NSGA NOW - July/August 2023

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4 CEO NOW

The importance of “sharpening the saw” 6 ADVOCACY NOW Supporting the Credit Card Competition Act

8 ASSOCIATION NOW Cole Johnson joins NSGA Board of Directors

12 RETAIL NOW Fixing Underperforming Categories

24 CONFERENCE NOW Missy Franklin Opens Up About Successes and Struggles

26 CONFERENCE NOW Turning Failure to Innovation with Marcus Whitney

30 CONFERENCE NOW Simplifying HR to Attract, Retain Talent

34 CONFERENCE NOW Product Guide

40 INSIGHTS NOW Will Soccer Get a Boost From Women’s World Cup?

44 INSIGHTS NOW Deep Dive Into 2022 Participation

26

CONFERENCE NOW

Loreena Miceli of The Bench meets with Richardson Sports during Speed Networking and more through the lens of this year’s Conference in Nashville

40

>> ON THE COVER

Olympic swimmer Missy Franklin shows off a couple of her gold medals with Grace Schettler of Cap America

47 NEWS Basketball Uniform Rule Changes; OrderMyGear Extends Sports. Inc., Partnership; Winmark/Play It Again Sports Teams with CCM

51 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT NOW Give Me Five With Phillip Howard, Troy’s Ski Lubbock

CEO NOW

Asaw is an interesting tool because it loses its effectiveness the more it is used. As the blade dulls, more effort is required to make cuts and the results are not as good. That is the premise of “Sharpen the Saw,” which is one of best-selling author Stephan Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Covey’s seventh habit means you are preserving and enhancing your greatest asset — yourself. This is the result of a balanced program for self-renewal — physically, socially, mentally and spiritually — in order to grow and change.

That was part of the message from Olympic swimmer Missy Franklin in her closing session at this year’s Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit in Nashville. Franklin, one of the most decorated Olympians in U.S. history with five gold medals, shared some of the challenges that came with success on a global stage at 17 years old. The demands and expectations weighed on Franklin and led to mental health struggles as she got ready to compete in the Olympics a second time.

“There were times I’d have to slap a smile on my face and act like everything was OK,” Franklin said. “What is most inspiring is authenticity and being real. You have to leave time for yourself and time off to recharge is so crucial for me.

You have to turn it off because you can’t be on all the time. You can’t pour from an empty cup.”

Especially if you want to lead in the ways suggested by former NFL quarterback turned leadership expert Tom Flick at the Conference. Or if you want to stay on the cutting edge of innovation shared by Marcus Whitney, who became the cofounder and minority owner of Nashville’s Major League Soccer team.

You can’t let the daily grind extinguish your spirit and that’s not easy when you are trying to meet demands of your customers and your teams. But you must take care of yourself physically and mentally to lead effectively.

Unplugging from everything happening in your business can be challenging. But there are times you have to so you can recharge and stay mentally and physically sharp.

“Use the tools in your mental health belt,” Franklin said. That will help you keep the saw sharp so you can practice the other six habits that make you an effective and successful leader.

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

PAT DONNELLEY

BSN Sports, Twin Falls, ID

CHAIRMAN-ELECT

GORDON GEIGER

Geiger’s, Lakewood, OH

PAST CHAIRMAN

DAVID LABBE

Kittery Trading Post, Kittery, ME

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

KEVIN BEZANSON

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

BOB FAWLEY

Capitol Varsity Sports, Oxford, OH

TROY FREEMAN

Play It Again Sports, Minneapolis, MN

COLE JOHNSON

Johnson-Lambe Sporting Goods

Raleigh, North Carolina

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

MATT CARLSON PRESIDENT & CEO

NSGA is a member of the Americans for Free Trade (AFT) coalition which is a group united against tariffs.

NSGA BACKS CREDIT CARD COMPETITION ACT

The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) was pleased to see the bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act reintroduced into Congress in early June. NSGA supports this legislation because it would bring much-needed competition into the United States credit card market and would provide financial relief from swipe fees that impact sporting goods retailers and team dealers.

The Credit Card Competition Act was reintroduced in the Senate by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Peter Welch (D-VT) and J.D. Vance (R-OH) and in the House by Representatives Lance Gooden (R-TX), Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ).

“We applaud these senators and representatives for working together to bring this important legislation back to Congress and NSGA hopes their colleagues follow suit,” said Matt Carlson, NSGA President & CEO. “The passage of this bill would be a big boost to the financial vitality of small business retailers and dealers in the sporting goods industry and their customers. Increased competition in the credit card industry would lead to innovation in the marketplace and end the domination of two companies in the United States.”

Visa and Mastercard control nearly 83 percent of the U.S. credit card market, according to the Merchants Payments Coalition, of which NSGA is a member. Unlike the debit card market, those credit card companies don’t have to compete with any other service provider for merchant business. The Credit Card Competition Act would help retailers and American consumers by requiring Visa and Mastercard compete with other networks for both merchant and bank business. A payments consulting firm estimates that introducing competitive networks will save U.S. consumers and merchants $11 billion annually.

Swipe fees for credit cards are higher in the U.S. than anywhere else in the industrialized world and more than seven times as high as in Europe. Credit and debit card swipe fees soared nearly 17 percent in 2022, costing U.S. merchants and consumers $160.7 billion, and have risen 142 percent over the previous decade, according to the Nilson Report. Swipe fees are also an inflation multiplier since they are a percentage of the transaction. Economists estimate in 2022 that swipe fees cost the average American family more than $1,000 and that number is likely higher today because of inflation.

The legislation would also introduce much-needed redundancy protection into the system because there are currently no backup networks on credit cards, so when there is an outage consumers can’t access their credit. The introduction of routing competition in the Credit Card Competition Act would ensure that consumers can access their credit cards even if a network has an outage or is hacked.

Small business retailers and dealers are calling for swipe fee reform more than any segment of the sporting goods industry because they have the narrowest profit margins and fewest resources. They are hit hardest by continued increases in swipe fees.

Check out the advocacy page of NSGA’s website at nsga.org/ current-initiatives/ to learn how to contact your representatives to support this important legislation and other NSGA advocacy activities. You can also contact Julie Pitts, NSGA Director of Public Affairs, at jpitts@nsga.org.

NSGA JOINS MERCHANTS PAYMENTS COALITION

In April 2023, the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) joined the Merchants Payments Coalition (MPC), which is a broad-based group comprised of associations and organizations representing retailers, supermarkets, restaurants, drug stores, convenience stores, gas stations, and other businesses focused on reforming the US payments system to make it more transparent and introduce a competitor into the routing system other than Visa and Mastercard.

NSGA supports the efforts of the MPC as this legislation would provide competition into a market which affects every retailer operating in America and would lower the cost of doing business for our members and their customers. For more information about the MPC, please go to https:// merchantspaymentscoalition.com/.

Bulk select the colors and sizes that you want to offer on your store.

PARTNERSHIP CAN HELP WITH POTENTIAL UPS STRIKE

COLE JOHNSON

JOINS NSGA BOARD OF

OF JOHNSON-LAMBE SPORTING GOODS

DIRECTORS

The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) filled an open spot on its Board of Directors with the appointment of Cole Johnson of Johnson-Lambe Sporting Goods in Raleigh, North Carolina. Johnson’s three-year term took effect June 1, 2023.

