NSGA NOW - May/June 2024

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

AI, ANALYTICS AND TECH

STAHLS’

FITS NFL FUTURE

COMBATTING

RETAIL THEFT

Springtime and your business is blooming

Protecting your business from burglary and theft

STAHLS’ helps showcase the NFL’s future

Sneak peek at the 2024 NSGA Sports Participation reports

Pat Weber (Game One), Kevin Plank (Under Armour) and Adam LaFollette (G-Form) among the names in industry news recently

Crystal Washington and Steven Keith Platt look at technology, AI and analytics in a preview of their sessions at the 2024 NSGA Leadership Conference

CEO NOW

One of the joys after a long and gray Chicago winter is finally seeing the grass turn green, the leaves growing on trees and colorful flowers blooming. A lot of work and care goes into making this glorious change of seasons occur.

Now that we are well into spring, another exciting thing for us at the National Sporting Goods Association is to see all the cultivation that went into producing the NSGA 2024 Leadership Conference come to fruition. This includes the name change for the event, which we announced in November, to better reflect the difference between leadership and management that keynote speaker Tom Flick talked about last year in Nashville.

It also includes the fitting theme of “Growing Your Business” that will be covered in a variety of ways at this year’s Leadership Conference on May 19–21 in Phoenix.

This issue of NSGA NOW gives a closer look at two of our speakers who will share insights on business growth from a technological standpoint. Crystal Washington works with organizations on how to use technology to increase profitability and productivity in ways that are easy to understand. Steven Keith Platt is an expert in artificial intelligence, better known as AI, and analytics who will moderate a panel discussion on the benefits of incorporating them into your business.

Ashley Thomas of McKinsey & Company will share the strong business case for an inclusive culture as one

of the authors of a report on the topic. Bill Carter is an expert on the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) topic that is dominating amateur sports and is also an opportunity to make connections to promote your business.

We will also have two legendary names from the world of sports to share their inspirational stories. Basketball legend Ann Meyers Drysdale is a women’s sports pioneer who has made a significant impact on and off the court. Steve Garvey understands the drive needed for consistent success on a daily basis as one of Major League Baseball’s “Iron Men.”

NSGA has also expanded the opportunities to increase business by providing more meetings between retailers and dealers and manufacturers and brands at Monday afternoon’s popular Speed Networking. On Tuesday evening attendees will see four people honored for their success with the induction of Glenn Barrett (OrthoLite), Cathy Pryor (Hibbett Sports), Karsten Solheim (PING Golf) and Mike Thompson (Rawlings) into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame.

We are looking forward to the Arizona desert being a great place to learn more about how to grow your business and your leadership skills.

NSGA OFFICERS

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

PAT DONNELLEY

Twin Falls, ID

TREASURER/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

COLE JOHNSON

Johnson-Lambe Sporting Goods

Raleigh, NC

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

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). 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 2024 all rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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

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PLATINUM SUPPORTER

STAHLS’

has grown from its humble beginnings 92 years ago in the garage of the husband-and-wife team of A.C. and Ethel Stahl to become one of the most well-known and respected companies in the sporting goods industry. STAHLS’ remains the innovator and leader in pre-cut and custom athletic numbers, letters and logos. The family values that STAHLS’ started with are rooted deep in its culture and helped build the foundation for success for its customers. That success was also recognized with the induction of Ted Stahl into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame in 2011.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

The focus for dealers should be simplifying their decorated fulfillment with heat-transfer technology. UltraColor MAX™ direct to film (DTF) transfers enable this opportunity. These transfers set themselves apart from competitor DTF with a single-step, low-temp application, lightweight feel and a true hot peel without using a blow dryer. We’ve focused on improving access to quality direct to film transfers with

no-order minimums and same-day shipping available, so dealers are positioned for faster output and greater sales. Add these transfers to the accessible Fulfill Engine allin-one business management solution, and dealers now have a leaner, more scalable model for exponential growth.

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

The STAHLS’ and NSGA relationship is a valued partnership. We look forward to attending the annual conference to interact with the people. Collaboration is critical to success in any market, and we are always excited to engage with clients, dealers and decorators to create new networks and deepen existing relationships.

Every year, the conference sessions present opportunities to connect while providing invaluable insight that enables us to continue our mission of innovation.

What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

Sports and entrepreneurship create stronger communities. Sporting goods dealers know their hometown and coaches and athletes better than anyone. If we can play a small role in helping a sporting goods dealer succeed, they can employ more, give more and make a difference. This is meaningful work that keeps us all driven, and our main goal is to continue doing our part to fuel this ecosystem.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

Honest and open collaboration is the key to any successful relationship between suppliers and dealers. We enjoy active engagement with team dealers and retailers. The ongoing dialogue around opportunities and challenges that each person is facing in their specific role helps us to stay relevant with our innovation. Truthful conversations allow us to find more ways to enable success for dealers and retailers and strengthen our capability as a trusted, quality supplier.

STAHLS’ UltraColor MAX™ DTF was selected to decorate all athlete and staff apparel at the NFL Combine. Don’t be duped by imitators, make the same choice as the pros!

Featuring fast, one-step, low-temp application that’s safe for performance wear, these DTF transfers are lightweight, stretchable, and durable enough to last on and off the field.

Made to Stand Up to Wrestling

As of the 2023-24 seasons, all female high school wrestlers must compete in a bra designed specially for wrestling. Our new bra provides just the right amount of coverage while still matching up with the classic cut of a singlet.

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CONGRATULATIONS to our long-time partner MIKE THOMPSON

From all your friends at Babe Ruth League

PLATINUM SUPPORTER

PROLOOK’s

mission is instilling confidence and excitement in athletes and coaches by efficiently bringing to market innovative, quality, custom sportswear we can all be proud of. PROLOOK was founded in 1996 by Dusty Rhodes and his entire team shares his never-ending drive to play and compete at their highest level. PROLOOK was one of the top 200 fastest growing companies in the US, per the Inc 500 in 2004, and in 2012 opened its sublimation print and heat press facilities. Because PROLOOK is a manufacturer first and a brand second, customers receive valuable assurance that the same company selling the product will stand responsible for that product lasting and looking great for years to come.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

In February 2024, we launched our customizable bag collection, including a sleek Duffle Bag, a versatile Team Bag and a practical Utility Bag.

Made with premium materials, these bags offer customizable options such as colors, logos, player names and numbers. Teams can now showcase their identity with style and functionality, elevating their game on and off the field with PROLOOK’s custom bags!

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

Supporting NSGA is essential as it champions retailers and team dealers, the integral players in the sporting goods industry. Their dedication aligns with our mission, fostering innovation and growth. We’re committed to this shared vision, ensuring a thriving future for the industry. What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

Our goals at this year’s conference: forge new bonds with undiscovered team dealers while strengthening existing partnerships. We aim to glean industry insights, spotting trends and opportunities for sustained growth, ensuring PROLOOK’s readiness for the future.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

In the team uniforms industry, trust, communication and collaboration are key. Suppliers and dealers must align on quality, customization options and timely delivery. Understanding each team’s unique needs fosters a successful partnership, ensuring satisfaction and loyalty.

DESIGN AND ORDER SUPERIOR WARM UP GEAR

OrderMyGear

was created in 2008 by Kent McKeaigg, a Class of 2023 Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame inductee. He wanted to help his dad, Ronnie, a team dealer who was buried in paperwork trying to organize and fulfill orders for local high school teams. Today, OMG offers an intuitive online store platform that powers growth for distributors, decorators and dealers. We are determined to create innovative features that will help you expand your customer reach and remain competitive in an increasingly technology-centered market. OMG also provides person-drive support that guides you every step of the way because your success means our success.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

Our team is committed to creating a platform that empowers team dealers to future-proof their business, while staying true to their roots. Our exclusive Uniform Builder Integration allows dealers to sell sublimated, highly custom gear by easily adding uniforms from top brands’ builders directly to their storefronts, alongside spiritwear and apparel. New features like Klarna (Buy Now, Pay Later) help increase average order value by giving shoppers the flexibility to pay over time, a commonly used payment method by top online retailers. Our goal is to empower team dealers to sell any product to any customer at any time.

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

NSGA is the premier voice in the sporting goods industry, and as active participants in the space, it’s important for us to attend the Leadership Conference to network with vital leaders and stakeholders.

We wouldn’t be where we are without the pioneers who led the way and the current trailblazers looking to the future. OMG hopes to make it clear that we not only want to help sustain what has been built, but also help the industry continue to grow and thrive. We’re eager to connect at the Leadership Conference and continue shaping the future of the industry.

What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

The feedback we receive from our customers and leaders in the industry determines the future of our platform. NSGA is a critical forum for how we shape our solutions, how we’re investing in our solutions and where we’re going next. It’s crucial we attend the Leadership Conference to gauge the needs of the market and network with peers, from industry veterans to newcomers, so we can make the necessary advancements to our technology to power the sporting goods industry for the future.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

OMG has always been involved with both sides of the sporting goods equation, but this year is different with our newest addition: Distributor Central. We are thrilled to harness their historical excellence in helping suppliers and brands simplify and standardize their product data, by bringing that same technology to sporting goods. With high-quality product data powering high-quality product search, dealers on our platform will be able to discover and sell new products from countless brands. With these advancements, we are providing dealers and suppliers a shared platform to manage and grow their business together like never before.

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OPERATIONS NOW

WAYS TO PREVENT YOUR BUSINESS FROM BURGLARIES

BY JENNY SHAFFER NSGA COMPTROLLER

Owning and operating a business brings many challenges, from running the day-to-day operations of a store, to customer service, to employee matters and more.

