YOUR GUIDE TO THE INAUGURAL NSGA INNOVATIONS ARENA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WELCOME 3
NSGA President & CEO Matt Carlson and Shark Tank’s Daymond John
SPORTING GOODS PRODUCTS 4
3D Sport Partners Hittinguru 3D
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The BFF Electric Foam Roller
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Cool-Catcher
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Court Grabbers
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FunSports Brands - Versa Hoop
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HWKI Wearable Hockey Camera
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Nomad Lacrosse Predator Reflex Automatic Target
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Shore Creation RampShot
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TITIN Weighted Compression Gear
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Windpact Sports Helmet Padding
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Zike Bike/Scooter
RETAIL TECHNOLOGY 15
CBX Total Sourcing Management
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ComQi EnGage Content Management System
17
Flapit Social Media Counter
18
Gimbal Mobile Engagement
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Hubba Supplier Product Information System
20
Jifiti Gifting Technology
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The Savantis Group Solutions and Integration Provider
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Springboard Retail Cloud Post Retail Management
23
Sword & Shield Information Security Services
24
Xcelacore Digital Marketing Technology Services
Front Cover Image (c) Your Design/Shutterstock
WELCOME TO THE NEW NSGA INNOVATIONS ARENA! Years ago, many of you attended the NSGA World Sports Expo at McCormick Place in Chicago. As the industry changed, so too did that show, ultimately going away. While the Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit carried on the tradition of providing education and networking opportunities, the chance to learn about new products and services has been mostly lost. Time after time, we hear from companies looking to break into the sporting goods market, with limited opportunities to do so. The NSGA Innovations Arena was originally developed with the mindset of quality, not quantity. Our current thought is to keep the Arena competitive and selective. Exhibitors were chosen through an application process, vetted for relevance, and reviewed by the NSGA Board of Directors. Applications were submitted by companies from as far away as Barcelona, Spain and ranged from nutrition bars to a backyard game, to the latest in cloud technology. Please take a moment to visit with the exhibitors and welcome them to our industry. Sincerely, Matt Carlson NSGA President & CEO
A MESSAGE FROM DAYMOND JOHN, OF ABC’S “SHARK TANK” I had the pleasure of speaking at your conference in 2012 and enjoyed being part of such a premier event in the sporting goods industry. As many of you know, I started my career making hats and selling them on the streets in Queens, New York. Not long after, FUBU was born, an apparel brand best known for hockey jerseys, sweatshirts and T-shirts. Through hard work and determination, I grew the brand to over $6 billion in sales. In 2009, I joined the cast of the ABC-TV Show, “Shark Tank.” As a true believer in the entrepreneurial spirit, I am in awe of the unending supply of new ideas that business owners bring to the show. The NSGA Innovations Arena is founded on the same concept – providing new products and technology companies with a platform to showcase their innovative concepts. I am proud to have a company in attendance that appeared on “Shark Tank,” TITIN. Please take some time to visit with the arena exhibitors and be inspired by their stories. Perhaps there is a business opportunity awaiting you both. Sincerely, Daymond John Shark Tank
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COMPANY: 3D SPORT PARTNERS, INC. PRODUCT: HITTINGURU 3D
EXHIBITOR: Jeffrey Smith, CEO EMAIL: jsmith@hittinguru.com WEBSITE: www.hittinguru.com Hittinguru 3D is the only portable, markerless (no sensors or pressure plates needed), single camera (captures both 2D and 3D video simultaneously), full-body motion capture tracking and training system for baseball and softball hitting (and soon pitching). The player can make instant adjustments to his or her swing (and soon pitch) and see immediate results. Hittinguru 3D helps coaches and players to see the unseen and train faster, smarter, easier and more effectively.
