the best the industry has to offer with the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony. It’s always an inspiring way to wrap up three great days of industry camaraderie and collaboration.

The good news - you still have time to make plans to join us in Nashville for this year’s event.

“Being here and having meaningful conversations, structured and unstructured, there are no replacements for that,” said Laura St. George, Vice President of Sales for Gared. “I cannot imagine not being here.”

The buzz from Speed Networking has become an annual highlight at the Management Conference.

BY JULIE PITTS NSGA DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

What comprises advocacy? NSGA’s platform is built upon legislative advocacy, corporate advocacy and rulemaking. NSGA’s new website makes it easy to find what we do and have done in the area of advocacy and how to contact the right people you need when you have questions.

LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY:

NSGA follows legislation that affects our members in matters of trade, equitable marketplaces, improvements to the supply chain, labor and wage issues, and a variety of other matters that impact sporting goods retailers and dealers. NSGA encourages it members to check out the resources at nsga.org/current-initiatives/ to learn about proposed federal legislation that is important to NSGA members.

Should a member wish to communicate directly on a matter, the NSGA website offers a convenient tool to contact federal elected officials.

If a member learns of legislation at the state or local level which may be relevant to small businesses or the sporting goods industry, please contact NSGA at advocacy@nsga.org so that we may explore the issue and follow-up accordingly.

CORPORATE ADVOCACY:

NSGA receives inquiries from retailers and dealers looking for intervention on a variety of matters. These issues are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. If you are retailer/dealer member with a concern about an industry matter, please contact us for a discussion at advocacy@nsga.org.

RULEMAKING:

NSGA participates in the NFHS-NCAA Team Sports Rules Meetings. Recaps, which provide information about rule changes, can be found at nsga.org/initiative/nfhs-ncaateam-sports-rules-meeting-recaps/. NSGA also attends meetings by the National Operating Committee for Standards on Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) and is in regular contact with other national sports organizations on rule changes.

The State Adopted Ball List keeps members informed on changes that could affect their inventory and helps ensure the marketplace remains competitive for all retailers and team dealers. NSGA members can access the list at nsga. org/initiative/state-adopted-ball-list/.

NSGA wants to hear from you if you become aware of a matter that may require your trade association’s assistance. Contact information can be found at nsga.org/current-initiatives/. Please let us know what we can do to help grow your business!

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TACKLING THE FRAUD PROBLEM IN YOUTH SPORTS

No one wants to think about being the victim of fraud and embezzlement, but it frequently happens. It may be sad to think about, but even youth sports organizations are not exempt from fraudsters. Youth sports have grown exponentially in the past several years and this growth has made some of the customers you may be working with in the sporting goods industry, or as a coach or volunteer, an attractive target for fraud and embezzlement.

Here are just a few examples of youth sports fraud:

• A New Jersey soccer club director redirected funds estimated at about $100,000 to self-created accounts with similar names to the club

• A California youth baseball treasurer embezzled more than $30,000 for personal use for almost two years

• An Ohio youth baseball league treasurer embezzled approximately $175,000 for personal purchases that included a Disney vacation.

The Center for Fraud Prevention, whose mission is to help youth sports associations fight theft and embezzlement, compiled more than 350 cases totaling more than $20 million lost over a 5-to-8 year time period to raise awareness of the problem. Erik Carrozza, the President of the non-profit center and a CPA, said he became the treasurer for a local youth sports organization about 10 years ago that processed about 3,000 registrations a year and had an operating budget of approximately $500,000.

BY JENNY SHAFFER NSGA COMPTROLLER Erik Carrozza

“When I joined, there was one person holding everything and not a lot of controls in place,” Carrozza said.

“I brought in another individual as co-treasurer and I realized others struggle with embezzlement because they didn’t have adequate controls in place. People didn’t realize how prevalent this issue was.”

Carrozza said there are tactics that can help limit exposure to these schemes. By taking the time to implement even a few simple controls, the impact and frequency of these instances may be reduced.

The methods used for embezzling funds are not overly sophisticated, according to Carrozza. Rather, the fraud occurs because there were not appropriate checks and balances in place. In many cases, a single person was responsible for the finances of the sports program with little-to-no oversight of their processes. The head finance position often is held by a volunteer, so there is a reluctance to question suspicious behavior because replacements for these positions can be tough to find. Along the same lines, youth sports are community based and the finance person is often a very trusted, well-known member of the same community.