Unfortunately, one area store leaders may have to deal with is theft. A whopping 85% of small business retailers said they experience theft at least once a year and just 5% report never experiencing theft, according to an article from Forbes. In recent news, even big-box retailer Target cited theft as a reason for closing some of its stores. If theft or commercial burglary occurs at a business, it could take valuable time away from focusing on other aspects of running a store.

The good news is there are steps a business can take and measures to put into place that can potentially help reduce the possibility of becoming a victim.

Police departments who deal with such criminal activity regularly are excellent sources of information to protect your business from theft. The Houston Police Department lists several suggestions for businesses to reduce the exposure to commercial burglary on its website.

A few of these suggestions include:

• Ensure you have proper lighting, both inside and outside of the building and in parking lots. Specifically, light up all points of entry, including on the roof. Replace burned out lights promptly.

• Make sure doors and windows are constructed with drill-resistant material if possible and regularly checked for structural weakness. Doorframes should be constructed in a way that cannot be easily tampered with. Additional precautions, such as securing doors with a crossbar or covering windows with bars or grills might be necessary.

• Secure all openings with high-quality locks and ensure deadbolts are used. Make sure locks are changed when an employee with access to them leaves the company.

• Limit the amount of cash on hand after hours and in the register. If you do have cash or valuables, make sure these are stored in a safe that is anchored to the floor and is in an illuminated location visible from the outside. Remember to change the combination if someone was terminated who had access to it.

• Keep expensive merchandise near the center of the store, away from the windows. Arrange merchandise so a passerby can see into the store and be a witness to any potential crimes.

• Check the ventilation system on the roof to ensure it cannot be used to gain entry.

• Fences, if applicable, should be high and sturdy.

• Invest in an alarm system. It offers peace of mind and acts as a deterrent to burglars. Post warnings in clear view that the business is equipped with an alarm and train the staff to avoid false alarms.

• If you have a parking lot, ensure it has adequate signage where exits and entrances are labeled and remind people to secure their belongings.

• Employ video surveillance, if possible, in the store and in parking lots.

Because of its importance, the Houston Police Department also offers some suggestions on questions to ask yourself prior to selecting an alarm system. A study conducted by a University of North Carolina at Charlotte researcher found that 83% of burglars would try to determine if an alarm is present before attempting a burglary. About 60% claimed they would seek an alternative target if a property has an on-site alarm. When looking for a good alarm system, you should consider the following questions:

• What is the system going to protect?

• Where are the possible points of entry?

• What are the locations and types of sensors needed?

• How will the alarm notify the authorities?

• What type of monitoring is needed?

• Who will be operating the system?

While employing these methods will not guarantee your business won’t be a victim of theft, the harder it is and longer it takes for a burglar to break into a building, the more likely they are to give up or get caught. Taking the time and effort to ensure your business has basic safety measures in place that make sense for your situation could go a long way in preventing commercial theft to your business, and potentially reduce the risk that this becomes yet another challenge for your business.

PLATINUM SUPPORTER

Chipply,

the industry preferred platform, gives power to decorators so they can launch online stores with confidence. As a company created by a team dealer, we know the ins and outs of your business and have thought of all the ways to maximize stores. Our platform focuses on faster site building, accurate inventory management, consistent/automatic pricing and on-time/accurate fulfillment. Our goal is to make building sites so easy, it is your favorite sale. Whether a simple promotional special, a spiritwear store, or a highly complicated league order, Chipply can help make it a success from start to finish.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

Chipply is full of innovation. Each year we map out major enhancements with our primary goal to eliminate bottlenecks in executing web stores. With automated image placement, work orders and automated purchasing already in place, Chipply dealers are growing much faster than the industry average. Our latest advancements streamline even further the store building process. The experience is feature-rich and industry-specific. Better stores mean enhanced efficiency and accuracy throughout the fulfillment process. We’ve also released unique technology specifically geared toward always-open stores and fulfillment on-demand.

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

NSGA is a tried and true organization focused on collaboration among dealers and vendors in our industry. We find the connections and relationships within the group to be invaluable sources of education and growth for our leadership team and

our company as a whole. The information and inspiration shared at this event and throughout the year is really powerful! We are excited to get to know new people and connect with industry leaders.

What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

Attending the NSGA Leadership Conference is an opportunity to learn more about what’s been going on in the industry and continue growing partnerships with dealers and vendors. We are excited to get to know new people and connect with industry leaders again this year.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

The dealer/retailer network is more important than ever! Chipply has proven that working together with our peers in the industry is not only fulfilling and educational, but a powerful resource that we can all lean on to inspire change, advancement and growth. We recently held an on-site dealer summit where various forums were designed to help dealers collaborate and learn from each other on topics from business operations to customer service and technology. As with all relationships, a foundation built on respect, communication and trust is key.

WASHINGTON DRIVEN BY RAPIDLY CHANGING TECHNOLOGY

BY NICK VLAHOS

Some technology associated with sporting goods is as old as society itself. After all, balls and sticks have been around for thousands of years.

But these days, tech can change as quickly and as often as people change underwear. Crystal Washington’s mission in life is to make sure businesses and organizations keep it fresh — even when it seems as if the world is conspiring against that effort.

“When you talk about keeping up with modern technology, a great deal of it just has to do with being open,” said Washington, a technology strategist. “People are overwhelmed right now. People are stressed out.

“The key to staying relevant is learning how to be open in an environment where the rate of change is only increasing.”

Houston-based Washington will be the keynote speaker on Monday, May 20 at the NSGA 2024 Leadership Conference in Phoenix. Her presentation is “NextGen Relationships for Sales: Technology and Tactics for Business Growth.”

Washington, a self-described Millennial and futurist, said she makes about 65 presentations each year. She’s been doing this for about 15 years. She worked in sales and marketing for a few years after she graduated from the University of Houston, but she didn’t find her job challenging.

“The analytical side of my brain was dying. ‘I’m bored with this,’” Washington said.

Crystal Washington

Coming along just in time to deliver Washington from boredom and a dead-end employment situation was something in its infancy — social media. Facebook, Instagram and X (or whatever they’re calling Twitter these days) helped mark Washington’s spot.

“Companies were not using it at all,” Washington said about social media. “I went to my boss and said, ‘I have a feeling this social-media thing’s going to be big.’ Pepsi can have a conversation with someone who loves Pepsi. People are going to think of brands as human beings.”

A lack of enthusiasm for that sales pitch helped lead Washington to start her own digital-marketing firm. At first, it attempted to show mom-and-pop businesses how best to use social media to their advantage.

Eventually, Washington’s client base grew to include some multinational titans. British Airways, Microsoft and Google were among them. Washington’s public-speaking career spawned from that. She talks with attorneys, farmers, insurance executives and everybody in between.

“From the very beginning, I’ve always been ahead of what’s coming,” Washington said. “I was using futurist concepts without knowing what a futurist was.”

Part of adapting to what the future brings technology-wise is giving up the need to master everything, Washington suggested. That’s impossible in a world that is changing constantly. Instead, it’s better to identify what’s most likely to make an impression on the greatest number of people.

In a bygone era, the average Fortune 500-sized company might have reinvented itself once every 75 years, according to Washington. The business cycle shrank to 15 years by the early 2000s. Now it’s every four to seven years.

“Not only has it never been seen in human history, this amount of change, but

it’s unnatural because we’ve never had it in nature,” Washington said. “We know companies and industries are made up of people. It’s not going to come easy.”

It might come easier to those in the sporting-goods industry than in some others. That’s because of the nature of sport in the first place, according to Washington.

“This is a guess, but … any sport is about adaptability,” she said. “It’s about pushing yourself a little harder, being a little bit better. When you think about technology, it’s the same thing. It’s all about innovation and improvement.”

Improvements can include developing a cellphone application through which consumers can purchase sporting goods that can be delivered directly to them. Washington said she recommended exactly such a thing for one of her one-time clients — H-E-B, a Texas-based grocery chain that has a cult following.

Commerce restrictions governments imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic helped necessitate such moves, Washington suggested.

“All these companies said it wasn’t possible. Now it’s possible,” she said. “The pandemic is what accelerated the rate of change, and it’s not slowing down.”

Understanding changes in technology also can alter how organizations purchase goods, according to Washington. Items that might be in vogue today

might be yesterday’s news in a year. That affects everybody in an organization — including buyers, distributors and team leaders.

All of it takes input from as many corners as possible, as Washington sees it.

“It’s definitely a mind shift,” she said. “It’s being open and adopting a culture of innovation. You empower people at all levels of your organization to submit ideas. In a hotel, the shoeshine person is overhearing conversations a general manager will never hear. But that shoeshine person might keep the hotel from going under.

“If you’re going to innovate and you have a homogenous team, you can’t out-innovate a competitor that has more diversity, because you’re going to have a smaller pool of ideas.”

NICK VLAHOS

Nick Vlahos has spent most of the last 40-plus years covering sports for newspapers in Illinois, Missouri and North Dakota. He was a columnist and high school sports editor at the Peoria (Illinois) Journal Star, where he worked for more than 34 years. Vlahos is a graduate of Bradley University and the University of Missouri. He also is a hopeless Chicago Cubs fan, as if there is any other kind.