Johnson has filled a variety of roles in his nine years at Johnson-Lambe, which is in its fourth generation as a family owned and operated business since it opened in 1935, and is one of the most-respected independent team dealers in the United States.

“Cole is going to be a great addition to the NSGA Board and will bring a unique perspective as one of the young leaders in our industry,” said Matt Carlson, NSGA President & CEO. “Cole combines a lot of enthusiasm with a strong background in order to embrace the changes and challenges to help our members and everyone involved in our industry.”

Johnson started in retail for one year and transitioned to focus on youth team sales for a year. Since then, he has taken on operations management and high school/collegiate sales while continuing to do youth sales. He has also played roles in purchasing, IT work, human resources and vendor relations. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Appalachian State University in 2014.

“Sports and sporting goods have always been a major part of my life,” Johnson said. “Being in a family business, I’ve been putting together trophies and football helmets as far back as I can remember.

“I’ve had the privilege to grow up around some of the best men and women in this industry and the knowledge I’ve gained from them has been a guiding light through these last few difficult years.

“We are facing a rapidly changing business landscape that has created many new challenges, but also new opportunities. I look forward to working with the NSGA Board to explore these new opportunities and to help our industry grow.”

Kevin Bezanson (Cleve’s Source For Sports/Halifax, Nova Scotia), Bob Fawley (Capitol Varsity Sports/ Oxford, Ohio), Gordon Geiger (Geiger’s/Lakewood, Ohio) and Ron Rugal (B&R Sporting Goods/Shelby Township, Michigan) were also reappointed to three-year terms on the NSGA Board.

National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) and National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA) members need to prepare for potential shipping disruptions as a UPS strike looms. The current Teamsters contract expires at the end of July, and while negotiations are ongoing, it is crucial to be prepared. As of press time no agreement had been reached. You can take proactive steps by planning ahead for inventory needs. You can open a FedEx account as an alternative shipping provider and make use of the exclusive FedEx discounts available to NSGA and NSSRA members through the PartnerShip program. If you’re not signed up, you can enroll for discounts of 40% off FedEx Express and 30% off FedEx Ground and ensure the smooth delivery of your shipments.

PartnerShip said the impact of a UPS strike would disrupt the supply chain and cause delivery delays. Small businesses could be forced to seek higher-priced alternative shipping solutions. Diversifying shipping partners, planning ahead, exploring local sourcing and optimizing inventory management are among the ways to avoid disruptions if UPS did go on strike.

Members of the Teamsters union voted overwhelmingly in mid-June to strike if an agreement with UPS isn’t reached when the current contract expires July 31, according to a CBS News report. The last UPS strike was a 15-day walkout in 1997 and this would be the largest work stoppage in the United States since 1959 when 500,000 steelworkers went on strike for nearly four months.

For more information on the NSGA PartnerShip program go to nsga. org/business-solutions/.

GETTING THE FIX IN ON AN UNDERPERFORMING CATEGORY

BY RITCHIE SAYNER ADVANCED RETAIL STRATEGIES

OK,

so you dodged a few bullets in the past couple of years. Things are going reasonably well as measured by sales increases against last year with customers shopping once again.

Back to business as usual, right? Time to relax? Fuhgeddaboudit! You’ll have plenty of time to take life easy when you sell or retire. P.T Barnum once said, “comfort is the enemy of progress.” If you are too comfortable you might be tempted to stop aiming for improvement and that could be dangerous. I would suggest stepping out of your comfort zone and challenging the status quo. Reviewing your retail operation, store by store, department by department, class by class, and vendor by vendor is a wonderful starting point.

If you are like many retailers, you have most likely encountered a classification or category that at one time or another was underperforming. In this article, I will point out some things to look for that might help you identify and hopefully correct that issue. First off, the warning signs of a troubled category must be recognized. Secondly, the cause of the problem needs to be determined. Finally, a strategy needs to be developed and executed properly in order to fix the underperforming category.

SIGNS A CLASS MIGHT BE IN TROUBLE

Here are a few indicators that should set off some red flags. Things to look for are as follows:

• Sales that are trailing last year for several consecutive months for no apparent reason.

• A decrease in maintained markup.

• No significant receipts of new merchandise in the past few months.

• Excessive markdowns.

• Stock-to-sales ratios begin exceeding plan causing inventory turnover to slow.

If one or any combination of the above is happening the next step is to begin by asking questions.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

• Has anything changed in the months since sales began slumping? This could pertain to placement in the store, vendors, or even staffing to name a few.

• What are the top sellers in the classification currently?

• What are the slow sellers, how are they being identified, and what corrective action has been taken?

• How fresh and saleable is the current inventory?

• How many vendors are you currently buying from?

• Is the selection too broad?

• Are the price points right for the intended customer?

• Is there any duplication/overlap of products, styles, colors, sizes, etc.

• Are any of the products carried in this class available online (most likely) and if so, are you price competitive?

• Is the assortment plan correct for the classification?

• If a significant portion of the sales in the category are sold online, how does your current shipping policy compare to others?

• Are you suddenly competing with your vendor and if so, has this resulted in a loss in sales?

• Are your sales associates properly trained?

• If you are over-stocked compared to your merchandise plan, what can you eliminate?

• How much of the product in the class is old? Over three months? Six months? One year?

If you determine there are multiple different items contained in the slumping category, a deep dive into the subclasses will be needed to isolate the problem. You might find that there are very fast-turning items in a poorly performing class that are being overshadowed by the poor performance of the rest of the category.

Once you have discovered the problem, it’s time to create and execute a strategy.

PUTTING TOGETHER YOUR GAME PLAN

• Have someone on the staff or marketing department study the web for influencers in the area to find out what is trending in the category. This should most likely be done by age group, 30-40, 40-50, over 50, etc.

• Assign a designated staff member to oversee the category and become the resident expert. This individual will oversee presentation and advising the buyer on fast sellers that need reordering, as well as slow sellers that need stock balancing and/or markdowns.

• Create a marketing campaign to include email blasts and social media content, e.g., Instagram reels.

• If appropriate, conduct vendor-sponsored clinics to educate sales associates and customers regarding features, advantages and benefits.

• Consider sales contests for a limited time.

• Reach out to vendors for input, assistance, display ideas, advertising money, promotional merchandise and even samples for sales associates if applicable.

Once a strategy is created and agreed upon it needs to be implemented. Review your results weekly and tweak your strategy as needed to improve results.

By following the steps outlined above of 1) identifying the problem 2) determining the cause and 3) implementing and monitoring a strategy, the chances of improvement are greatly improved.

RITCHIE SAYNER

Sayner has spent the past four decades helping independent retailers improve profitability. In addition to speaking to retail groups nationwide, Sayner is a regular contributor to retail industry publications. Prior to embarking on his retail consulting career, he was the general merchandise manager for an independent department store in the Midwest. Ritchie is a graduate of the University of WisconsinLaCrosse. He is also the author of the book, “Retail RevelationsStrategies for Improving Sales, Margins, and Turnover.” He can be reached though his website at www.advancedretailstrategies.com. @RitchieSayner

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>> Conference attendees were able to catch up at the Sunday night opening reception at the W Nashville.