“Having more than one person involved in the finance function is critical,” Carrozza said. “The reality is when individuals take advantage of their position in youth sports they are trusted individuals. Another common theme when the crime is uncovered, for a large part, the community is shocked.”

To limit fraud and the chances of embezzlement, some best practices suggested by Carrozza are:

• Ensure check registers and cleared payments are reviewed in a timely manner by someone other than the person responsible for the finances. This needs to be more than just a review of general ledger detail as that can be altered. For example, reviewing a scanned image from the bank of a cleared check is a better control. This scan would include ensuring checks are not made out to “Cash” or to the person writing the checks.

• A review of credit card statements with supporting documentation by someone other than the person responsible for the finances to ensure that debit or credit cards are not being used for personal reasons. Verify that current spending is in line with past patterns and current expectations or understand the reason for the change if not.

• Perform bank reconciliations at least monthly and have appropriate individuals review this information in a detailed manner.

Another good control to have in place is creating term limits on the governing board if a youth sports program has one. Fraud can be discovered when a new member gets involved and begins to ask questions. Having term limits on the board ensures others can gain access to financial information. Finally, as parents or local businesses, be aware of what your money is going toward and ask questions if things don’t seem right.

Without proper controls in place, it can be very difficult to determine if fraud is occurring and tough to even gather evidence, especially if the suspicion is coming from outside those who are responsible for oversight (e.g. a parent). Depending on the policies and procedures in place, the person responsible for the finances may not be obligated to share detailed information if questioned. Short of running for a position on the board (if there is one and if there are term limits to allow this) it is not easy to bring to light.

“I get calls from concerned parents and coaches regularly asking, ‘What can we do to gain access to financials because we’re pretty sure someone is skimming from the organization,’” Carrozza said.

“It can be very frustrating. You feel terrible that parents are reaching out that something shady is happening and they don’t have any way to get the financial information.”

The impact of embezzlement can be devasting. Because of the community atmosphere around youth sports, there can be extreme shock when it occurs. It can cast doubt on the program management and take away the focus from what is really important – providing an opportunity for kids to play sports.

From a financial perspective, it is difficult to get lost funds back especially if cash is involved. Recovering from embezzlement of funds could cause delays in purchasing new equipment or uniforms. In some instances, the program may not even be able to recover at all from the financial impact of lost funds and be forced to shut down.

“Some organizations basically go out of business because they couldn’t rebound,” Carrozza said. “You read about other situations where an organization is able to recover through generous donations from a business or with the help of a professional athlete. But you see some leagues that are irreparably harmed from it.”

Unfortunately, embezzlement of funds in youth sports is occurring and cannot be ignored. Having written financial protocols and taking small measures to ensure there are appropriate checks and balances could go a long way in reducing the chance of being a victim of a financial disaster.

SALES-WINNING POWER

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Shop by sport and team color at SANMARSPORTS.COM

CHAMPION COACHES DESERVE CHAMPION DEALERS.

Coachesrelyonyoutochampionthemaximum inequipmentsafety,performance,anddurability sotheystayfocusedontheirathletes.Successful programsarebuiltonrelationshipscoachestrust. That’swhythebestTeamDealerspartnerwithus.

U.S. hockey customers witnessed the unveiling of a new, modernized brand identity from Source for Hockey stores with the start of the hockey season in 2022.

The new Source for Hockey brand was born from customer research and the need to satisfy the unique needs of our U.S. retail members — who exclusively sell hockey product. We wanted to ensure that the new branding built upon the brand identity established in the Canadian marketplace with Source for Sports, but catered to the U.S. needs,” said Brad Hause, President of Sports Distributors of Canada (SDC).

Source for Sports and Source for Hockey stores are part of SDC, which

is North America’s largest hockey retail buying group. SDC, the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) and the Hockey Dealers Association (HDA) formed a collaboration in 2013 to give U.S. hockey retailers the opportunity to participate in a buying group. The U.S. group has grown to more than 40 owners with 74 locations.

This brand transformation includes a new brand logo and tagline — “WE FIT YOUR GAME” — that is featured throughout all marketing channels, in addition to new store design standards and a new Source Exclusive collection of hockey accessories.

“It has been incredibly exciting to witness the transformation of our dealers’ stores across North America, as they incorporate the branding updates through new signage and other enhancements to their store exterior and interior,” Hause said.