PLATINUM SUPPORTER

CHAMPRO

was founded in 1986 by Wilson “Bill” Hunt, a Class of 2022 inductee in the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame, and has grown to offer the most comprehensive line of sporting goods equipment and apparel in the industry. CHAMPRO began with a goal of producing high-quality gear at an affordable price. We have created an infrastructure that prioritizes exceptional service, fast turnarounds and superior quality. Our current headquarters is in the Chicago suburb of Bannockburn, Illinois and includes one of our two distribution centers. Our other distribution center is in Fresno, California, which allows us to provide two-day delivery to most of the continental United States.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

Our newest apparel line is the Victory Fleece collection, crafted with an 8.1-ounce heavyweight blend of 60% cotton and 40% polyester, offering both durability and warmth. Designed for the competitive athlete, each piece features performance-driven details like heavy-duty round cotton drawcords, premium metal zippers and side-seam pockets. With men’s and women’s cuts ensuring a perfect fit, along with jersey-lined hoodies and front kangaroo pockets for added comfort, Victory Fleece is the ultimate choice for athletes year-round. Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

Attending the Leadership Conference alongside customers, vendors, industry leaders and competitors provides a great opportunity for comprehensive industry insight. Interacting with industry stakeholders provides a deeper understanding of market trends and challenges,

creating a broader base for strategic planning and new opportunities. The networking opportunities open the door to collaboration and potential partnerships that extend beyond the conference; while engaging in discussions and seminars with a wide range of industry leaders encourages innovation and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.

What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

We hope to build stronger long-term relationships with new and existing partners and gain greater insight into the opportunities and challenges created by industry consolidations. We would like to understand the unfulfilled needs our partners have and get a better understanding of how we can fulfill them.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

Trust, reliability and transparency are important and key in successful relationships with suppliers and retail partners. Trust forms the foundation upon which productive

collaborations are built, fostering mutual respect and confidence. Reliability ensures that commitments are consistently met, fostering dependability and strengthening partnerships over time. Transparency cultivates openness and honesty, enabling clear communication and alignment of expectations. Together, these qualities create a productive environment for smooth operations, effective problem-solving and shared success.

CONFERENCE NOW

PLATT TO BREAK DOWN AI, ANALYTICS FOR RETAIL

BY BRUCE MILES

For the past nine years, Steven Keith Platt’s passion has been teaching artificial intelligence and analytics at the university level.

Platt will bring his passion and expertise directly to sporting goods retailers at the NSGA 2024 Leadership Conference in Phoenix. He will lead a panel discussion titled, “Maximizing Business Potential with AI and Analytics,” on Tuesday, May 21.

“AI has a ton of very interesting applications in retail,” said Platt, Director of Analytics and Lecturer of Applied AI at the Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University Chicago. He is also Director of the AI Business Consortium and the Lab for Applied AI.

“From supply chains to marketing, there is a plethora of ways that this technology can help retailers,” he said.

Before moving to Loyola, Platt spent seven years at Northwestern University, where he served as Research Director at the Retail Analytics Council.

He ran the AI Lab and Retail Robotics Initiative, as well. Platt also taught AI courses to graduate students in the Department of Integrated Marketing Communications, Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, and Master of Science in Machine Learning and Data Science.

He also has served as a consultant to numerous companies. For Ulta Beauty, for example, he helped create a store traffic prediction algorithm to help with staffing problems. For supermarket chain Hy-Vee, Platt and his team created an algorithm for how to optimize labor in the bakery department.

“I was doing retail analytics,” he said. “I had my own consulting firm for many years, 20-something years. Then folks at Northwestern asked me to come in and start to do some stuff with them, which I did.

“Being at a university and seeing AI start to take off in higher education, I immediately realized that this is an important technology. I started getting interested in it, and it’s pretty much been all I’ve done in the last nine years.”

Talk of AI has been all the rage in recent years, but the term is not new. According to a number of reports, the term “artificial intelligence” was coined at the Dartmouth Conference during the summer of 1956, “igniting a quest to create thinking machines.”

Steven Keith Platt

As is the case with other technologies, it has taken time for AI to be put into extensive use, and we’re still in the early stages of realizing its full potential in the business world.

“There is a lot of hype, and just like any big transformational technology, it could take many years to be fully, fully adopted,” Platt said. “Think about the old Motorola Brick Phones from the ‘80s. A phone is a technology that was around since the 1800s with Alexander Graham Bell. The Motorola Bricks came out in the 1980s. Now everybody has a smartphone, but it took 20–30 years to get there.

“The point is, now we’re kind of on the bleeding edge of things in all these technologies. I was using the Internet before there was a web browser. You would have to go to the computer store and buy a phone book, basically, to look up URLs. That was in the late 1980s. Now it’s ubiquitous, and people don’t realize it because they’re on the Internet all day long looking up stuff. AI has been around since the 1950s. It’s taken this long. It’s taken 70 years before the concept is even mainstream America. By the time we get to mass adoption and integration, it will be another 5–10 years.”

NSGA is made up of retailers large and small. In some ways, technology has leveled the playing field for the smaller businesses. But, as Platt points out, there are challenges for the smaller retailers in using AI that the big-box stores don’t face.

“Here’s the problem, and let me give you a clear analogy,” he said. “I do a lot of work in the banking space. In the banking space, people like Chase, people like Northern Trust, people like Fifth Third, people like US Bank, they’re able to hire their own team of data scientists to build these custom algorithms around their business. But when you start looking at the smaller regional banks, they just don’t have the resources to build these things internally, i.e., they don’t have a team of data scientists. It’s not an inexpensive proposition.

“So, the only other option is to license the AI needed. AI is software. ‘Can I acquire that someplace else and implement it in my business?’ If you’re so small, like a mom and pop and you don’t even know how to implement software, that’s going to be problematic.

“And there are other problems for smaller retailers attempting to adopt AI software as a service,” Platt said. “There are some product companies now selling that.

All the big cloud providers — Microsoft, Google, Amazon — what they’re trying to do to address this lack of internal data science skills is build specific models that, in theory, can easily be adopted. But if you can barely use a computer, the ability for you to go to Microsoft, set up a cloud infrastructure, start to think about how you leverage AI, you still have to make sure you port your data, your data is clean, undergo feature engineering, etc., I think there are some hurdles, practical hurdles. They’ll be addressed in time.

“But the biggest challenge in implementing AI is data. And unless you know how to clean your data, unless you know how to analyze your data, i.e., machine learning is based off data that has a normal distribution, if you remember statistics, some data has a normal distribution. Sometimes you have to force it into that. It’s not like an Excel program. It’s a lot more complicated.”

But there are promising possibilities for the smaller dealer.

“It depends on where they’re starting,” Platt said. “You can, in theory, start to do some interesting BI (business intelligence), just to enhance your business. Integrating data and analytics into an organization, start with some core BI just to help you think about how to manage your business better and work through all the issues with your data. Where is your data? Is it in the cloud? Is it local? There are a lot of steps involved.

“The bigger question I often get asked is, ‘How do we organize an AI function in our business and what’s the best way to train our people to use it and start adopting it?’”

Once companies start adopting AI technology, they often experience their own “ah ha” moments. Perhaps one of those moments will come during Platt’s presentation, for which he has a working subtitle: “AI: It’s not magic. It’s math.”

Joining Platt on the panel will be Carl Ceresoli, Chief Technology and Security Officer, Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Josh Mayer, Head of Professional Services, EasyPost and Arianne Parisi, Global Chief Digital Officer, JD Group (involved in sports fashion and outdoor retail).

“I am going to explain in very simple terms what AI and machine learning is because a lot of people don’t know,” he said. “You’re at a severe disadvantage if you don’t know how to use it and leverage it. There was a big study in September at BCG (Boston Consulting Group), where they divided a group of high-end consultants. Their A Group didn’t use AI, and their B Group did. The AI-enabled group of high-paid BCG consultants radically outperformed the non-AI group.

“Oh, yes. There’s a ton of interest. I’ve been doing this for nine years. Up until a year ago, outside of the field, nobody even knew what this was. I still think most people don’t really know what it is, how it works. I would tell people I teach AI, and they would yawn. Now, it’s like, ‘Oh, wow.’”

BRUCE MILES

Bruce Miles has covered sports in the Chicago area since 1979. He covered the Chicago Cubs for the Daily Herald from 19982019 and was on the cutting edge of reporting on baseball’s analytics revolution. He put up a WAR of 6.0 and a wRC+ of 130 during the Cubs’ 2016 world championship season. This is his fourth piece for NSGA NOW.

PLATINUM SUPPORTER

Augusta

Sportswear Brands is amid a significant change with its purchase by Platinum Equity and merger with Founder Sport Group to become Momentec Brands. What will not change is the mission to inspire a physically fit lifestyle, healthy families and connected communities. The merger will give us an even better ability to be the complete source for performance and athletic apparel and uniforms from head to toe.

What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

As with prior years, our top priority is to connect with our customers and learn how we can serve them better. These are the leaders of our industry — the thought leaders of our core market. In the span of just a few days, we’re able to connect with hundreds of them — friends, colleagues, partners — all of them sharing the same passion for building and growing our market. There’s no replacement for that. It’s an incredibly valuable event for us and one we always look forward to each year.

Of course, we also have some exciting news to share this year — our merger with Founder Sport Group. We are sure many people will have questions. This event will give us a chance to answer those questions and share our story a little bit, which is an exciting one. Bringing together the incredible people from both organizations will unlock completely new levels of service, products, new solutions. It’s really an exciting time for us — and a perfect time for the NSGA Leadership Conference!

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

We’re loaded this fall season — not only with great new products, but stocked with record amounts of inventory and great new services for our customers. The most important of these new services is our $150 free freight program. Previously, free freight was only available for purchases of $200 or more. Now, with our merger with Founder, we’ve negotiated new freight rates and are passing those savings on to our customers — the first of many great new benefits from the combined organization.

In terms of new products, we’re incredibly excited for the fall season. Let’s start with sublimation, a category where both companies have brand new, state-of-the-art, facilities with tons of new capacity to meet your demand. We’re launching several new styles and design lines under both the Chromagear and FreeStyle platforms — across multiple sports and price points — backed by the best turn times in the industry. Plus, new Holloway warmups,

Badger fanwear, Russell and Alleson uniforms and new Pacific Headwear! It’s going to be a great fall season. Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

The Leadership Conference is one of the few shows that truly supports our core customer — the team dealer. The people who attend are the true thought leaders in our industry. We find this incredibly valuable and are thrilled to support NSGA and such a remarkable event.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

We believe, like any relationship, trust and transparency are the foundation of a successful relationship. This is especially important as we embark on a merger process.