>> The Monday afternoon reception gave attendees the chance to unwind with great outdoor views of Nashville and local live music.

CONGRATULATIONS

2023 SPORTING GOODS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

>> Jerry Lavender, left, of Sports Specialty in Columbus, Mississippi talks with Dan Cowart of Mikasa during one of the networking breaks.

>> From left, Kade and Kevin Hennessy discuss SummerSkates with Xander Bond of Lone Star Team Sports.

>> Left to right, Aaron Karsh of Cal Pro Sports is congratulated for winning the drawing for an autographed Chargers helmet from former NFL quarterback and Monday morning keynote speaker Tom Flick with NSGA Board Chairman Pat Donnelley.

>> Don Leonard of Crown Sport Sales tests out the new Revive product from Team Dealer Summit and Speed Networking sponsor Mueller Sports Medicine during an on-site demo run by Senior VP of Sales Tim Jahnke. Behind them, Chip Burghardt of Burghardt Sporting Goods/Chipply talks with Mueller CEO Brett Mueller.

>> Four Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame inductees were honored at this year’s ceremony. From left to right, the Class of 2022’s Bill Hunt (CHAMPRO) and the Class of 2023’s Kent McKeaigg (OrderMyGear), Tom Keen representing his late father Jim Keen (Cliff Keen Athletic) and Jeff Lynn (Dunham’s Sports).

>> Speed Networking provided an opportunity for great conversations. From left, hockey dealers Allen Van Valkenburg (Rinkside Sports) and Ron Rugal (B&R Sporting Goods) listen during a discussion with alphabroder’s Leigh Joseph and John Lavelle.

>> The chance to recognize industry icons at the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony is always a great finish to the Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit.

>> From left, Mike Stewart, Brian Pepper and Chris Wilde of Game One check out shoulder pads and helmets during a Speed Networking session with Certor Sports.

FRANKLIN’S ADVICE GOOD AS GOLD

BY MARTY MACIASZEK NSGA DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Missy Franklin wasn’t spoiled by winning four Olympic swimming gold medals in 2012. Apparently others were for a return Olympic trip that wasn’t quite as sweet in 2016 for Franklin. She came home with another gold medal and a lot of mental baggage from trying to meet great expectations.

It’s all part of an eventful trip that Franklin shared in an energetic and impactful Q&A with Cap America’s Grace Schettler in Tuesday’s closing session, “Relentless Spirit: Staying Afloat Through Life’s Ups and Downs,” at the Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit in Nashville.

“The ultimate goal is sports gave me a platform to make a difference, to change, to inspire and to motivate,” Franklin said. “In general I’m a very vulnerable person. I’m so thankful of the journey because the importance of mental health is such a prominent issue. It’s something we can all relate to and we’ve all had different journeys the last three years.

“(The Olympics in) 2012 was a dream. I was very naive and just genuinely having fun. All of a sudden there was a shift and people were expecting more and I expected more of myself. That was a pretty high bar to set. I started listening to outside expectations and for the first time I started swimming out of fear of disappointing people. Now it was my actual job – swimming professionally with sponsor deals and contracts riding on my performance.”

Franklin struggled to find the balance, albeit in a different way, many people are also seeking. She had so many aspects of her life to constantly juggle and unrealistic expectations to try and meet. Someone from the media asked her, “Where’s the real Missy?”

It all boiled over for Franklin at a place she dreamed of and worked so hard to reach.

“When I came to Rio I lost it all. It was 110 percent all about swimming and that’s where my mental health took a nosedive,” Franklin said. “I was feeling expectations from the outside world and I go to Rio depressed, anxious and struggling with an eating disorder. I was listening to those things for the first time.

“I called my parents the day before crying harder than I ever have before. My dad said over and over, ‘Honey it’s just a swim meet. It’s just a swim meet.’ I did the best I could with winning one gold medal.”

An Olympic career with five gold medals wasn’t bad considering her family didn’t have a swimming background. Franklin’s mom never learned how to swim but made sure Missy got a head start in the water when she was 6 months old.

“Not learning how to swim is usually passed down generationally,” Franklin said. “I’m happy my mom defied that statistic.”

Franklin said her parents were her biggest supporters and best friends. They put her in different sports but it was evident there was something special when she hit the pool.

She qualified for her first Olympic trials at age 12 in 2008 and suddenly found herself on the same pool deck as Olympic legends Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin. Franklin wasn’t expecting to qualify for the team and on the drive back to Denver from Omaha, Nebraska she told her parents she wanted to get to London in 2012.

“My parents looked at me and said, ‘Great, what can we do to help,’” Franklin said. “Pretty much everything I accomplished is because of them. Winning my first gold medal – that was the moment for me. I wanted to put the medal on them because that’s who it deserved to go to.

“When you set a lofty goal for yourself, whether it’s swimming or sales and marketing, it’s incredible. Going to London and qualifying for my first Olympics as a junior in high school at 17 in seven events, I was very intimidated by that. (Legendary Jamaican sprinter) Usain Bolt came in the dining area and got a standing ovation. What I love so much about the Olympics is it brings people together.”

But those upbeat feelings didn’t last long even in her home state of Colorado. She was a junior in high school during the 2012 Games and planned to come back for her fourth and final year for her school’s swim team. Not everyone was thrilled.

“That was the first time I got to experience negativity and disdain of people and people thought I wasn’t going to give someone else a chance,” she said. “I would never do it to take anything away from anyone. I was doing it to give to my team. That was my first experience and lesson that you can’t please everyone all the time.

“I wanted to experience that season with my friends and I got a lot of people lashing back for my decision. We didn’t even win – we got second. But to have that time together and go to Red Robin after is why I did it.”

And then she had to deal with the heartbreaking reality of retiring from swimming at 23. She wanted to go to three or four Olympics and become the most decorated female athlete of all time. But a balky shoulder that would have required another surgery didn’t cooperate.

Now, Franklin is looking forward to teaming with her husband and former swimmer Hayes Johnson on raising their daughter Sarah Caitlin, who turns 2 in August.

Franklin feels blessed that her father Dick, who played in the Canadian Football League, will also be able to spend time with them after receiving a kidney transplant last year thanks to a match with two-time 1992 Olympic gold medal swimmer Crissy Perham.

Missy Franklin believes her journey helped her to handle all these challenges. She plans to make sure her daughter understands the good and bad is part of life.

“The last thing we want to do is to raise her (daughter) to think she has to be perfect,” Franklin said. “We’ll raise her to be a human and to fail beautifully and let her know the tools she has from me and my husband and her friends.

“As a culture we need to show more of our failures and mistakes and let people know this is going to happen. You’re going to fail but this doesn’t define you. The year after Rio was so hard. I was constantly asking myself the ‘why’ question. Before that I had only known success in the pool, but as hard as it was, I wouldn’t change a thing about it.”