The network includes more than 200 stores in Canada and the U.S., owned and operated by member partners. For more than five decades, the Source for

Sports' knowledgeable and community-minded store owners have equipped customers with the sporting goods they need to do the activities they love with confidence. The cornerstone of each store’s success is personalized service delivered by expert staff.

LAUNCHING THE NEW BRAND POSITIONING AND IDENTITY

“We learned through consumer research that what really resonated with hockey families is our belief that when it comes to sports, no two players are the same,” said Donna Finelli, Chief Marketing Officer, Source for Hockey. “We are uniquely positioned to help customers find the gear that is right for them — because of our commitment to highly personalized service combined with our expertise. We brought this to life with a new tagline, a reinvention of the brand identity, new brand imagery and creative that kickedoff the hockey season.”

NEW SOURCE EXCLUSIVE S –HOCKEY COLLECTION

To reinforce the new identity, Source for Hockey dealers launched a collection of high-quality hockey accessories, including base-layer garments, hockey bags and a broad selection of essential hockey items to satisfy the needs of all levels of players. The collection features the new iconic “S” graphic and is available exclusively at participating Source for Hockey locations across the country.

BAUER NAMED SDC HOCKEY VENDOR OF THE YEAR

Earlier this year, BioSteel became the Official Hydration Partner of the NHL and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) in a full-circle moment for a brand born in an NHL locker room. Through the League deal, BioSteel secured rinkside marketing and product supply rights for all benches and locker rooms, the right to use NHL logos, marks and teams at the national level, as well as player marketing and activation rights through the NHLPA.

RINKSIDE SPORTS WINS BAUER SPECIALTY RETAILER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Bauer Hockey is also a member of NSGA.

Bauer received the Sports Distributors of Canada (SDC) “Hockey Vendor of the Year” award at SDC’s annual Buying and Marketing Show on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at the Scotiabank Convention Center in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

The SDC show was held November 14-16 and had more than 600 attendees, including members from stores in Canada and the United States, with 143 vendor partner booths. There were business presentations that highlighted SDC’s new branding initiatives, a review of the new national e-commerce website (sourceforsports.ca) which launched in February 2022 and the early sales data of the new S-HOCKEY branded collection, which is exclusive to Source for Sports.

All these strategic initiatives were completed during the 50th anniversary year of SDC. The next show will be June 13–16, 2023 in Niagara Falls.

BIOSTEEL ANNOUNCES NHL PARTNERSHIPS

BioSteel Sports Nutrition Inc., announced multi-year partnerships as the new Official Sports Hydration Partner of six National Hockey League franchises: the Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning.

“BioSteel has been deeply imbedded in the hockey community since its inception, and when we secured the NHL deal last summer, we knew we wanted to deepen our connection with hockey fans through local partnerships and activations,” said Michael Cammalleri, Co-Founder of BioSteel in 2009 and a 15-year NHL veteran. “Through each of these new team deals, we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to tell our story and introduce our premium hydration products to each of these franchises’ communities.”

LAWSUIT ALLEGES ADIDAS MISLEADING ON “AUTHENTIC” NHL FAN JERSEYS

A class action suit filed Jan. 14 in a Michigan federal court alleged adidas misleads fans into believing they are purchasing “authentic” NHL jerseys identical to those worn by NHL players, but the quality is not as advertised.

The plaintiff filed the class action lawsuit against Adidas America Inc., alleging violations of state and federal consumer laws, according to a story by Top Class Actions, a website which provides class action news. The plaintiff said the “authentic” jerseys are not those worn in games by NHL players and are similar to replica or counterfeit authentic jerseys.

The plaintiff is suing for violation of state consumer laws, breach of warranty, negligence, misrepresentation, fraud, and unjust enrichment and is seeking certification of the class action, damages, fees, costs and jury trial.

RinkSide Sports, an HDA member, won the 2022 Bauer Specialty Retailer of the Year award at the annual Bauer World event. RinkSide Sports, with three locations in the Tampa Bay, Florida area, won the Bauer retail award for the United States. RinkSide Sports has been an HDA member since 2015 and is part of the Sports Distributors of Canada (SDC)/ National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA)/HDA collaboration for purchasing hockey products. RinkSide owner Allen Van Valkenburg is a member of the HDA Advisory Committee.

Sports Rousseau, with multiple locations around Quebec, won the Bauer retail award for Canada. Sport Rousseau has been servicing the Quebec area for more than 40 years.