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PRODUCTS
COMPANY: THE BFF PRODUCT: THE BFF ELECTRIC FOAM ROLLER
EXHIBITOR: Joshua Grabowsky, Inventor and CEO EMAIL: info@thebff.com WEBSITE: www.thebff.com The BFF Electric Foam Roller is a revolutionary next-generation handheld wellness device that is the fastest, most effective muscle recovery and activation tool available to athletes of all levels. It has been described as a cross between a Vibration Plate and a Foam Roller. Within seconds, the BFF sends deep vibration into soft tissue, drawing lactic acid and other metabolic waste out of sore muscles and clearing it through intense and targeted blood flow. Utilizing this therapeutic strength vibration and a rotating foam disc, The BFF provides Myofascial Release, treating Trigger Points much quicker than existing tools in the marketplace such as foam rollers, lacrosse balls, or even traditional massage. Additional accessories take this machine to the next level in body care from Wellness into Pro-level Spa realms and make it perfect for cyclists, swimmers and triathletes. Safe and effective for everybody, from athletes to couch potatoes, The BFF fits in any lifestyle as the new pleasurable way to enjoy every day to its fullest - pain free and happy. 5
COMPANY: COOL-CATCHER, LLC PRODUCT: COOL-CATCHER
EXHIBITOR: James Elmore, Owner EMAIL: jelmore64@yahoo.com WEBSITE: www.cool-catcher.com Cool-Catcher is a cloth product that attaches to the rear flexible cavity of a hockey-style catcher’s mask. Cool-Catcher holds a cold gel pack in place while a catcher is behind the plate during a game, which helps keep a catcher cool. The product was designed out of need for baseball and softball catchers who would try wet towels as a way to stay cool during hot summer games. Cool-Catcher, combined with proper hydration, is a great way to keep your catcher cool and in the game longer.
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PRODUCTS
COMPANY: COURT GRABBERS® PRODUCT: COURT GRABBERS®
EXHIBITOR: Steve McLaughlin, President EMAIL: steve@courtgrabbers.com WEBSITE: www.courtgrabbers.com Court Grabbers®, the World’s first and only “On-Court” Traction System, allows an athlete or official to restore fresh traction to their shoes at any time while on the court, during play, without using their hands. They work on all shoes with exposed laces and eliminate the need for sticky mats, wet towels or the unhealthy use of licking your hands and wiping your shoes. Court Grabbers® have been screened and deemed “Permitted for Play” by the NCAA and the NFHS. They are acceptable equipment for all sanctioned play.
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COMPANY: FUNSPORTS BRANDS PRODUCT: VERSA HOOP
EXHIBITOR: Al Buchweitz, President EMAIL: al.buchweitz@funsportsbrands.com WEBSITE: www.funsportsbrands.com A mini-basketball set that is versatile and portable for many unique playing applications including trampoline, boating, beach, RVing and tailgating. The patent pending VersaBrackets clamp on horizontal and vertical tubes up to 2.25� diameter. The SnapUp Breakaway rim provides instant portability, player safety and product durability. VersaHoop Clamp On version is currently available for retail with full-color packaging. VersaHoop Stick On and VersaHoop Hook On versions are available for ecommerce. VersaHoop also provides accessories for angled trampoline poles, an auger pole for the beach, sand bar and yard, a fishing rod holder and water trampoline attachment.
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PRODUCTS
COMPANY: HWKI PRODUCT: HWKI WEARABLE HOCKEY CAMERA
EXHIBITOR: Shea Kewin, CEO and President EMAIL: kewin.shea@gmail.com WEBSITE: www.iamhwki.com HWKI is introducing hockey’s first wearable camera that has been specially designed for the consumer hockey player. However, with such a small, rugged and beautiful design HWKI’s camera is highly transferable for the multi-disciplinary athlete across many sporting verticals. HWKI’s camera is paired with an application for easily sharing an athlete’s highlights on social media and comes available with a variety of new and innovative mounting options. HWKI allows athletes to forever live in the dream.
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COMPANY: NOMAD LACROSSE PRODUCT: THE PREDATOR REFLEX AUTOMATIC TARGET
EXHIBITOR: Scott Littman, Member EMAIL: office1@lacrosseballstore.com WEBSITE: www.predatorsports.com/The_Predator_Reflex_Automatic_ Target_RAT_p/ps-rat.htm The patented Predator LAX R.A.T. takes shooting targets to the next level. It features nine openings around the perimeter of the goal that have the highest potential for scoring. The target pattern is designed to foster selecting a specific area of the goal to shoot at instead of a specific target. The idea is to induce the shooter to focus on selecting planes where the goalie is less likely to be able to make a save.
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Many targets help players practice shooting, what makes the R.A.T. different is our patented ball-return system. When you score on the R.A.T. the ball is automatically returned to you in the front of the goal. If you miss your target the ball is reflected back by its trampoline-like surface. This allows the player to practice more effectively by not stopping and breaking stride regularly to retrieve balls. The R.A.T. comes with rules for three fun and competitive practice games that make working on your shot fun.