>> Olympic swimmer Missy Franklin, center, with the team from OrderMyGear.

MARCUS WHITNEY’S FIGHT TO EMBRACE FAILURE

BY MARTY MACIASZEK NSGA DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Marcus Whitney was not afraid to spotlight one of his most vulnerable moments.

Whitney is a successful entrepreneur and the co-founder of Nashville’s Major League Soccer team. He started his Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit presentation, “There is No Innovation Without Failure,” with a video of him in a jiu-jitsu match. It was not a triumphant moment for him last summer.

“We forget discomfort is critical to advancing things,” Whitney said. “So, I lost.

It’s a journey of me doing something very, very uncomfortable, failing at it and what it’s like to learn something new at 46–47 years old.”

Fast forward to the end of his presentation and another video of Whitney participating in the predominantly ground-based martial art. This one had a triumphant ending with a world Masters’ title as a 13th-seed and Whitney said it was forged from his previous defeat.

“I remember how I felt I this moment, looking at him and knowing it was time to tap. Knowing he had me,”

Whitney said of having to accept the earlier defeat. “This was the death of me being scared to be on that mat and the birth of me who walked on that mat and died with honor. Had I not gone through that I don’t think this would have been possible. I literally credit that loss with this win because it’s the fundamental part of ‘The Hero’s Journey.’”

“The Hero’s Journey” was written by Joseph Campbell and Whitney shared parts of it with the audience. Whitney said “we all want to be heroes but we don’t want to experience death. No failure for me, thank you.”

Whitney focused on three areas in his presentation:

• Pray For Constraints and Clarity

• Cast a Dream Beyond Your Comfort

• Be Courageous and Classy

PRAY FOR CONSTRAINTS AND CLARITY

Whitney grew up in what he called a diverse utopia of friendships in Brooklyn, New York. He went to the University of Virginia but dropped out and spent nearly six years in Atlanta trying to support his wife and two kids as a waiter. His move to Nashville on Labor Day 2000 was a life-changer.

He followed a suggestion to visit Nashville’s Cummins Station where all the tech companies were located. Whitney said he applied to 20 and was rejected by 19. But the one that accepted started him on his journey to founding Jumpstart Health Investors and going from $1 million raised in 2015 to $120 million in capital through 2022.

“We’re not who we see ourselves to be in the future,” Whitney said. “We are who we need to be. I was lucky to be raised to be a good person who could navigate adversity and be friends with just about anybody I wanted to be friends with. The difficulties the world presents are often a blessing and it may force us to do things we find difficult and that may not be the most pleasurable things.”

CAST A DREAM BEYOND YOUR COMFORT

In 2012, Nashville lost its soccer team when the Metros folded after more than 20 years. Whitney and a group of friends dreamed of bringing soccer back to the city and formed Nashville FC, which led to a succession of lower-tier franchises coming to town.

Nashville was initially 14th on the list of 14 potential cities for a Major League Soccer expansion team, according to Whitney.

MLS wound up selecting Nashville in December 2017 and the franchise began play in 2020. As of June 20 this season, Nashville SC ranked fourth of 29 teams in the league in average attendance at more than 28,000 per game.

“It happened in less than 10 years and it started from a tweet,” Whitney said. “You must cast a dream beyond your comfort level. If you don’t stretch for anything you can’t possibly achieve the unattainable.”

BE COURAGEOUS AND CLASSY

Whitney was excited with how Jumpstart Health Investors was going in early 2020 as the first Black health-care venture fund in America. Then COVID hit in March 2020 and he said he was having meetings with President Trump and his administration on personal protective equipment (PPE).

Then came the death of George Floyd while he was in custody of the Minneapolis police in May 25. The moment led Whitney to write a letter to Nashville’s healthcare leaders and implored them to do something about systemic racism in the city’s healthcare industry.

Whitney said the most important line in the letter that went public was, “I’m calling you up. I’m not calling you out.” After a few hours of silence, he started getting texts and calls from people within the healthcare community. That led to an extension of what he was already doing with Jumpstart Nova, which has raised $55 million for investments in promising Black-led healthcare companies providing services and care for all Americans.

“I wanted to acknowledge the power they have in this moment to change the world,” Whitney said.

It was another moment where Whitney didn’t fear failure. He brought it all back to the initial jiu-jitsu loss and eventual triumph.

“You need to make friends with failure because it’s inevitable,” he said. “There will be the abyss and there will be the death. You cannot have the rebirth without death. You cannot have the innovation without failure.

“What were we taught in school? Never fail. Get a 4.0 (grade point average). How useful is that in life? You’re laughing because you know that’s not useful at all. If you’re not failing, you’re not doing anything hard.”

>> Marcus Whitney, left, talks with SV Sports CEO John Scipio.

HR CAN HELP CREATE GREAT CULTURE TO ATTRACT, RETAIN TALENT

BY TOM VAN JACOBS NSGA MARKETING COORDINATOR

Mindy Flanigan, a human resources expert and the founder of Inspiring HR, spoke during the Tuesday morning session at this year’s Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit in Nashville to change those perceptions of HR. Flanigan wanted to make HR simple and illustrate how to create a culture that will attract and retain employees. There isn’t one simple fix when it comes to creating a successful culture. Culture is the brand, personality and how you make others feel both internally and externally. HR is the glue to keep the infrastructure together, which in turn allows your company to develop a culture where employees want to come to work. Flanigan simplified four factors of HR in her presentation:

• Labor Law/Compliance

• Compensation/Benefits

• Hiring

• Burnout/Stress in the Workplace

LABOR LAW/COMPLIANCE

Flanigan started with a refresher course in labor law and she emphasized “compliance equals credibility.”

Compliance is about minimizing risk, staying informed, preserving credibility and not incurring unnecessary expenses. Employee handbooks are important to have for compliance, but Flanigan strongly encourages creating the handbook through the lens of the employee and not having it written by lawyers, because this will allow employees to understand it better. Your frontline leaders are your best resource when it comes to training and teaching your staff the employee handbook.

COMPENSATION/BENEFITS

Money is not the ONLY thing employees want. Compensation and benefits are necessary to an employee but more important is a sense of purpose. When creating a strategy for your compensation and benefits, make sure it aligns with your values and culture and be intentional about it. Start with your budget and then use resources around you to create the perfect compensation and benefits program.

One major resource is your employees. Ask them to list four or five big things they find important and think about how those can fit into your program. Also, the wellness and flexibility your employees have are benefits, so make sure to put effort into making sure your employees feel supported and heard.

HIRING

Hiring is a sport and in our world today we have a declining population but more jobs to fill. Flanigan calls for employers to win the talent war but today’s hiring environment is different from the past.

Culture and the ability to keep employees engaged in their work is particularly important when it comes to hiring and retention and companies should leverage that as a competitive advantage. Flanigan said you need to get the right people in the right seats and that comes with hiring slow and trusting your process of what is needed for the position.

Candidates expect more in today’s job search. Instead of using cookie-cutter

job descriptions, describe what makes your company a uniquely desirable place to work. Also, Flanigan stressed that when searching for the right people, look at skills and abilities and not just experience/education in the sporting goods industry.