Trust, for us, means doing what we say we’re going to do. And that starts with service. We know service is everything and our customers rely on us to grow their business. We don’t take this lightly. That’s why exceptional service is and will continue to be our top priority throughout the merger process.

Transparency is all about keeping our customers informed — at all times. They need to know what’s coming so they can anticipate it and manage their business appropriately. Throughout the merger, we plan to communicate early and often — with the goal of zero surprises.

DREAM BIG. PLAY BIG.

Tiare Jennings

All-American & NCAA Champion

When you put a uniform on, dreams can come true, just ask Tiare. We know sports have the power to make dreams a reality. That’s why we do what we do - more colors, sizes & modern styles than anyone in the team game.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

With the scale that comes with our Augusta Sportswear Brands merger, we’ve improved our freight program. Orders over $150 now ship free, from either company. In addition, we offer flat rates for smaller orders and expedited rates — all designed to make it easier for our dealers than ever before.

Together, Founder Sport and Augusta Sportswear are the undisputed leaders in custom sublimation, allowing dealers access to more silhouettes and faster lead times. This fall, we are launching new 5-day custom sub styles and designs for basketball, soccer and volleyball to complement our year-long 5-day Alleson Athletic crew, V-neck and long-sleeve programs and our new Badger Sport 5-day custom sublimation styles.

On the stock side of the business, we have a full slate of new styles across both companies. New United and Warp collections from Badger Sport, new warmups from Holloway, new Russell uniforms, and new Pacific Headwear — our dealers and their teams have more choices than ever before.

PLATINUM SUPPORTER

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

When the leaders of the team dealer industry come together people need to listen. Our industry is unlike any other. We have unique challenges and opportunities, as industry veterans know well. Our long-time support of the conference goes together with our commitment to our partners.

What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

Our brands were built on a simple principle — we listen to our customers and work to provide the best service in the industry. Over the years, the best products and ideas have come from connecting with NSGA members. The NSGA Leadership Conference lets us co-create the future for the industry.

Our merger with Augusta Sportswear Brands gives us a lot to talk about this year. As we are working with our ASB colleagues, we couldn’t be more excited about new levels of service, new products and new solutions. While we combine these two storied companies, it’s a great time to answer questions and get input from the folks who matter most.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

Trust is earned, not given. We work to earn the trust of our dealers each day by listening, being transparent and delivering our commitments. Throughout our merger process with ASB, this remains bedrock. Both companies have built a foundation of service, and together, this commitment gets even better. We say what we will do, we do what we say, and if the unexpected occurs, we roll up our sleeves to solve it. This is what our dealer partners expect, and we’re focused on exceeding expectations.

As you can tell, we’re excited about the opportunities this merger creates. We will communicate frequently and our dealers will not be surprised. The NSGA Leadership Conference is a perfect opportunity for us to define the future.

STAHLS’ PLAYS BIG ROLE IN NFL FUTURE

BY DAVE HARDING SENIOR CONTENT WRITER, STAHLS’

Since 1932, STAHLS’ has built a reputation of reliability, quality, and consistency. With a commitment to customer success at every level, we have formed lasting relationships with decorators and suppliers across the world.

As the leading choice for professional brands year after year, we’ve proven that we can deliver in an ever-evolving market. For over 15 years, STAHLS’ has been an official NFL Licensee, trusted with high-level personalization behind the scenes at events such as the NFL Combine and NFL Draft.

ALWAYS A WINNING TEAM

While the official sponsor contracts for the event change every few years, one thing that is always a constant at the NFL Combine is STAHLS’.

With our high-quality product offering, innovative solutions, and willingness to explore vendor design concepts, we have been the easy choice for all new Combine title sponsors.

Brands such as Nike, adidas and New Balance are among the previous sponsors and have all picked STAHLS’ to handle their high-level personalization. In 2022, NOBULL became the official training partner of the NFL and asked STAHLS’ to tackle customization needs at the NFL Combine.

This year, STAHLS’ DTF transfers were chosen for maximizing the performance and style of all athletic and staff apparel kits and accessories.

STAHLS’ COMBINE STATS 2024

The STAHLS’ team spent the week of the Combine in Indianapolis organizing, prepping and decorating and were on-site for the weekend’s athletic events to make any last-minute size changes or name and number adjustments for on-field athletes. This 2024 Combine featured more than 4,800 individual units for athlete apparel, along with accessory kits, four hat styles, apparel for staff, medical and the NFL network team, as well as Tom Brady replica tees!

Products from STAHLS’ and NOBULL used at the 2024 NFL Combine.

• 321 Total Athletes

• 4,815 Items for Athlete Apparel Kits

• 1,284 Accessories per Athlete

• Grand Total of 6,099 Decorated Units for Athletes

The NFL Combine is a signature event for STAHLS’. We value our participation each year as a trusted partner in personalization. We’re always up to the challenge and look forward to creating pro-level packages for aspiring NFL athletes and the staff that supports them.

NFL DRAFT DAY

STAHLS’ work was also on display at the 2024 NFL Draft on April 25-27 in Detroit! It was another opportunity for STAHLS’ to step up and support high-level personalization needs. For over a decade, we’ve been the official behind-thescenes decorator for the draft.

Our experienced team works with speed and diligence to organize every possible player combination,

WHAT THE PROS WEAR

Featuring fast, one-step, low-temp application that’s safe for performance wear, STAHLS’ DTF transfers are the top option for high-quality sportswear. They’re lightweight, stretchable and durable enough to last on and off the field, making them a perfect choice for both athletic apparel and performance wear at the NFL Combine. More custom apparel businesses can also capitalize on the power of quality direct to film transfers. With STAHLS’ DTF, there’s no minimum order, fast shipping and pricing as low as 0.04 cents per square inch. That means decorators of any level can achieve the same professional finish that’s chosen by the NFL to represent its future superstars.

choose the correct player and team, and heat apply the jersey to appear live as the player walks across the stage to meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell — all under a tight two-minute deadline!

STAHLS’ is a Platinum Supporter of the NSGA 2024 Leadership Conference and a long-time member of NSGA.

Apparel being prepared for players participating in the NFL Combine.

A Carolina Panthers’ jersey is prepared by a STAHLS’ employee for first-round draft pick Bryce Young at the 2023 NFL draf.

GOLD SUPPORTER

Alphabroder

has united 10 companies with more than a century of rich history to create products which build brands, champion causes, acknowledge achievements and offer limitless solutions. The diversity of these companies and their more than 90,000 customers continues to fuel alphabroder’s innovation around products and services. The goal of alphabroder is earning the trust of our customers and achieving our vision to “Be the Most Trusted & Valued Partner For Branded Products & Services.” We also want to enable our customers to drive their own innovations and grow their businesses through our mission to “Empower our Customers to Brand the World Through Market-Leading Service, Products & Solutions.”

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

In 2023, alphabroder unveiled the One Stop Solution website; the first company in the industry to provide customers the ability to place blank or decorated apparel and hardgoods orders through the site. We have 5 decoration facilities that can target the majority of the country and can deliver decorated products within 1-2 days. Whether it be commodity or retail brands, we are the One Stop Solution for all of your promotional product needs.

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

The overall product/service offering that alphabroder provides can be utilized by all members of the NSGA organization. We want to make sure that when members have opportunities, they realize that alphabroder is a go-to source for whatever apparel or hardgoods items they may need.

What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

Awareness surrounding our overall product offering is what we are looking to achieve at this year’s conference. Awareness that alphabroder can be the Single Invoice Solution to assist in all your needs and cut down on the number of suppliers that customers use.

We want to make sure that when people think of alphabroder, they are aware of all the solutions that we provide.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

Gaining an overall understanding of the products, services and benefits that each supplier offers is very beneficial in fostering these relationships. From commodity to private label to retail product offering, there are a lot of options to choose from. The supplier can assist retailers/dealers in culling down the product offering, making for easier decisions based on the price point that is needed.

GOLD SUPPORTER

Cap America

strives to make your purchase of headwear a confident and easy experience. Each order receives top-quality attention to detail and service from our knowledgeable, experienced customer service team and graphic design department. You know you have partnered with a valuable resource willing to go the extra mile to earn and keep your business. This is all part of our growth into a successful business that has its roots in the small town and people of Fredericktown, Missouri.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

Cap America’s newest and most innovative products utilize Flexfit® and Flexfit 110® technology. Our new i8530 and i8533 are both made with a premium poly/sport blend fabric to keep you cool and comfortable, but the i8530 is an on-field Flexfit® style while the i8533 features Flexfit 110® technology. The i8533 also features perforated back and side panels for a trendy sideline look.

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

Cap America, while well-established within the promotional headwear space, is relatively new to the sporting goods market. Supporting NSGA and the Leadership Conference allows us to introduce ourselves and establish trust among retailers and dealers as a leading headwear supplier. What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

This year we hope to establish new relationships and build on existing ones. We hope to reiterate the fact that we will partner with retailers and

dealers to deliver premium headwear quickly, efficiently and consistently. What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

Communication and dependability.

First and foremost, dealers must know that they can count on their supplier to deliver their product correctly and on time. Secondly, they must trust that they can communicate issues or concerns to their suppliers to correct any issues that might arise so they can continue to grow and succeed together.

YOUR GAME DAY EXPERIENCE!

Our Athletic Rope Cap isn’t just any sideline spirit wear, it’s designed for fans who fuel the game with their passion & pride.