HAVE HOCKEY NEWS YOU WANT TO SHARE?

TOM VAN JACOBS, Hockey Dealers Association (HDA) Managing Director, at TVANJACOBS@NSGA.ORG.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST NEWS AT NSGA.ORG/HDA

Photo from left, Bauer’s Scott Keys, Vice President of Sales, North America, and Bryan McDermott, Senior Director of Sales North America, receive the award from Brad Hause, President of SDC.

2023 WINTER STANDARDS MEETING RECAP

BY MARTY MACIASZEK NSGA DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) held its 2023 Winter Standards Meeting on Jan. 27 in Litchfield Park, Arizona. NSGA attended the meeting and has the following recap.

PROPOSED YOUTH FOOTBALL HELMET STANDARD

In the winter of 2020, the NOCSAE Standards Committee voted to begin the development of a youth football helmet standard. Discussion and updates continue as NOCSAE works to refine criteria and testing protocols in anticipation of finalizing the standard within the next year.

Clarifying the level of play for the new standard has been an ongoing discussion. NOCSAE revised the definition it will use for youth football to “football played at a level below high school.”

Elizabeth McCalley, NOCSAE’s new Technical Director, said this clarifies what level youth football is being played. Dave Halstead, the Technical Director Emeritus, said NOCSAE will need to do significant outreach to organizations so youth leagues would begin to use youth helmets. The NOCSAE Standards Committee also approved these updates to the proposed standard:

• Removed one of the two highest-level drop-test impacts of 17.94 feet per second. It is a speed that would be extremely rare in youth football.

• Eliminated pneumatic ram testing for helmets that fit large headforms because of an inappropriate anatomical combination that puts excessive stress on the Hybrid III youth neck surrogate, which connects the large headform to the testing apparatus. Pneumatic ram testing will still be required for helmets fitting small and medium headforms.

• Clarified that the 5-pound weight limit for youth helmets with a faceguard will only be required for helmets fitting the small headform.

NOCSAE expects to have more to report on the proposed standard at its Summer meeting in July in Chicago.

POTENTIAL NON-TACKLE FOOTBALL HEADGEAR STANDARD

The NOCSAE Standards Committee continued to discuss the possibility of a non-tackle football headgear standard with the increased popularity and participation in flag football and 7-on-7.

“Companies that make soft headgear want a soft headgear standard for 7-on-7 because they say you don’t need a football helmet and don’t need all that protection,” said Mike Oliver, NOCSAE Executive Director. “Our position is soft headgear is not going to protect significant percentage of injuries. It doesn’t protect the face and teeth.”

Kim Barber Foss, the NOCSAE Research Director, presented findings at the 2022 Summer Standards Meeting from her study on non-tackle football that the majority of injuries are minor with 25% occurring to the head and face and 75% of all injuries related to some type of contact in a limited-contact sport. Barber Foss said the head and face injuries in her study were primarily contusions, broken noses and orbital fractures with only one concussion.

Key considerations for NOCSAE also include whether a soft or hard helmet

is appropriate and if the helmet should be designed for single or multiple impacts. Oliver said NOCSAE will talk with the top non-tackle governing bodies and leagues to investigate what they want for non-tackle headgear and share the information at the Summer Standards meeting.

COMMOTIO CORDIS CHEST PROTECTOR UPDATE

Technical Director Elizabeth McCalley said nearly every manufacturer will have certified chest protectors to the updated commotio cordis standards ND200, effective February 2023.

OTHER STANDARDS UPDATES

All NOCSAE standards that have not had an action taken for five years are subject to a Reaffirmation vote. The Standards Committee voted to reaffirm these standards in their current form:

• Lacrosse Helmet Performance Specifications ND041-15m18

• Lacrosse Face Protector Specifications ND045-17m17b

• Field Hockey Ball Performance Specifications ND069-14m17

• Soccer Shin Guard Testing Methods and Performance Specifications ND090-06m18

Modifications were also made to these standards:

• Corrosion Testing and Performance Specifications ND015-15m23

• Test Methods for Evaluating the Performance Characteristics of Headgear/Equipment ND001-17m23

• Pneumatic Ram Test Method ND081-23

CORPORATE NEWS

MUELLER PARTNERS WITH PACKERS’ LEGEND DONALD DRIVER

Mueller Sports Medicine signed an agreement with Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer Donald Driver, the owner of Driven Elite Fitness & Health. Driver and Driven Elite will act as a strong voice to communicate the essential role that Mueller products play in athletes’ daily lives and will serve as an integral piece by providing onthe-ground feedback on current and future product developments.

