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.”

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.”

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!