ATHLETIC ROPE CAP

1 medium profile five panel structured cap

1 modified flat visor

1 100% polyester performance fabric

1 UV protection & moisture wicking

1 braided rope accent

1 adjustable plastic snap tab closure

NSGA SPORTS PARTICIPATION SHOWS INCREASES FOR MOST SPORTS TRACKED INSIGHTS NOW

The interest of people participating in sports and activities continued to grow in 2023 and is exhibited in the 2024 edition of the National Sporting Goods Association’s (NSGA) Sports Participation in the U.S. report.

The industry’s longest-standing and most comprehensive participation study saw increases in 35 of the 56 sports/activities (62.5 percent) tracked by NSGA in 2023 vs. the prior year.

“Overall it is great to see participation levels up across the majority of sports and recreational activities we track,” said Nick Rigitano, NSGA Director of Insights & Analysis. “It tells us the opportunities are there for retailers, team dealers and manufacturers in the sporting goods industry to grow their business.”

Some of the key takeaways:

• Pickleball’s growth isn’t slowing down as it showed the highest percentage increase year-over-year for the fourth consecutive year. Pickleball was up 54% in 2023 vs 2022.

• The gains by pickleball were part of the individual segment seeing increases for 5 out of the 7 sports/ activities tracked. Tennis and golf also made gains in participation.

• The team sports segment saw increases for 7 of the 11 sports tracked, led by strong increases in soccer

(+12%), cheerleading (+15%) and flag football (+10%). Overall, the segment was up 2.2% in terms of NSGA’s Total Participation Points (TPP) measurement.

• All 3 snow sports of alpine skiing, cross country skiing and snowboarding saw increases compared to the previous year, combining for a 12% increase in TPP for the segment.

• The personal contact segment (boxing, wrestling, martial arts/MMA/tae kwon do) was a big hit and saw the biggest increase in TPP, up 14% vs. the prior year.

• A slight decrease in bicycle riding offset increases among the other wheel sports, leading to a slight decrease (-1.2%) in TPP for the segment.

• The open water segment experienced a 1.6% increase in TPP after seeing increases in 4 out of 6 activities, led by strong gains in scuba diving, surfing and water skiing.

• Most of the activities in the shooting sports segment experienced solid gains, netting out at a 4.8% increase in TPP.

• The results were mixed within the indoor, outdoor and fitness segments. This led to slight decreases for all three in terms of TPP.

The 2024 Sports Participation in the U.S. report will be available in the coming weeks on NSGA’s website at www.nsga.org/research. The report tracks 56 sports and recreational activities and includes easy-to-understand, quick-view snapshots for each, allowing users to easily see a 10-year participation trend (when available), as well as demographic details regarding age, income and U.S. region. NSGA’s participation research also includes Cross Participation, Lifecycle Demographics and Single-Sport reports. The Total Participation Points (TPP) measurement takes into account the reach and depth of participation within a segment.

CONGRATULATIONS

So much more than an honor, your induction into the National Sporting Goods Association Hall of Fame is well deserved and has been earned through a lifetime of dedication, continuous innovation, generosity, and unwavering leadership.

The OrthoLite team feels immense pride that the entire sporting goods industry now recognizes what we’ve known for decades: When you pioneered the first open-cell foam PU insole more than 27 years ago, it marked the first step toward this wellearned milestone and our ongoing goal to elevate comfort and performance in all footwear.

SILVER SUPPORTER

SanMar Sports

turns your team and your colors into your win. SanMar Sports is making meaningful connections that elevate lives through sports.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

• In January 2024, we had the largest Sport Tek launch in over 15 years.

• We have expanded our stock uniform offering with a color block crew neck, color block v-neck and matching color block 7-inch short. (Available in youth & adult)

• Sport Tek now offers a travel warmup in men’s, ladies, and youth in seven colors.

• We have expanded our most popular quarter-zip family in Sport Wick stretch with a new quarter with a hood and a full-zip cadet collar with a matching jogger.

• One of our most exciting new fabrics is our Repeat Fabric.

• Repeat is now available in half-zip long sleeve with a hood, a halfzip short sleeve cage jacket and matching pants.

• We have a repeat 7-inch short, a ladies 3.5” short and a ladies skort. The Repeat fabric is amazing.

• The Sport Tek brand is a leader in FanWear: adding 4 new “Halftime” styles for men’s and ladies.

• Go to SanMarSports.com to check out all our new styles as well as our Playbook.

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

It’s a great opportunity to network with like-minded industry experts, leaders and customers who share our passions. These networking opportunities lead to excellent collaboration and enhanced partnerships.

• Our support of the conference will continue to add relevance to our authenticity and allows us to share our SanMar Sports story and our “secret sauce.” The conference allows us to keep our finger on the industry’s pulse.

• The NSGA Leadership Conference is one of the last in-person management events focused on our industry education and growth.

• Our group at SanMar is a contributing voice with the networking discussions around the sporting goods channel by participants, attendees, guest speakers and entrepreneurs within the industry.

Overall, attending and supporting NSGA is valuable for our team’s personal growth, our professional development, industry advocacy and inspiration in the sporting goods industry.

What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

• Build and expand our professional relationships by connecting with suppliers, customers and potential new partners.

• Learn about the latest trends, technologies and best practices in our industry through presentations, networking opportunities and collaboration.

• Capitalize on the opportunity to share everything we are doing at SanMar Sports for our customers and the industry.

• Spend time with industry leaders and customers in an informal setting.

• Interact with leaders from other top organizations to exchange ideas, share perspectives and discuss market shifts.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

Align on industry trends and consumer needs. We can all service the industry better and more efficiently. Share and explore innovative technologies, platforms, emerging fabric trends and new decoration methods. Share industry challenges and potential solutions to make our industry the best it can be. Learning about customer profitability and how we can collectively increase sales.

SILVER SUPPORTER

Rawlings

has been an iconic part of the sporting goods industry since it was formed in 1887 in St. Louis, Missouri. Rawlings is one of the most-recognizable brand names in baseball and softball equipment and with its recognition of defensive excellence with its annual Gold Glove Awards that started in 1957. The company’s first major innovation came in 1919 when major-league pitcher Bill Doak approached Rawlings about some functional improvements to gloves that included a web between the thumb and forefinger to make catching the ball easier. Rawlings’ bats and balls are also prominent throughout baseball and softball at all levels of play.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

Rawlings’ Icon and Easton’s Hype Fire bats specifically created for USSSA athletes are both top sellers in the competitive category of high-performance bats and have each been ranked at the highest, “diamond” level by Bat Digest. The Rawlings Icon for USSSA baseball

features a massive barrel which maximizes surface area for a larger sweet spot. Additionally, its balanced swing weight and twopiece composite construction yields optimal trampoline for elite athletes. The Easton Hype Fire for USSSA is marked by a completely re-designed composite barrel with lower compression resulting in harder and more consistent contact. It also features a lighter swing weight for more bat speed and control through the zone.

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

It’s important for Rawlings to participate in events created by NSGA to ensure we’re collaborating with fellow members and tackling issues facing our industry.

Working together creates scale and strength and allows for new learning opportunities which ultimately serves the consumers that benefit from our collective products and services. What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

Our team looks forward to networking with other members to glean best practices and processes they’ve utilized to create wins within their respective organizations in the areas of NILs, ecommerce expansion, new product technology and effective leadership strategies.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

Transparency along with open, direct conversation with our dealer base is critical to maintaining those relationships in this evolving landscape. We depend on our dealer base to let us know what they’re seeing in the field in terms of trends and consumer behavior and what we can do to be better partners to ensure that our brand/products remain relevant in the marketplace.

NEWS NOW

GAME ONE NAMES WEBER CEO

Game One appointed Pat Weber as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective February 16, 2024. Weber was the President of Game One and has more than 17 years of experience leading in the team sports and uniform business. Weber’s background as a sales representative, retail store manager and Vice President of Operations gives him a unique understanding of every aspect of Game One’s business and the needs of its customers, according to a news release from the company.

“Pat excels at developing high-performing teams, promoting collaboration, optimizing operational efficiency, and creating growth,” said Russ Wilson, partner at the private equity firm Trivest. “His drive and relationship skills will give Game One the competitive edge.”

Said Weber: “We are incredibly passionate about our business. We believe in the power of telling team stories. It’s simply part of our DNA.”

Game One combined nine regional companies into one company in the team sports segment of the sporting goods industry.

“Taking the best practices from all 9 companies and creating a best-inclass distribution model was challenging,” Weber said. “And we are excited our team now has the tools of a new ERP, increased decoration capacity with our new 135K (square foot) facility in Ohio and a new team store experience for sales reps and customers. I think we are set up for exponential growth over the next few years.”

The group started in 2018 and was rebranded from ASB Sports to Game One in the winter of 2022. Weber worked in various capacities with Montanabased Universal Athletic, which had its team division acquired by then-ASB Sports in March 2020.

Game One is a NSGA member.

PLANK RETURNS TO LEAD UNDER ARMOUR

Under Armour announced that company founder Kevin Plank became President & Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2024. Plank founded Under Armour in 1996 and was inducted into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame in 2017. He succeeded Stephanie Linnartz, who stepped down as President & CEO and member of the Board after taking those leadership roles at Under Armour in February 2023.

In connection with Plank’s appointment, Dr. Mohamed A. El-Erian, an independent director since 2018 and Lead Director since 2020, became the non-executive Chair of the Board. Plank, who will transition from Executive Chair of the Board, will remain a director.

Plank was the driving force behind Under Armour’s innovative products and brand since he founded the company. From 1996–2019, he served as Under Armour’s CEO and Chair of the Board of Directors. In January 2020, Plank was appointed Executive Chair and Brand Chief.

“On behalf of the full team, I want to thank Stephanie for her contributions to Under Armour. We deeply appreciate her hard work and dedication,” said Plank. “During her tenure, she strengthened the leadership team with executive

hires in critical areas, including product, design, supply chain, consumer connectivity and regional management. Her prior experience leading major brands was instrumental in focusing our consumer strategy, including the launch of the U.S. loyalty program, UA Rewards. Her efforts have helped set us on the right path, and we wish her success in her future endeavors.”