“Since establishing Mueller Sports in 1959 — 63 years ago — we have been very protective of our family-owned brand,” said John Cayer, President at Mueller. “We only partner with people who understand our mission of keeping you active in the game of life and have the desire to help us grow. Donald truly embodies everything our brand stands for — his philanthropic heart, moral compass, and positive outlook closely align with our values and make him a great addition to the Mueller family.”

Driver and his likeness are expected to help the Mueller Sports brand achieve its mission to design, manufacture and distribute the highest quality sports medicine products, and to inspire weekend warriors or international superstars alike, and help athletes all over the world Stay In The Game® and perform at their peak.

“I am excited to bring Mueller Sports Medicine’s products, especially the new REVIVE compression technology, to our award-winning personal training recovery lounges in each of our locations,” Driver said. “Our experience with best-inclass training and recovery techniques for athletes of all ages and experience levels allows everyone to experience elite programs based on best practices learned over my 14-year NFL career.”

Driven Elite specializes in life-changing fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle programs to fit a person’s goals and needs. Driver is the Packers all-time leading receiver and a Super Bowl Champion.

Mueller Sports Medicine is a longtime NSGA member and supporter of the Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit.

AUGUSTA, RUSSELL FORM NIL PARTNERSHIP WITH OKLAHOMA SOFTBALL STAR

Augusta Sportswear Brands, with leading softball brand Russell Athletic, is proud to announce a new NIL player partnership with two-time All-American and NCAA champion softball player Tiare Jennings from the University of Oklahoma.

“We are thrilled to partner with a player and person the caliber of Tiare. She is such a well-rounded and amazing player, better yet she inspires thousands of young players to carry themselves the way she does, while winning championships along the way. Our new partnership is the perfect fit for Russell Athletic and all of the Augusta Sportswear brands,” said David Goerke, SVP Marketing & Product Development at Augusta.

“I respect the history and tradition of Russell Athletic and am super excited about the investment they’re continuing to make in softball and female athletes,” Jennings said.

STAHLS’ UNVEILS NEW SPECIALTY HEAT TRANSFER VINYL

CAD-CUT® Puff starts flat and smooth for easy cutting with a vinyl cutter, and a unique puff effect occurs as the material expands during heat application. The result is a dimensional, textured matte look that appeals to a variety of markets like fashion, spirit wear, athleisure and more.

This specialty material is available to order by the yard in more than 15 vibrant and trendy color options, including neon. Puff is Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) certified and applies to cotton or polyester fabric at a low temperature, making it a safe choice for children’s clothing or any heat-sensitive items.

STAHLS’ is a longtime NSGA member and supporter of the Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit.

ORDERMYGEAR NAMES IGNACEK-SUTTON SENIOR VP

OrderMyGear (OMG) announced Tanya Ignacek-Sutton as Senior Vice President, joining the company as the newest member of the executive team. She will focus on creating a seamless client experience and driving more online store growth in the industry.

As the former Vice President of BrightStores, recently acquired by OMG, Ignacek-Sutton will play a pivotal role in deepening OMG’s relationships and roots within the promotional products industry while bringing new online growth opportunities to team dealers and apparel decorators. IgnacekSutton brings more than 20 years of experience and has held multiple leadership positions during her tenure at BrightStores, where she was focused on driving innovation that makes it easier to sell branded merchandise and apparel to groups.

STAHLS’ recently released CAD-CUT Puff®, a special-effect heat transfer vinyl that elevates simple designs for apparel decorators.

OrderMyGear is a longtime member of NSGA and supporter of the Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit.

& CEO

Under Armour announced Stephanie Linnartz joined the company as President, Chief Executive Officer, and member of its Board of Directors, effective February 27. Her appointment followed a search led by a committee of independent members of Under Armour’s Board of Directors.

“Under Armour is an iconic brand with a huge opportunity ahead. This company has immense energy and excitement, and I am committed to building growth while maintaining operational excellence,” Linnartz said. “I look forward to joining the incredible UA team, partnering with Kevin and the board, and leading this amazing company into its next chapter, delivering for athletes, teammates, customers, and shareholders.”