Once you hire the right people it is just as important to retain them. Create an onboarding program where a new employee feels comfortable.

BURNOUT/STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE

Burnout and stress are major factors that cause an employee to leave or “silent quit.” Flanigan mentioned how less than 1 in 4 U.S. employees feel strongly that their employer cares about their well-being (Gallup report). Less hours, more paid time off and higher pay would help anyone with their stress and burnout, but it is not a long-term fix.

Flanigan stressed that leaders need to have empathy and listen to their employees and create a sense of meaning/purpose for working at their company. Small changes such as these make for big differences in the workplace and the culture for employees.

“Human Resource (HR) management is too complex.”

“HR destroys the workplace culture.”

>> HR expert Mindy Flanigan gave attendees some best practices for retaining and attracting talent for their organizations.

PROUD SPONSOR OF

Baden builds the tools you need to perform at your best, making sure you have the top quality performance you need to stay in the game.

Since 1979, we've believed that the equipment we make belongs to the athlete. That's why we do things di erently — from our manufacturing process, to the materials we use, to our relationship with the athletes who depend on us, we're dedicated to making a better ball.

Interested in becoming a 2024 supporter and highlighting your company's product? For more information, please contact Hayley Fansler, Business Development Manager, at hfansler@nsga.org or 224-220-1511.

The 2023 NSGA Product Guide gave this year's Conference & Summit supporters the opportunity to highlight a product for team dealer and retailer attendees.

Thank You to our Conference Supporters*

DO MORE THAN RECOVER, REVIVE !

How do you choose the best Compression System for your athletes?

When looking at the many pneumatic compression systems available on the market, from the outside it is easy to view them as similar products. However, it is important to understand the science behind the technology because the differences in product offerings can significantly impact your athletes’ circulatory and lymphatic systems.

How do you choose the best Compression System for your athletes?

When looking at the many pneumatic compression systems available on the market, from the outside it is easy to view them as similar products. However, it is important to understand the science behind the technology because the differences in product offerings can significantly impact your athletes’ circulatory and lymphatic systems.

What does the science say? Why is pressure the key?

Accurate control of pressure within each chamber must be maintained to effectively enhance fluid transportation from distal to proximal within the extremities, which is a feature that most systems lack.

What does the science say? Why is pressure the key?

Accurate control of pressure within each chamber must be maintained to effectively enhance fluid transportation from distal to proximal within the extremities, which is a feature that most systems lack.

Research points to a pressure range of 50-70mmHg for optimal effect on the circulatory system. Pressures over 100mmHg can start restricting blood flow causing a dangerous tourniquet-like effect.

Research points to a pressure range of 50-70mmHg for optimal effect on the circulatory system. Pressures over 100mmHg can start restricting blood flow causing a dangerous tourniquet-like effect.

The lymphatic system is also affected by pneumatic compression and needs refined levels of compression. For example, lymphatic massage only requires very light compression to stimulate this system to effectively remove cellular waste, reduce inflammation, and improve immune function.

The lymphatic system is also affected by pneumatic compression and needs refined levels of compression. For example, lymphatic massage only requires very light compression to stimulate this system to effectively remove cellular waste, reduce inflammation, and improve immune function.

How is Mueller RecoveryCare REVIVE™ therapy different? What is the effect?

The Mueller RecoveryCare REVIVE™ system comes from a manufacturer with over 40 years of experience in the medical market backed by peer-reviewed research. This research determined the importance to deliver precise compression to each chamber with a gradient drop that enables optimal lymphatic uptake.

How is Mueller RecoveryCare REVIVE™ therapy different? What is the effect?

The Mueller RecoveryCare REVIVE™ system comes from a manufacturer with over 40 years of experience in the medical market backed by peer-reviewed research. This research determined the importance to deliver precise compression to each chamber with a gradient drop that enables optimal lymphatic uptake.

Additionally, the frequency of compression cycles to drive circulation is essential to produce more flushes resulting in more recovery. Competitor cycles last up to 5 minutes while the REVIVE™ cycles approximately once per minute. In addition, our quick full release of pressure after each cycle stimulates the lymphatic system to move more cellular waste.

Additionally, the frequency of compression cycles to drive circulation is essential to produce more flushes resulting in more recovery. Competitor cycles last up to 5 minutes while the REVIVE™ cycles approximately once per minute. In addition, our quick full release of pressure after each cycle stimulates the lymphatic system to move more cellular waste.

Garments are not just for show, but the key to Compression Therapy

M4 CONSOLE

Garments are not just for show, but the key to Compression Therapy

Garment design and construction is critical to how compression therapy is effectively

Garment design and construction is critical to how compression therapy is effectively delivered. REVIVE™ garments are designed with a single smooth and durable interior surface for easy cleaning. Each garment delivers graduated compression with no gaps due to a 30% overlapping structure of the internal chambers. Other products have chambers that do not fully wrap around the limb causing a painful squeeze, and lack of overlapping structures create breaks in compression resulting in discomfort and less effective treatment.

Practical Use and “Feel the Difference” Challenge

REVIVE™ is backed by science, delivering the most effective and efficient therapy with garments engineered for optimal compression delivery. This results in increasing venous return and activating the lymphatic system, therefore boosting recovery, and optimizing performance.

REVIVE™ is a compact and portable system, with an 8+ hour battery life, a modality used for a variety of applications - traveling, pre and post activity, rehab and many more.

WHAT EFFECT WILL THE WORLD CUP HAVE ON FEMALE SOCCER PARTICIPATION?

BY NICK RIGITANO NSGA DIRECTOR OF INSIGHTS AND ANALYSIS

The upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup and the success of the US Women’s National Team during the 2019 event will likely provide a surplus of media headlines placing women’s soccer at the forefront of summer news coverage. Although the buzz and excitement of the World Cup is terrific exposure for the sport and has the potential to lead to short-term participation growth, more work needs to be done to overcome the obstacles preventing the longer-term, more sustainable growth that would benefit all stakeholders in the sport.

When looking at female soccer participation numbers from previous years, during and after World Cup years since the first Women’s World Cup in 1991 (figure 1), it is difficult to find trends that support an increase in participation due to the success/media coverage of

the US women’s national team during World Cup years. In most cases, female participation during World Cup years decreased compared to the prior year and 2011 marked the only year in which participation increased substantially during a World Cup year.

The data indicates in some instances, participation increased during the year following the World Cup. It is interesting to note that the subsequent years have been Summer Olympic years, which also provide added exposure to the sport, leading to the thought that perhaps the spotlight from both events could be responsible for temporary gains in participation. However, this theory did not hold true in the most recent World Cup and Olympic years of 2015–2016 and 2019–2021, indicating there are likely numerous additional forces at play in addition to these events.

In the end, there are simply too many variables which affect participation, including individuals’ level of interest in the sport, amount of free time available, affordability of participation and increased dedication to other sports to determine causality.

DATA DRIVES DECISIONS!

NSGA has the latest participation data available to you with the 2023 edition of the Sports Participation in the US report. Get the information you need on the trends for 56 sports and activities!