G-FORM HIRES LAFOLLETTE TO EXPAND TEAM CHANNEL

G-Form hired Adam LaFollette as Sales Director to lead its expansion into the team channel. Based in Rhode Island, G-Form is an innovative leader in the impact protection space. G-Form’s portfolio includes products in mountain biking, baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse and court sports.

LaFollette is a 10-year industry veteran who held leadership roles at Under Armour and Asics in the team channel. He has proven success in both product and sales at Under Armour and most recently, LaFollette was the Team Sales Director at ASICS America, where he made a significant impact to the business. His background provides him with a unique perspective to ensure the right product fits with the right distribution.

“I am excited to join G-Form and help bring industry leading innovation to market within the team channel,” LaFollette said. “We will look to partner with team dealers to outfit schools, clubs, and organizations. G-Form has a great stable of products in a diverse array of categories for us to grow the brand with the right partners.”

G-Form is a NSGA supporter.

Continued on page

SILVER SUPPORTER

G-Form

is an innovative protection company that designs and manufactures protective gear that utilizes its SmartFlex proprietary technology, combined with other advanced materials, to provide the leading fit, flexible and lightweight solutions. G-Form is a company built around new technology. G-Form listens closely to the needs of athletes, physically and spiritually, to ensure no stone is left unturned in developing the best protective gear on the planet. We’re proud of and listen to the needs of all athletes from professional to beginner.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

For Spring 2024, G-Form has released a Signature Fastpitch Elbow Guard collection in collaboration with professional softball player Sierra Romero, Youth Lacrosse Arm Guards and an all-new GFX800 Lacrosse Shoulder Liner. Coming for Fall 2024 are a Rose Gold Vento Soccer shin guard and a Black/Gold Blade shin guard, offering fresh designs to both sleeved and slip-in shin protection options.

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

Supporting NSGA and the Leadership Conference helps to strengthen our relationships with team dealers, sporting goods accounts and other manufacturers in the industry. It is important for us to build trust and confidence within the industry for our brand as we look to grow within the team segment.

What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

G-Form hopes to build new relationships with team dealers while continuing to share our exciting technological innovations. We look to educate team dealers of our products and programs during speed networking while also listening to

their needs so we can strengthen our relationships. It is important that we listen to the dealers as they are on the front lines of what the consumer is saying and looking for. What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

• Trust — We must always have open lines of communication between manufacturers and retailers. This is a critical component of building a relationship that is capable of growth.

• Listening — Taking a step back to truly listen to what is being said. The best relationships are built on listening and by doing so you can work together to overcome issues.

• Passion — Sharing the passion of what we get to do every day in this business. We get the opportunity to impact the lives of young athletes and having partners that share that passion helps to find innovative solutions to ensure those athletes are taken care of.

SILVER SUPPORTER

For the past 20 years, EG-PRO has operated behind the scenes as a factory direct manufacturer of blank athletic apparel designed and engineered for screen printing, embroidery and sublimation decoration processes. EG-PRO has imported blank apparel for some of the industry’s giants and has carried its reputation firmly on its shoulders. Being 100% vertical allows EG-PRO to develop and introduce new fabrics on a consistent basis. EG-PRO takes out the middleman so it can pass cost savings to its customers with the assurance that we control all aspects from design through production, importing, warehouse management and shipping. EG-PRO believes you will fall in love with its advanced fabrics, performance technologies, top quality, attentive customer service and revolutionary prices.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

Our new Velvet Jersey is amazing. A 95% Poly/5% Spandex gives this fabric a velvet feel. Everyone attending the conference will receive a sublimated Velvet Jersey top. It’s available in a Unisex Light Weight Hoodie, Womens Long Sleeve V-Neck and a Unisex Crew Neck Tee.

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

The conference gives all attendees the opportunity to step away from the office and learn about what is happening in the industry in a relaxing environment.

What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

As with all the conferences we have attended, we hope to inform dealers of what EG-PRO is capable of as a custom manufacturer and a stocking supplier.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

Communication and listening to the retailers/dealer’s needs. Letting the retailer/dealer know you hear their concerns and needs.

NEWS NOW

Continued from page 40

MOMENTEC BRANDS NEW NAME FOR MERGED AUGUSTA SPORTSWEAR BRANDS, FOUNDER SPORT GROUP

Augusta Sportswear Brands (ASB) and Founder Sport Group (FSG) announced the combined company’s new corporate identity, Momentec Brands, and tagline “Outfitting Moments that Matter.” ASB and FSG were acquired by investment firm Platinum Equity.

Momentec Brands plans to emerge as a leading supplier of team uniforms, offfield performance wear and fan apparel tailored for the youth and recreational sports markets. Momentec said it will continue its unwavering commitment to provide its customers superior service by maximizing the strength of the two organizations in customer care, distribution and the critical day-to-day “count on us” execution.

“Our core objective is to become your easiest partner to buy from, breaking down complexity and making designing and buying even custom uniforms a simple and fun experience,” the company said in its news release announcing the change.

FSG CEO John Anton will serve as CEO of Momentec Brands and ASB CEO David Elliott will serve as Vice Chairman of the company, both positions effective April 1, 2024.

“We are excited to announce the rebranding of the combined company as Momentec Brands. Momentec represents a bold step forward in our journey towards redefining the uniform and sportswear industry while delivering exceptional service for our customers,” said Anton.

“Our mission is to fuel our customers and partners with innovative solutions, delivering unparalleled speed, ease and value to outfit the moments that matter.”

The name Momentec pays homage to the rich traditions and legacies of ASB and FSG with a nod to the momentum these companies created in the marketplace over the years. The name also embraces a spirit of innovation as the company strives to inject cutting edge technology into all aspects of the design and ordering process to simplify the customer experience.

“I am grateful to have served as CEO of ASB for the past eight years,” said Elliott.

“As I transition into the role of Vice Chairman, I am filled with gratitude for the remarkable journey we’ve undertaken at ASB. It has been an honor to serve as CEO, and I am excited to continue contributing to Momentec’s success in this new capacity. I look forward to continuing to support John and the executive leadership team as Vice Chairman, building on the strong Momentec Brands foundation.”

Momentec Brands also announced several other leadership changes that took effect April 1, 2024:

• ASB’s current Chief Commercial Officer, Derek Ernst, will be promoted to Momentec’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Ernst will preside over Momentec’s strategic accounts, onfield, off-field, league and digital sales teams, as well as both marketing and product development departments, ensuring cohesive direction and alignment across all facets of the sales chain.

• Dave Binley, FSG’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), will serve as Momentec’s COO, steering the company’s manufacturing, distribution, supply chain and operations.

• Julie Parker, FSG’s Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), will be promoted to the position of CHRO. In her expanded role, Julie will lead

Momentec’s strategic HR initiatives, aligning them with our organizational goals and values.

• ASB executive leadership member, Marty Bruce, is promoted to Chief Information Officer (CIO), in which he will lead Momentec’s application development, technology infrastructure and customer delivery systems.

• Patrick O’Neill, FSG’s Senior Vice President Strategy and Key Accounts is promoted to Chief Business Development Officer, overseeing Momentec’s push into new markets and leading Momentec’s strategic integration initiatives.

Momentec’s brands include Badger Sport, Alleson Athletic, Garb Athletic, Prosphere, Augusta Sportswear, Holloway, Russell Athletic, Pacific Headwear and High Five. Momentec Brands will continue to operate Augustasportswear.com and foundersport.com through 2024 into 2025 when one combined website experience at momentecbrands.com will go live in Q1 2025.

AETREX, BAUER PARTNER ON RETAIL FOOT SCANNING STATIONS

Aetrex, which produces foot-scanning technology and data-driven orthotics and comfort footwear, and Bauer Hockey announced their partnership and launch of Bauer FitLabs to roll out to retailers June 2024.

Bauer FitLabs, progressive in-store 3D foot scanning stations equipped with Aetrex’s Albert 2 Pro scanners, will identify an athlete’s unique foot type and provide personalized orthotic and skate recommendations for ideal fit and performance. Aimed to revolutionize the hockey skate and orthotic fitting process, the 20-second scanning experience will provide athletes with complete data about their unique feet and gait.

Continued on page 54

SILVER SUPPORTER

Trigon Sports

wants to serve its loyal cust-omers by helping them “Make Winning

Possible™” through high-quality sports equipment. The family-owned and operated business has a goal making the sporting goods industry better through its 60-plus years of combined experience. And Trigon’s reputation of providing quality sports equipment for high school, collegiate and professional programs is exceeded only by its reputation for great customer service. With its trademarked brand of sports equipment with ProCage™ and Practice Partner™, Trigon has expanded its product line from baseball and softball, to football, lacrosse, soccer, and more. The business model is simple: Focus on the customer, provide them with high quality sports equipment, and perhaps most important, love what we do. Here at TSI, we love what we do, and it shows from the moment you call us.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

Trigon Sports has expanded its Practice Partner-branded line to include hockey goals and youth-size

soccer goals. We also just added a new sideline kicking cage for football that has become very popular with colleges and some pro teams due to its lightweight portability and durability.

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

I think it is important that we as a manufacturer and distributor use these opportunities to meet with other companies and industry leaders to remain at the forefront of industry changes, trends and more importantly build new relationships as a whole.

What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

To expand our current relationships with our dealers as well as other companies and share any new ideas or changes that would impact our industry in the future.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/brands and retailers/dealers?

Communication is important. Understanding the needs from our retailers/dealers as they are our direct communication to the end user of our products. Getting the chance to speak with the decision-makers in a more informal setting is great to learn more about our customers and what they see on the front lines with their road sales staff.