Linnartz served as the president of Marriott International, Inc., the world’s largest hospitality company, with a portfolio of nearly 8,200 properties across 138 countries and territories and 30 brands, including The Ritz-Carlton®, St. Regis®, Marriott Hotels®, W® Hotels, and Westin® as well as the industry’s most extensive customer-loyalty program, Marriott Bonvoy®, which has 173 million members.

“As a 25-year veteran of one of the world’s most respected global companies, we are thrilled to welcome Stephanie to the brand,” said Kevin Plank, Under Armour Executive Chair and Brand Chief. “She is a proven growth leader with a distinguished track record of brand strategy, omnichannel

execution, talent acquisition and development, and passion for driving best-in-class consumer connectivity, experience, and brand loyalty.”

Colin Browne, who has served as interim President and CEO since June 2022, will continue in a leadership role by resuming his position as Chief Operating Officer.

RAWLINGS CHANGES PLANS TO LEAVE MINNESOTA

“Caledonia will be responsible for every helmet that’s put on the head of every major league player that takes the field,” Thompson said. “That’s going to be very special.”

ADIDAS CONSOLIDATES US, CANADIAN OPERATIONS

Adidas is consolidating its operations in the US and Canada. The company said the move of business operations to its US headquarters in Portland, Oregon will reduce the Canadian-based corporate workforce but will not affect the availability of adidas products, according to Retail Insider.

Rawlings Sporting Goods changed its plans to close the Miken Sports manufacturing plant and will make the Caledonia, Minnesota facility its North American headquarters for its slowpitch softball business, according to a Rochester Post-Bulletin story.

“We’ve had lots and lots of discussion over the past year and half,” said Mike Thompson, chief marketing officer for St. Louis-based Rawlings, in the Post-Bulletin.

“It’s important we maintain operations in Caledonia and have the North American headquarters for our slow pitch business located there. I think this is something Caledonia can be very proud of.”

In 2021, Rawlings announced the closing of the Caledonia plant, where it makes Major League Baseball helmets and composite bats for youth baseball, girls softball and adult slow-pitch softball. Rawlings planned to move the helmet manufacturing to Missouri and the bat business to China.

MLB composite helmet production, stamping of softballs sold in the US, engineering and design of slow-pitch bats and the warranty process for broken or cracked composite bats will be handled in Caledonia as approximately 35 jobs will remain.

“We combine our teams in the United States and Canada to work most effectively and ensure we are positioned for continued success in an ever-changing marketplace,” the company said in a statement.

“In the past, these teams have operated separately as two separate markets. Therefore, this reorganization will allow for more speed and cohesion across the North American market. The implementation of these changes has started and will be completed by spring.”

MARUCCI CONTINUES EXPANSION WITH NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTER

Louisiana-based Marucci Sports announced the development of its 100,000-square foot, Class A distribution center located just outside of Baton Rouge. With the growth of Marucci and its other brands it outgrew its current distribution capacity.

“This expansion is vital to our continued success. This new facility will allow us to gain efficiencies and fuel our mission of getting the best gear into the hands of today’s elite athletes,” said Kurt Ainsworth, Co-Founder and CEO of Marucci Sports.

Continued on page 27

UNDER ARMOUR NAMES LINNARTZ NEW PRESIDENT

JR56SA ADULT JERSEY XS-3XL

J250A ADULT PANT XS-3XL

JR29SA ADULT SHORT XS-3XL

Continued From page 25

Marucci Sports’ headquarters will remain in its current location, flanked by the Marucci Clubhouse, a state-of-theart baseball and softball training facility and retail store. Product testing and innovation will remain at headquarters, with the addition of the Baseball Performance Lab, and Marucci’s wood bat manufacturing operation.

Marucci acquired Victus Sports in 2017, Carpenter Trade in 2018 and Lizard Skins in 2021.

EX-NIKE CEO PARKER NEW DISNEY BOARD CHAIR

INDUSTRY NEWS

DC SHOES CO-FOUNDER KEN BLOCK PASSES AWAY

Ken Block, who co-founded DC Shoes and Hoonigan Racing, died January 2 at age 55 after a snowmobile accident. Block co-founded DC Shoes, a popular skateboarding and shoe brand, in 1994. He built the popular skateboarding and shoe brand into a world-wide success before selling the company in 2004 and becoming a successful rally car racer.

RULES NEWS

REMINDER ON NFHS BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL JERSEY NUMBER RULE CHANGES IN 2024-25

The solid number can still have a border or outline to the number in 2024 but the key is that the solid portion of the number (body) needs to clearly contrast with the body color of the jersey. As of 2024, the outline or the border of the number will not be used in order to comply with this rule and it will be the solid portion of the number (body) that needs to comply.