Make sure you check out NSGA’s other valuable research reports on shopper behaviors, ratings of brands and manufacturers and insights into retailing.

SCAN QR to visit our website at nsga.org/ research/ today!

The wave of excitement created by the World Cup this summer and the media coverage accompanied with it represents an opportunity for the industry to convert some of this exposure to participation, particularly through the remainder of this year and next with the Summer Olympics scheduled in 2024.

Next year’s NSGA participation study will shed light on the number of participants who played soccer for the first time during 2023. It will be interesting to see if there is an uptick in first-time participation, some of which could be attributed to the exposure from this year’s World Cup.

In the meantime, in effort to maintain growth, the industry must address the obstacles that hinder participation including (but not limited to) lack of time/ being too busy, lack of interest, cost of participation, access to leagues/ equipment/fields and specialization in other sports.

The exposure the World Cup will provide for soccer offers great opportunity. Making the leap from exposure to sustained participation growth represents the challenge. Minimizing barriers to participation, whether real or perceived, will be the key. It will take an industry-wide effort, but the benefits of sustained participation in soccer will prove fruitful for all involved.

CHANGES and DRIVERS for TEAM, INDIVIDUAL and WHEEL SPORTS PARTICIPATION WHEEL

BY NICK RIGITANO NSGA DIRECTOR OF INSIGHTS AND ANALYSIS IN 2022

The 2023 edition of NSGA’s Sports Participation in the US report revealed increases for many of the sports within the team, individual and wheel sports segments, which are key areas for many sporting goods retailers, dealers and manufacturers.

Based on NSGA’s Total Participation Points (TPP) measure, the team segment experienced a slight increase in 2022 (+1.2%) compared to the prior year while the individual and wheel segments enjoyed larger increases of 7.2 percent and 4.2 percent respectively. TPPs offer a more complete view of participation because both the number of people participating in each sport segment (reach) and the number of sports each person is participating in (depth) are taken into account.

The perceptual map in Figure 1 illustrates the changes and drivers behind the segment increases. The y-axis indicates the overall percentage increase/decrease in youth team sports (ages 7-17) while the x-axis indicates the degree to which the increase/ decrease was driven by youth male or female participation.

To put things in perspective, ice hockey saw a 22% increase in youth participation and the changes in male vs. female participation were nearly split down the

middle which is why the hockey puck icon is toward the top of the map but located very close to the y-axis. Softball, however, is located in the bottom right quadrant as the sport experienced a 10% decrease in youth participation, which was due to a decrease in male participation. This shouldn’t be too concerning to softball retailers, team dealers and manufacturers, however, as female participation, which accounted for more than 80 percent of youth softball participation in 2022, remained flat.

Besides ice hockey, two team sports experiencing the highest increases among youth in 2022 were cheerleading (+29%) and volleyball (+17%), which were driven by increases in female participation. The increases were welcome sights for both sports as youth volleyball surged back to pre-COVID levels while cheerleading fell just short of its pre-COVID mark. Increased participation among females also drove the gains seen by basketball, flag football and soccer. Males, on the other hand, drove the slight increases in youth tackle football and lacrosse. Baseball and touch football remained relatively flat among youth, only decreasing by 0.5 percent and 0.3 percent respectively.

Figure 2 illustrates the overall changes seen within the individual and wheel sports segments by gender. For the seventh consecutive year, pickleball (+79%) led these two segments in growth after the sport nearly doubled its participation compared to the previous year. Gains were split evenly between males and females. Strong years for female participation drove the increases for six of the remaining sports, led by in-line roller blading (+13%), which experienced its first increase in overall participation since 2020.

Gains in female participation outpaced the gains by males for mountain biking (off road), bicycle riding and bowling,

while increases among females helped offset decreases in male participation for gymnastics and ice/figure skating. On the opposite side of the map, male participation increases outpaced the female increases seen in swimming (+6%), golf (+4%), and tennis (+3%). Skateboarding (-3%) was the only activity among these segments to experience a decrease in participation during 2022.

It was a solid year for the majority of team, individual and wheel sports in 2022. The challenge now will be to keep encouraging participation in these segments to build on this momentum and sustain growth. Using demographic data and tools such as perceptual maps can help us identify areas to target across the sports landscape. For more information on the report please visit www.nsga.org/research.

UNIFORM, APPAREL CHANGES IN HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

High school basketball player uniforms and apparel for boys and girls were among two rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) for the 2023–24 season.

Rule 3-4-5 clarifies that multiple styles of uniform bottoms may be worn by teammates, but they must all be like-colored and adhere to uniform rules outlined in Rule 3-6-2 regarding logos and trademarks.

“Multiple styles” is referencing the option for players to wear skirts, pants, shorts, etc., and allows for religious or even personal accommodations without having to request permission, accord ing to Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS Director of Sports and liaison to the Basketball Rules Committee. Rule 3-6-2 requires all logos/trademarks must be limited to 2-1/4 square inches and shall not exceed 2-1/4 inches in any dimension on any item.

Rule 3-5-6 addresses undershirts and allows teams to wear a single solid color or solid black for visiting teams with dark jerseys. This provides an opportunity for schools with hard-to-find colors to have all players wear a black undershirt. The biggest on-court change next year will have teams shoot two free throws for common fouls when in the “bonus.” This change to Rule 4-8-1 eliminates the one-and-one scenario and sets new foul limits each quarter for awarding the bonus free throw.

In addition to awarding two free throws for all common fouls, teams will reach the bonus when their opponent commits five fouls in each quarter and team fouls will reset at the end of each quarter.

Previously, teams were awarded the one-and-one bonus when their opponents committed seven fouls in a half and two free throws when 10 fouls were committed each half.

USA LACROSSE ISSUES

an existing legal women’s head such that the task group can determine there are no innovations in the geometry of the head: the file should be inclusive of the bottom rail angle from sweet spot to scoop tip, inclusive of the plastic lines and the shooting string hole placement as well as documentation both from the side and above to show all dimensions of the head.

Please note the following:

Protrusions on the front sidewall are prohibited. Any other unprecedented protrusions and/or sharp points will require a physical prototype of the head for review by the task force.

The task force reserves the right to review with the lab any notches on the sidewall that are potentially used to circumvent the intent of the current specifications.

process to review potential new women’s lacrosse stick heads for approval. The objective of the interim process is to work directly with equipment manufacturers to review products in a collaborative, professional and timely manner and to avoid disruption to manufacturers and consumers.

The ultimate objective of USA Lacrosse, along with equipment manufacturers, technology and scientific subject matter experts, aims to develop an ASTM performance standard for women’s lacrosse sticks. USA Lacrosse’s goal is to have a draft standard for review at the November 2023 ASTM meeting. USA Lacrosse has put together a task force to assist in the interim review process.

Manufacturers shall submit to USA Lacrosse staff a passing lab report, along with:

An Engineering Drawing file that shows the proposed model as an overlay of

All materials will be shared with the task group and a unanimous vote will be required for sticks to be certified and legal for play. No less than two (2) weeks should be allowed for review upon submission. If additional data or supporting documentation is needed, a member of the task group will notify the industry contact. USA Lacrosse understands the information received is proprietary by nature and therefore acknowledges all materials submitted are for internal review only and are confidential.