SILVER SUPPORTER

Baseball is the heart and heritage of the Richardson brand. For over 50 years, we’ve created high-quality, performance-focused headwear and apparel for teams seeking unbeatable service, renowned craftsmanship and innovative products. We’ve built our business on authenticity, offering high-touch, friendly service that centers on human connection and crafting quality products that deliver the performance players demand. It’s this relentless focus on authenticity and quality in everything we do that’s made us the player’s choice in premium, fully bespoke baseball products.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

2024 is focused on building a foundation for the next 50 years of the Richardson brand. We’ll be launching a fully redesigned website and brand-new, stateof-the-art 3D product customizer on Richardsonsports.com in late Q2. This will accompany an exciting, refreshed look and feel for the Richardson brand, including our pinnacle Performance Team Series. On the product side, we’ve continued a steady drumbeat of releasing new headwear models focused on the fanwear, sideline, booster and corporate markets. Lastly, this June we’ll announce some big additions to our performance product lines that will be coming to the team marketplace in Q3. Stay tuned!

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

Supporting NSGA and the Leadership Conference is both strategic and values-aligned for Richardson, allowing us to deepen relationships in a purposeful setting. It underscores our commitment to industry growth,

offering a platform for understanding customer needs better, fostering educational and networking opportunities and allowing us to authentically engage with our valued partners. It’s also an investment in our customers’ success and advancing industry standards, demonstrating the Richardson brand’s core values in action.

What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

Our goal is always to foster meaningful connections with our customers in all we do and this year’s conference is no exception. We aim to immerse ourselves in the latest trends, challenges and opportunities within the industry to tailor our strategies and solutions more effectively. By engaging directly with our customers, we enhance our collaborative efforts and ensure that we’re aligned, reflecting our commitment to exceeding customer expectations.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

In the sporting goods industry, the cornerstone of a successful relationship between brands and retailers/dealers lies in the bedrock of mutual trust and partnership. This trust is cultivated through consistent, high-quality service and a commitment to moving the business forward together. For us, achieving this means prioritizing personal connectivity with our customers, ensuring timely and effective communication and maintaining the highest standards of product quality. Simply put, we strive to be the company our customers like doing business with.

SILVER SUPPORTER

Certor Sports

is a combination of three wellknown sporting goods brands — Schutt and VICIS football helmets and TUCCI baseball and softball equipment.

What new and innovative products does your company have that everyone should know about?

New to Certor Sports is the quarterback version of the industry leading VICIS Zero2 Helmet line called the Zero2 QB Elite. This model was developed through NFL testing protocol that identified specific impacts quarterbacks endure more frequently than other positions. It was the second position-specific helmet model to ever be launched in the industry behind the VICIS Zero2 Trench, which is optimized for more frequent offensive/defensive line impacts. VICIS has been a trailblazer in bringing customized products and performance to the helmet.

New from the Schutt line of helmets is the F7 2.0, which is an update to our previous extremely popular F7 VTD helmet model. The new version looks the same from the outside, but the internal impact management structure has been completely re-imaged with crossover technology from the VICIS line. The RFLX-S impact structure and improved liner allows the helmet to fit and perform better and test 81% better than popular competitor models, according to Virginia Tech’s helmet testing ratings.

With our TUCCI baseball lineup of products, we have 125 MLB players swinging TUCCI Lumber.

The Diamond Sports line has been expanded to include advanced design helmets, BBCOR and composite bats, batting gloves and cutting-edge protective gear.

Why is it valuable for your organization to support NSGA and the Leadership Conference?

We are a team dealer network brand. Our success is predicated on the success of the sporting goods dealer and our partnership. Over the past few years that messaging has been misconstrued and lost amongst the network. With new leadership at Certor Sports and wholesale changes to operations and personnel comes a new energy and focus on reinforcing our commitment to the team dealer. We are very excited to get back into being an NSGA participant and sponsor now and in the future.

What goals do you hope to achieve at this year’s conference?

We want to strengthen, build and repair our relationship with our customers. We want to get our message to the sporting goods industry faceto-face and reinforce our commitment to the team dealer network. It is important for us to showcase the wholesale improvements and changes to Certor Sports that are focused on improved delivery, pricing, programs, customer service,

marketing, technology and reconditioning. We want to highlight the innovative products we have now and are working on for the future, as well as our new HQ and manufacturing and distribution facility. However, most of all is the fact that we are now set up to better service and support our customers, thus ensuring their success.

What are the keys to a successful relationship between suppliers/ brands and retailers/dealers?

Trust, communication and establishing a true partnership. They must trust that we will not let them down and that can only be done through consistent long-term efficiency on delivery. We are much better now than 12 months ago. Communication is pivotal and we need to listen more to create more competitive programs and products for our customers to utilize and compete in the marketplace. A true partnership is when their pain is our pain and their success is our success. We are in this together and we can’t win without them.

NEWS NOW

Continued from page 46

The comprehensive data collection includes fundamental 3D measurements of each foot (i.e. length, width, girth, instep height, arch height, etc.), a detailed 3D rendering of the feet, and a pressure distribution analysis underfoot, both static pressure (standing) and dynamic pressure (moving). Athletes will gain a deeper understanding of their unique foot characteristics and will receive product solutions tailored to their individual needs for ideal fit and performance.

As a trusted skate provider of key NHL athletes, an inventive brand focused on driving performance with introductions like the Tuuk holder, and the first hockey company to adopt a digital solution for ice skate fittings in 2017, Bauer’s pursuit to pave the way for game-changing innovation led to its partnership with Aetrex. It is during the scanning process within the FitLab where the Albert 2 Pro will recommend a premier Bauer skate based on the athlete’s individual 3D foot scan.

“Innovation lies at the heart of Bauer Hockey, and the FitLab is another example of our commitment to pushing the game forward,” said John Davidson, director of brand management at Bauer Hockey. “The trend towards a more personal and customized skate-fitting process continues to grow in importance for players at all levels. Through our partnership with Aetrex, we can elevate the standards of skate fitting, while bringing the overall experience to a new level.

“Utilizing Aetrex foot-scanning technology, we can view a digital 3D model of an individual’s foot, underfoot pressure and dynamic movement and precise measurements. This data enables us to customize the process for each individual — setting the bar for premium skate-fitting experiences. The FitLab and Aetrex will not only be a game changer for individuals shopping for skates; it will be a game-changer across the entire industry.”

The program is scheduled to launch at 420 retail locations across the U.S., Canada and Europe. Additional information on the partnership and Bauer FitLabs will be released later this spring. To learn more about Aetrex’s technology, visit www.aetrex.com/technology.

Bauer is a member of the Hockey Dealers Association (HDA).

WINTER SPORTS RETAILERS FORMS LARGEST NETWORK OF SPECIALTY RETAILERS

Winter Sports Retailers (WSR), Inc., was formed following the merger between Snowsports Merchandising Corporation (SMC) and Sports Specialists Ltd., (SSL).

The consolidation marks a significant milestone in the winter sports retail industry, establishing the nation’s largest network of specialty retailers. With 118 shops and more than 300 locations covering 33 states, this merger opens new avenues for collaboration, reach and resources shared among retailers and brands. These developments are poised to enhance the overall experience for snowsports enthusiasts across the country.

As a member-based network organization, WSR is dedicated to fostering a mutually beneficial partnership between supplier and retailers. By facilitating better communication and sharing collective information, WSR is committed to providing localized and national perspectives to help both parties navigate an ever-evolving industry. WSR aims to develop a brand and experience that meets the evolving needs of consumers and provides superior winter sports experiences throughout the U.S.

“Since the 1970s, both SSL and SMC have played pivotal roles in shaping the industry landscape,” said Gary Fleming, President of WSR.

“By merging the two forces to form WSR we are beyond excited to leverage the extensive network of specialty ski shops to benefit consumers and the snow sports industry as a whole.”

WSR is strategically positioned to serve its members across the country with its headquarters in Springfield, Massachusetts, and a secondary office in Golden, Colorado. WSR will continue to operate Winter Sports Market (WSM), a premier winter sports specialty retail trade show in Salt Lake. The group’s commitment to WSM is a testament to its dedication to the success and growth of the winter sports industry.

WSR is a member of the National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA).

NFHS, BISON RENEW PARTNERSHIP

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) renewed its corporate partnership with Bison, Inc., for four years to remain the Official and Exclusive Basketball Equipment Partner of the NFHS.

The renewal of the partnership continues a longstanding relationship between the NFHS and Bison. In the mid-1990s, Bison was a part of the NFHS product licensing program through which the NFHS endorsed products for use in the high school marketplace.

Headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, Bison has taken claim as one of the industry’s top suppliers of basketball equipment since 1985. Bison’s innovative basketball products include ceiling-and wall-suspended basketball systems, portable systems, breakaway goals, backboards, safety wall padding, DuraSkin® backboard padding and outdoor basketball systems.

Continued on page 56

NEWS NOW

Continued from page 54

Nick Cusick, Bison’s founder and CEO, said, “Bison has enjoyed its longstanding mutually beneficial partnership with NFHS and is proud of the impact we both play in high school students’ development as players and as citizens.”

In addition to basketball, Bison, Inc, has remained the Exclusive Soccer Goal Partner of the NFHS since 2021. For a full list of products, please visit https://bisoninc.com/.

Bison is a longtime member of the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA).

RETAILER SOCCER POST ACQUIRES SOCCER PRO

Soccer Post, the largest local community focused soccer specialty retailer in the United States and a portfolio company of TZP Group, completed the acquisition of Soccer Pro, a leading regional soccer specialty retailer in Northern California.