The solid number can still have a border or outline to the number in 2024 — but the key is that the solid portion of the number (body) needs to clearly contrast with the body color of the jersey. Come 2024, the outline or the border of the number will not be used in order to comply with this rule — it is the solid portion of the number (body) that is what needs to comply.

Disney chose Nike executive chairman Mark Parker as its new board chair. Parker replaces longtime director Susan Arnold, whose term limit is expiring. Parker has been a Disney board member since 2016 and Bob Iger recently returned as CEO.

“Mark Parker’s vision, incredible depth of experience and wise counsel have been invaluable to Disney, and I look forward to continuing working with him in his new role, along with our other directors, as we chart the future course for this amazing company,” said Iger in a statement.

Parker stepped down as Nike’s CEO in 2019 after 13 years at the helm. Disney said among Parker’s qualifications as board chair is that he navigated a successful CEO transition at Nike.

The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) wants to remind its members and everyone in the sporting goods industry that new football and basketball jersey number requirements from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) take effect with the 2024–25 school year. As you prepare to work with high schools on orders for new basketball and football jerseys, it is important they are aware of the upcoming requirements where the entire body of the jersey number (continuous horizontal bars and vertical strokes) shall be a single solid color that clearly contrasts with the body color of the jersey.

Bob Colgate, the NFHS director of sports and sports medicine and staff liaison to the Football Rules Committee, said a lot of football jersey designs he has recently received from NFHS member state associations do not have the solid portion of the number clearly contrasting with the body color of the jersey, which would make them non-compliant as of the 2024 season.

The same time frame and reasoning was implemented for basketball jerseys for the 2024-25 season. The reason for the change was the difficulty seeing some numbers that were the same color as the jersey, with a contrasting border, for on-field officials, game administrators, fans, media and coaches who are scouting opponents.

These rule changes were adopted by NFHS in 2019 to give schools time to budget for new uniforms by the 2024 season. If you have questions about a basketball or football jersey design being compliant, contact Marty Maciaszek, NSGA Team Dealer Director at mmaciaszek@nsga.org or (847) 296-NSGA (6742), ext. 1260.

Changes to Player Towels for 2023

Football: A change to Rule 1-5-3 says player towels now may contain one manufacturer’s logo and/or one school logo, neither exceeding 2¼ square inches, for the 2023 season. Towels must be a solid color, but now do not have to be the same color for each player. Towels may not, however, be the color of the ball or penalty flag.

Continued on page 30

Continued From page 27

NCAA NAMES BAKER NEW NCAA PRESIDENT

The other approved rule changes go into effect in the 2023–24 school year. The wearing of jewelry by players is addressed in a change to Rule 4-1-7, which now states that all jewelry must be removed, except small, secured studs or posts worn above the chin. No jewelry is permitted below the chin, including string bracelets, commemorative bracelets and body jewelry. In addition, taping over jewelry is not permitted. This rules change aligns high school rules with NCAA rules on the wearing of jewelry.

HIGH SCHOOL FIELD HOCKEY JERSEY CHANGES FOR 2023

Charlie Baker, the former Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, took over as the new NCAA President in March. A former collegiate athlete at Harvard, Baker is credited with bringing bipartisan leadership to the state, successfully guiding Massachusetts through an exceptionally turbulent period for government officials. In addition to his two terms as Governor, he brings decades of experience spearheading transformations at high profile institutions in the private and public sectors.

Baker’s term as Governor ended January 5. He arrives at the NCAA at a moment of significant transformation. Legal shifts in the environment surrounding college sports have challenged the NCAA’s ability to serve as an effective national regulator for college athletics, resulting in an untenable patchwork of individual state laws. Partnering with federal policymakers to develop a consistent, sustainable legal framework to address issues common to student-athletes and athletic departments across the country will be a top and immediate priority. Throughout the search process, Baker’s history of successfully forging bipartisan solutions to complex problems stood out to the search committee as uniquely suited to the NCAA’s present needs.

“I am honored to become the next president of the NCAA, an organization that impacts millions of families and countless communities across this country every day,” said Baker. “The NCAA is confronting complex and significant challenges, but I am excited to get to work as the awesome opportunity college athletics provides to so many students is more than worth the challenge.”