The NCAA proposed two women’s lacrosse rule changes for 2023–24 impacting protective gear and footwear. One clarifies that lacrosse-specific ND200 close-fitting padded compression shirts can be worn underneath players’ jerseys to protect against commotio cordis. In the other, shoes could have soles containing aluminum, leather, rubber, nylon or plastic cleats, studs or bars, whether molded as part of the sole or detachable, if the official does not consider them dangerous. The proposals will be voted on July 19.

Continued on page 48

Continued from page 47

NCAA APPROVES BASKETBALL UNIFORM NUMBER CHANGE

Changes to basketball jerseys, including expanded use of numbers, were approved for NCAA men’s and women’s basketball with the start of the 2023–24 season. Additional uniform options, including identifying names of the institution, more space will be allowed for logos on the jersey front and numbers 0 or 00 through 99 will be permitted in NCAA men’s and women’s basketball. Religious headwear can be worn by players without a waiver of the playing rule provided it is safe for competition. Amber lights on the shot clock and/ or an amber strip at the top of the backboard only to signal the end of a shot-clock period will be permitted but not required. This will address games played in facilities with this equipment and provide another visual tool for officials to recognize when a shot-clock violation has occurred.

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING RULES CHANGES

An alteration to the wrestler’s uniform and appearance and the trim allowable on the shoes of officials were among the revisions approved by the NFHS Board of Directors for the 2023–24 season.

In Rule 4 regarding the wrestler’s uniform and appearance, language was altered in Rule 4-1-1a to denote that the one-piece singlet may be worn with full-length, form-fitted tights. The stirrups requirement was deleted because the tights worn by wrestlers today do not ride up the wrestler’s leg causing a disadvantage to the opponent. A revision to Rule 3-1-1 will permit white or gray trim on the referee’s shoes.

CORPORATE

CAP AMERICA PROMOTES SCHETTLER TO SENIOR VP OF SALES

Her drive and dedication to continuing to grow and expand the Cap America brand are unparalleled. This promotion could not come at a more opportune time; I’m excited to see where Grace leads us.”

Schettler earned a degree in public relations at Middle Tennessee State University and worked as a national sales manager at Boxercraft, where she initially gained her knowledge of the team market. Schettler conducted the interview with Olympic Gold Medalwinning swimmer Missy Franklin on May 23 at the NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit. Cap America is a Silver Supporter of the NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit.

Cap America promoted Grace Schettler to senior vice president of sales. Schettler, an industry veteran and award-winning salesperson, joined the Cap America team as director of sales in 2017. Schettler was instrumental in the implementation of Cap America’s sporting goods division and the launch of the company’s CA Premium Line.

In 2021, Schettler was promoted to vice president of sales, the first female to hold that position in company history. Within that role, she was responsible for establishing and developing territories, analyzing market statistics and evaluating the Cap America sales division. As senior vice president of sales, Schettler will continue to work alongside the rest of the Cap America leadership team to implement strategies to ensure that the company continues to experience the accelerated growth it has seen in recent years.

Schettler will report to Cap America CEO Mark Gammon, who said, “Under Grace’s leadership, the Cap America sales team has witnessed exponential growth. It is no coincidence that the company itself has experienced several record-breaking years during her tenure.

ORDERMYGEAR EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH SPORTS, INC.

OrderMyGear teamed up with Sports, Inc. in a multi-year, renewed partnership as the official technology provider of the sporting goods buying group. Under this agreement, OMG maintains the title of Sports, Inc.’s preferred provider of online team stores and group ordering for members, offering a seamless platform to streamline team gear ordering processes. This extended collaboration will enable team dealers within the Sports, Inc., network to leverage OMG’s cutting-edge technology and empower them to expand their digital presence and provide unparalleled convenience to their customers.

“We have been collaborating closely with Sports, Inc., and its member dealers for almost 20 years. I am thrilled to extend our formal partnership as Sports Inc.’s preferred technology partner through 2025,” said Matt Kaplan, President of OrderMyGear. “OrderMyGear and Sports, Inc., share a common vision for the future of sporting goods, and we are

ecstatic to work together to transform the way Team Dealers sell to teams and groups. We aim to make the process effortless and convenient for dealers and their customers.”

OrderMyGear is a longtime member and platinum supporter of the National Sporting Goods Association and Sports, Inc., is a longtime member of NSGA.

STAHLS’ DEBUTS HEAT PRESS TRANSFORMATION VIDEO SERIES WITH KAMPUS KLOTHES

GARED, PERFORMANCE SPORTS SYSTEMS FORM NEW BRAND

REI RE-ENTERS RUNNING SHOE MARKET

STAHLS’ recently debuted a new Heat Press Transformation video series featuring Marshall Atkinson that is designed to increase the efficiency of apparel decorators across the country. Atkinson and STAHLS’ visited Kampus Klothes, a 39-year-old print shop in Ivyland, Pennsylvania.

Atkinson is the owner of Atkinson Consulting, with 30+ years of industry experience, and is also the co-founder of Shirt Lab, which is dedicated to elevating apparel decoration with sales, marketing and operational experience. His coaching expertise and shop improvement ideas provide perspective for decorators to increase productivity.

In the STAHLS & Transfer Express video series, Atkinson evaluates every aspect of running a successful decorated apparel business, including hands-on work with the sales department, production, artwork team, and managerial staff. You can see more on the visit to Kampus Klothes to see valuable industry insight as Marshall provides them feedback and solutions to increase efficiency and streamline success.

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

GARED and Performance Sports Systems (PSS) joined together to better serve the sporting goods and new construction markets as Gared Performance Sports Systems. Both companies were part of Gared Holdings, LLC. The two brands have nearly 200 years of experience in the industry. GARED celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022 and PSS has been in business for more than 90 years.

Gared Performance Sports Systems will combine its two maintenance and safety programs for its customers and introduced its new Orange Zone Maintenance & Service Program. This program gives the Gared PSS certified dealers and installers the comprehensive training needed to perform inspections and maintenance on installed equipment, with two levels of service to meet any facility’s needs.

GARED is a longtime supporter and member of the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA).

NIKE MAKES SENIOR LEADERSHIP CHANGES

Nike announced senior leadership changes with Heidi O’Neill becoming President, Consumer, Product & Brand, NIKE, Inc., and Craig Williams becoming President, Geographies & Marketplace, NIKE, Inc. Matthew Friend, EVP & Chief Financial Officer, NIKE, Inc., will expand his responsibilities to include Procurement, Global Places & Services and Demand and Supply Management.

REI Co-op introduced its first foray into running shoes since the 1970s, with the introduction of the REI Co-op Swiftland Multi-terrain (Swiftland MT), which the company said is based on years of gear designing, experience, customer feedback and industry leading sustainability insights. This versatile trail runner maximizes recycled and biobased materials without compromising technical expectations, while giving runners freedom to take their adventures over multiple surfaces beyond the pavement.