“We are thrilled to complete the acquisition of Soccer Pro, expand our presence in Northern California, and welcome Soccer Pro to the Soccer Post family,” said Blake Sonnek-Schmelz, CEO of Soccer Post. “We have respected the Soccer Pro team for a long time and look forward to working with them to best serve soccer communities in Northern California.”

Soccer Post has been offering soccer apparel, footwear and gear to enthusiasts, clubs, athletes and families across the United States for over three decades. Soccer Post has established itself as the go-to destination for soccer families and one of the leading national omni-channel specialty retailers.

Headquartered in Eatontown, New Jersey, Soccer Post is the largest local-market-focused omni-channel soccer specialty retailer with 47 store locations in the United States. Soccer Post has been offering soccer apparel, footwear and gear to enthusiasts, clubs, athletes and families across the United States for over three decades.

BROOKS RUNNING PICKS SHERIDAN AS NEW CEO

Brooks Running Company chose Dan Sheridan, who was president and chief operating officer, as its next CEO. Sheridan replaced Jim Weber, who was CEO for 23 years, on April 26.

Weber, who joined Brooks’ Board of Directors in 1999 and was named CEO in 2001, established Brooks’ long-term strategy and focus on performance run, leading the team to steadily execute against the brand’s purpose for more than two decades. As a result, over Weber’s tenure Brooks grew from the verge of bankruptcy to a billion-dollar brand and a leader in the highly competitive global running category.

Sheridan held leadership roles across many disciplines and a track record for cross-functional success. Sheridan joined Brooks in 1998, was named COO in 2019 and promoted to president and COO in 2022. In recent years Sheridan drove the evolution of Brooks’ strategy, scaling its business model, guiding the business’ supply chain and operations, and accelerating the brand’s digital transformation to adeptly navigate headwinds and execute Brooks’ multichannel strategy to reach runners where they shop.

Matt Dodge, vice president, managing director of Brooks International, will become president and COO, effective Aug. 1, 2024.

WINMARK/PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS ENTER RESALE PARTNERSHIP WITH LACROSSE MANUFACTURER STX

Winmark Corporation, the parent company of Play It Again Sports, entered a multi-year partnership as the Official Resale Partner of STX, LLC, which specializes in manufacturing lacrosse equipment.

Through Winmark’s network of more than 290 Play It Again Sports franchised locations throughout North America, Winmark and STX will partner

together to purchase quality used lacrosse equipment from consumers to advance circularity and extend the life of equipment, while reducing the barrier of entry for new players entering the sport.

“We’re excited to partner with an iconic lacrosse brand like STX who shares our commitment to advancing sustainability while growing the game of lacrosse in local communities throughout North America,” explained Renae Gaudette, Chief Operating Officer of Winmark. “We have a long-standing partnership with STX, so taking this to another level as a premier sustainability partner is a natural fit.”

As the Premier Sustainability Partner of Winmark & Play It Again Sports, STX will be the presenting sponsor of one lacrosse equipment “Sponsored Buy Drive” per year and will jointly promote co-branded sustainability-focused content that will be distributed on all social channels, as well as promoted by Play It Again Sports via local stores, its website, and national PR efforts.

BODYARMOR BECOMES OFFICIAL SPORTS DRINK OF NHL, NHLPA

BODYARMOR Sports Drink announced a new multi-year partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL) and National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) to become the “Official Sports Drink” partner of the NHL and NHLPA. The BODYARMOR brand will be featured for the first time across the league on Saturday, April 20, the opening day of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

As part of the agreement, BODYARMOR will hydrate NHL players with its BODYARMOR Sports Drink on benches at games and practices, and offthe-ice in locker rooms and in training facilities. BODYARMOR’s logo and branding will also be featured across all hydration queues including coolers, squirt bottles and towels on NHL benches during NHL games.

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GYM FLOOR COVERS & STORAGE

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PORTABLE / TEMPORARY FENCING

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BACKSTOP & STADIUM PADDING

Softback & woodback pads are 100% customizable with 15 vibrant colors to choose from.

GYMNASIUM PADDING

Keep participants safe & bring your gymnasium to the next level.

CHAMPIONSHIP BANNERS

Elevate the appearance of your facility & celebrate achievements.

CUSTOM PRINTED WINDSCREEN

Digital graphics and vibrant material colors help bring your facility to the next level.

FENCE-TOP PROTECTION

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PRINTED FLAGS & BANNERS

Versatile, lightweight and economical, with indoor and outdoor options.

NEWS NOW

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES COMING TO NFHS AUTHENTICATING MARK PROGRAM

BY MARTY MACIASZEK NSGA COMMUNICATIONS AND TEAM DEALER DIRECTOR and TOM VAN JACOBS NSGA MARKETING COORDINATOR

Upcoming changes to the National Federations of State High School Associations (NFHS) Authenticating Mark Program (AMP) were addressed by CEO Dr. Karissa Niehoff at the annual Team Sports Conference hosted by the Sports Fitness & Industry Association (SFIA) on April 16 in Indianapolis.

The NFHS is changing the minimum royalty rate of 50 cents to a standard royalty rate of 5% by manufacturers for sales of NFHS-stamped inflatable balls or for a dozen baseballs, softballs, lacrosse and field hockey balls and hockey pucks. The fee increase is scheduled to go into effect January 1, 2025 and was approved by the NFHS Board of Directors on October 9, 2023. NSGA staff only recently learned of the NFHS plan.

The NFHS also updated the NFHS mark to be utilized on balls used for game play. The old mark was phased out January 16, 2024 and the new marks have a minimum size of 2½ inches on inflatable balls and 1¼ inches on non-inflatable balls. Any remaining on-hand inventory can be sold through 2024 and inventory with the old NFHS mark can be used until it is retired, according to NFHS.

Niehoff said the board voted on a shift in the business model where the revenue will be used for NFHS education programs. She said the change to a standard royalty rate is more secure for NFHS about where the money is coming from and more in alignment with what’s going on in the sports industry. Niehoff also said, “we will never choose to do a national ball contract and that’s not in our future at all.”

The NFHS increase will be a subject of discussion at the NSGA 2024 Leadership Conference.

Here is more rules information from the Team Sports Conference.

BASKETBALL

NFHS

A final decision on these proposals is expected in May:

A school or conference logo/mascot to be located below the neckline and above the number. Currently, only lettering is allowed in the space above the numbers.

One manufacturer logo to be located anywhere on the uniform top, provided placement does not interfere with the visibility of the player’s number. Currently, manufacturer logos cannot be in the apex of the neckline and must be located no more than 5 inches below the shoulder seam on the front of the jersey, or 2 inches from the neckline on the back of the jersey; or in either side insert.

VOLLEYBALL

NFHS

Numbers with a leading zero are not legal on jerseys beginning in July 1, 2028.

SOFTBALL

NFHS

The uniform ball compression specifications with USA Softball and NCAA go into effect for NFHS on January 1, 2025.

BASEBALL

NFHS

North Dakota and Louisiana are experimenting with communication from the coach to all defensive players. Elliot Hopkins of NHFS said there will probably be a proposal for it at the June rules meeting.

Some states are seeing illegal bat wraps being used for the Warstic Bonesaber bat. The bat and handle itself are legal for use by NFHS rules.

NCAA

There is growing interest in a rule for a double-first base, although it is currently permitted, according to the NCAA’s Ben Brownlee. He said there has not been a push for the 18-inch sized bases now used in Major League Baseball.

Amateur Youth

Perfect Game suspended use of the Easton Hype Fire bats that are a drop-5 (-5) in its events, effective April 8. The Easton Hype Fire drop-8 (-8) and drop10 (-10) are still legal for play in Perfect Game events.

FOOTBALL

NFHS

A football arm sleeve standard is being developed for the NFHS rules committee to review, according to Bob Colgate of NFHS.

NFHS will be writing rules for flag football for the 2025-26 season that will include boys, girls, unified and co-ed and 5- and 7-player.

For more information from the annual rules meeting and other rules go to nsga.org/news/

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT NOW

GIVE ME 5 WITH TYLER GROGAN

President, GROGAN MARCIANO SPORTS | Mansfield, Massachusetts

1

A HALF-CENTURY OF SUCCESS FOR A NEW ENGLAND INSTITUTION

I think that our main key to success is our customer service and our inventory. From our road salesmen delivering orders and having great relationships with coaches and athletic directors, they know they will get the best stuff, as quickly as we can, at a great price. And our small retail has everything needed for beginners to high school athletes to get what they need at (most times) a better price than competitors. (Grogan Marciano was originally started by Peter Marciano, the brother of boxing legend Rocky Marciano. Longtime New England Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan bought the business in the mid-1990s).

2 CATCHING ON IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS

When I was done with college and trying to pursue a football career, this job gave me the flexibility I needed to try to pursue my passion. Once that pursuit was done, I didn’t want to be anywhere else. I love dealing with all our customers, from the athletic directors to the coaches, parents and kids.

3

SPREADING THE JOY OF SPORTS

I love helping families get their kids started in sports and being able to help them with all their needs through high school. It’s really cool to see the kids grow and succeed in athletics. I also just love being around sports in general, I grew up playing football, basketball, baseball, soccer and track. So being able to use my experiences that I went through to help families and kids is rewarding.

4

BIG CONCERNS WITH THE INDUSTRY

In terms of retail and even team sales everyone is ordering online nowadays. We love people coming in to try things on, interacting and delivering orders and keeping our customers happy.

5 BENEFITS OF ATTENDING THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

I love the conference. Outside of the getaway from work for a couple days, it’s the meeting and networking. It’s great to also talk to people having similar issues as we do and see how they work through them. Also, it is great meeting with the companies in a smaller setting than a trade show to discuss the issues affecting them and us, as well as where they are heading.

>> Tom Flick, left, talks with Tyler Grogan after Flick’s presentation at the 2023 Conference. Grogan’s dad Steve and Flick were both NFL quarterbacks.

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