Governor Baker succeeds Dr. Mark Emmert, who will continue to serve the NCAA as a consultant through June 2023.

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL JERSEY NUMBER RULE CHANGE FOR 2028-29

One of the rule changes approved by NFHS in high school boys and girls volleyball pertains to uniform numbers and will go into effect with the 2028–29 school year. Uniform numbers with a leading zero will not be permitted and this change to Rule 4-2-4b eliminates confusion with signaling numbers and aligns NFHS rules with other codes. For example, a uniform number of 01, 02, 03, etc…, would not be permitted. The standalone number 0 is permitted but a 00 is not permitted. The reason for the five-year implementation is to give schools the opportunity to go through their uniform cycles before complying with the new rule.

A note was approved for NFHS field hockey Rule 1-8-1a which will bring uniform requirements for goalkeepers in line with the player’s uniform number. This rule requires that numbers shall be clearly visible, in a solid color contrasting any surrounding colors, no more than two digits (00-99), at least 3 inches in height on the front and 6 inches in height on the back of the uniform top. A visible number worn on the uniform bottom shall be the same number as on the uniform top. A team may not use 0 and 00 because duplicate numbers are not permitted on the same team.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT NOW

GIVE ME 5 WITH SHAWN HANCHEROFF

MVP ATHLETIC SUPPLIES, Sales Manager Langley, British Columbia

4 AN MVP PERFORMANCE

The biggest difference between MVP and our competitors is our staff - we have a tremendous group of knowledgeable and experienced employees who are ready to help our customers get what they need to effectively compete in their chosen sport. In addition to an amazing staff, we carry a large amount of inventory allowing the customers who rely on us to be able to get what they need quickly at a fair price. As a member of two buying groups, Sports Distributors of Canada and Sports Inc., in the US, we have strong relationships with the key suppliers in our industry. Inside those groups we also have other members who we work together with on a variety of co-operative projects to make each other stronger and more competitive.

5EVOLVING AND THRIVING

1CELEBRATING A GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY

By far the biggest key to our success for 50 years has been the team at MVP. The No. 1 comment we receive is that our staff provides superior customer service from top to bottom. We try to treat customers like family, concentrating on developing long-term relationships. The same is true with our staff, we have been a locally owned family business for 50 years and most of our full-time staff have been with us for more than 10 years, and several for a lot longer.

3

2 FROM THE BASEMENT TO THE FAMILY BUSINESS

My father was the head trainer at Simon Fraser University in town and he helped with purchasing for the athletic department. In the early ‘70s some of the local colleges and high schools wanted to buy product along with the University so my grandfather financed him to begin selling sporting goods part-time out of my grandparents’ basement and garage. Within a few years this grew into a business he decided to pursue full-time.

WHY NSGA MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

For the first 30 years of our existence, we were primarily an institutional dealer specializing in School and PE business. Over the last 20 years we have evolved into a specialty team dealer focusing on providing everything you need for a select group of sports. In Canada, especially Western Canada softball/baseball and football are more centered around local youth leagues and club teams, rather than high school the way it is in the US. We decided years ago that MVP would be more profitable and better able to grow focusing on those sports specifically and becoming experts in those sports. In the last few years, we have added the sport of lacrosse, both field and box lacrosse (indoor) to the sports we are concentrating on, and it is becoming a more important part of our business all the time.

One of the most valuable decisions someone running a business in our industry can make is to attend the NSGA Management Conference and Team Dealer Summit. The NSGA Staff does an amazing job finding terrific speakers to educate and inspire the participants to a better job running our businesses. The ability to meet and network with the top people in the industry is second to none and their innovative speed networking event puts participants face-to-face for a few minutes with a supplier or customer where people discover there are possibilities to work together. NSGA has also been very helpful with the information they provide in research, publications, updates on equipment and rule changes with the sports governing bodies, answering questions or connecting us with others in the industry so we can get the information we need.

What They Are Saying About The Event

“I love speed networking. It’s a fantastic way for us to tell our story, from a technology perspective, in a short period to the masses.”

Matt Kaplan, President, OrderMyGear

“(The conference) provides an opportunity to do a lot of networking and really gain insights into things that are happening in the industry.”

John Scipio, CEO, SV Sports

“As an owner of a business, I’m coming back with connections. Connections might be with another dealer who has the same issues and problems or maybe the same solutions.”

Mike Blythe, Owner, Blythe’s Sporting Goods