REI is a long-time member of the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) and the National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA).

NAIA, REBEL ATHLETIC PARTNER ON CHEER, DANCE APPAREL

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) partnered with Rebel Athletic as its ‘Official Cheer & Dance Apparel Provider” through mid-March of 2025. Rebel Athletic, founded in 2013, will become a strategic partner for the NAIA to ensure its members find the best apparel for its cheer and dance squads that will give each team an edge in competition at an affordable price.

Rebel Athletic is one of several companies that have embraced the NAIA’s vision of putting both competitive cheerleading and competitive dance at the forefront of its championship sport offerings.

Continued on page 50

Continued from page 49

ACADEMY SPORTS’ CHANGES PART OF SUCCESSION PLAN

Academy Sports and Outdoors’ planned succession process, with the following changes to Academy’s executive leadership team, took effect June 1.

• Ken C. Hicks, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), transitioned from President and CEO to Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors.

• Steven (Steve) P. Lawrence, Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Merchandising Officer (CMO), became CEO and a member of the Board of Directors. Lawrence will continue to serve as CMO until a successor is selected and duly appointed.

• Michael P. Mullican, EVP and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), became President and will continue to serve as CFO until a successor is selected and duly appointed.

• Samuel (Sam) J. Johnson, EVP, Retail Operations, assumed additional responsibilities for the real estate, construction and store design functions.

As Executive Chairman, Hicks will remain involved at Academy, continuing to lead the Board of Directors and serving as a partner to Lawrence to support the execution of Academy’s recently announced long-range strategic plan. Hicks will also work closely with Lawrence to ensure a smooth leadership transition. Hicks served as Academy’s Chairman, President and CEO since May 2018 and on its Board since May 2017. Prior to joining Academy, he held senior positions at Foot Locker, J.C. Penney, Payless ShoeSource, Home Shopping Network, May Department Stores Company, and McKinsey & Company.

Lawrence is the seventh CEO in Academy’s 85-year history. He joined Academy in February 2019 and has been serving as EVP & CMO with responsibility for the buying, merchandising, planning & allocation (MP&A), private brand, marketing & advertising, communications, and community relations functions.

RANDALL NEW SUPERFEET CEO

Superfeet hired Trip Randall as its new CEO. With a wealth of domestic and international footwear industry experience, coupled with his people-first leadership approach, Randall is poised to lead Superfeet into a promising future, driving growth, innovation and continued success.

“Hearing stories of how Superfeet has changed the lives of users by elevating performance levels, assisting with daily pain management and even simply helping people get through the workday is truly inspiring,” Randall said. “A common thread for me with companies I admire most is that they have a deep set of values, incredible team spirit and a loyal passionate fanbase. Superfeet has all three and I am excited to be part of accelerating the trajectory of growing Superfeet’s loyal customer base worldwide.”

Randall’s experience in the footwear market stems from more than 23 years working across a diverse range of positions at Nike, including vice president and general manager of Nike Running in North America, global vice president and general manager of Nike.com and vice president of Global Sales and Marketplace for Nike Kids.

WINMARK/PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS PARTNERS WITH CCM

Winmark Corporation, the parent company of Play It Again Sports, entered a partnership with CCM. With a shared commitment to sustainability, Winmark became the Official Resale Partner of CCM, working to advance circularity in hockey sports equipment through Winmark’s network of more than 280 Play It Again Sports franchised locations in North America. The partnership offers customers the opportunity to extend the life of their used hockey equipment and contribute to a more sustainable future.

As the Premier Sustainability Partner of Winmark & Play It Again Sports, CCM will be the presenting sponsors of one Hockey equipment “Sponsored Buy Drive” per year, and will jointly share posts related to Earth Day, National Recycling Day and America Recycles promotions across social media platforms. Both companies are excited about the partnership and are committed to making a positive impact on the environment and communities they serve.

Winmark/Play It Again Sports is a member of NSGA and CCM Hockey is a member of NSGA’s Hockey Dealers Association division.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT NOW

GIVE ME 5 WITH PHILLIP HOWARD

Owner, TROY’S SKI LUBBOCK | Lubbock, Texas

1

AN OIL CHANGE LEADS TO CAREER CHANGE

In June 2003, while getting my oil changed, I noticed a classified ad listing in the local newspaper for Troy’s Ski Apparel; the original owner was retiring and was selling his shop. I had only skied a handful of times but working only 5 months a year sounded like a pretty good gig, so I bought the shop.

I quickly found out this career is a 16-month-a-year commitment. I quickly fell in love with owning my own business and really enjoyed being part of the snow sports industry. In 2012 I purchased the other shop in town, Ski Lubbock, and merged the two stores together. “Officially” we are known as “Troy’s Ski Lubbock,” but we refer to ourselves as Ski Lubbock.

2

DIFFERENTIATING FROM THE COMPETITION

We are different from a lot of specialty stores because we do not focus on just the higher end of the market. Although we have a large customer base of avid “every year” type skiers, we also have a large percentage of “never ever” skiers who need extra guidance and confirmation that you probably don’t need that $200 goggle on your first trip, so let’s take a look at some of the basics, because you can always upgrade later once you fall in love with the sport.

We have a close relationship with our local ski club and various student groups at Texas Tech. We recently learned of a non-profit organization that needed our assistance, well actually we needed their assistance. My mother-in-law was diagnosed with ALS 2 years ago and we had a very hard time finding support, information and guidance for her until we came across the West Texas ALS Support Group. Once we connected with them and saw the good work they were doing at the ground level in our community, it was a no-brainer that they were good stewards of any and all sponsorship, monies and support we could provide for them. I encourage all local businesses to find a local non-profit to help support. My mother-in-law passed away (March 2023) but our support for the West Texas ALS Group will continue.

5

3CHALLENGES OF SOCIAL MEDIA

All of us in the snow sports industry are lucky that we sell fun. Our customers want to engage with us. Our biggest challenge with social media is time … but we need to remember those few minutes we spend creating a social media post is time that is well-invested. If you are just beginning to develop an online presence the best advice I could give is to seek help, advice and guidance from someone who knows more than you. Most of us have kids, employees, friends, etc., who are masters at their own social media and know how to take good pictures, write good posts and how to be engaging.

4

LOOKING AT THE SECOND HALF OF 2023

I’m hearing a lot of apprehension and even fear about next fall and winter, but I’m optimistic and my buys for the fall are up. We are coming off our best revenue year ever and all the lift lines I saw this year were long. Unfortunately, the east coast struggled with snow and that had a heavy impact on shops there, but hopefully the late-season snowfall created better conditions and some late-season traffic. As long as we have snow next year we should be happy with the numbers we see. Our industry’s ups and downs normally are more weather-related than economic-related.

BIGGEST BENEFITS OF NSSRA

The biggest benefit of being a member of the National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA) is knowing someone has my back. As a small independent retailer, I don’t always know about the dangers that lurk around every corner, especially when it comes to legislative issues I am unfamiliar with. It’s a good feeling knowing that there is an organization out there who is dedicated to help support and grow the industry I am in and who is fighting for me and wants me to succeed.

See You In Phoenix