PRODUCTS
COMPANY: SHORE CREATION PRODUCT: RAMPSHOT
EXHIBITOR: Joshua Bonventre, Co-Creator and Co-Owner EMAIL: josh@shorecreation.com WEBSITE: www.shorecreation.com RampShot is the next big thing in outdoor games. This exciting new game keeps everyone on their toes and ready to make the big play. Whether at the beach or in the backyard, RampShot is the perfect game for friends and families to get together and enjoy some friendly competition. Three out of four players are involved in every toss and RampShot is the only outdoor game where players can earn points by tossing as well as catching. The specially designed grooves, on the patent pending ramps, make for unpredictable bounces that lead to highlight reel catches and backyard heroes. RampShot ramps are extremely portable, weather resistant, built tough and proudly made in the USA.
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COMPANY: TITIN PRODUCT: WEIGHTED COMPRESSION GEAR
EXHIBITOR: Rob Kytan, Trade Communications EMAIL: rKytan@titintech.com WEBSITE: www.titintech.com Meet the world’s only weighted compression gear. The TITIN Force™ Shirt System is a three-part hyper-gravity system. The first part of the system is weighted hydro-gel inserts. The second part is a 14-pocket inner compression shirt. The third part is the outer compression shirt. Gels are strategically placed over large muscle groups evenly distributing the weight throughout the upper body. The TITIN Force™ Shirt System can help boost the efficiency of workouts, improving speed, balance, endurance, and vertical leap.
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The TITIN Force™ Shirt System allows you to move naturally without stressing or abusing your body’s joints and can be worn during most workouts and training programs. The TITIN Force™ Shirt System can also be heated or cooled for use during or after workouts. The hydro-gel inserts will stay hot or cold for 35-45 minutes.
PRODUCTS
COMPANY: WINDPACT® PRODUCT: WINDPACT SPORTS HELMET PADDING
EXHIBITOR: Maurice Kelly, COO and Co-Founder EMAIL: maurice@windpact.com WEBSITE: www.windpact.com Windpact® is a safety technology company dedicated to improving impact protection without sacrificing performance, comfort or style. Today the company’s flagship technology, Crash Cloud®, is the first to use non-explosive air bags in a helmet application. The technology dissipates energy through the controlled release of air pressure, minimizing brain-to-skull ricochet, greatly reducing the risk of impact-related head trauma. Windpact® is not only creating innovative technologies, through licensing, the company is providing sports brands with the means to retrofit their existing helmet designs. While the company’s technology was born out of desire to minimize concussive head trauma in sports-related incidents, the technology has broad applications in military, construction, medical, automotive and almost anywhere that impact-related injuries occur.
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COMPANY: ZIKE® PRODUCT: ZIKE BIKE/SCOOTER
EXHIBITOR: Jim Steinkirchner, Director of Sales EMAIL: jims@zike.net WEBSITE: www.zike.net Whether you are exploring the great outdoors or commuting to school or the office on your new Zike®, ziking is the revolutionary new method of fun transportation. Ziking provides hours and miles of enjoyment, a total-body fun workout and green transportation at the same time! What are you waiting for? Join the Zike® Movement! Kids and adults alike love the revolutionary new Zike®! Kids love Zike® because ziking is faster than a scooter and more fun than a bicycle! Enjoy off-road trails and paved paths all on the same ziking expedition! Ziking provides a superior calorie burn (up to 600 per hour) while both time and scenery quickly fly by! Get up, Get out, Get ZIKED®!
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TECHNOLOGY
COMPANY: CBX SOFTWARE, INC. PRODUCT: CLOUD PLATFORM FOR SOURCING
EXHIBITOR: Eric Linxwiler, VP of Business Development EMAIL: eric.linxwiler@cbxsoftware.com WEBSITE: www.cbxsoftware.com CBX Software has simplified the business of global sourcing; transforming traditional methodologies into fast, friction-free supply chains through our real-time cloud-based Total Sourcing Management Platform (TSM). We help retailers, brands and manufacturers manage and empower the supply chain from plan to pay - one intelligent collaboration solution for an enterprise to plan, spec, source, assure quality, order, make, inspect, ship and pay. More than 20,000 users in more than 30 countries rely on CBX including: Target, Safeway, Kmart and others. Visit us at cbxsoftware.com, follow us on Twitter at @cbxsoftware, like us on Facebook and visit our LinkedIn page.
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COMPANY: COMQI, INC. PRODUCT: ENGAGE CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
EXHIBITOR: Stuart Armstrong, Chief Revenue Officer EMAIL: sarmstrong@comqi.com WEBSITE: www.ComQi.com ComQi is a global leader providing a cloud-based Shopper Engagement Technology that influences consumers at the point of decision, in-store, using all digital touch-points: digital signage, mobile, video, touch, web, and social networks. ComQi’s mission is to deliver an end-to-end solution that is tailored to engage consumers by optimizing communications and marketing strategies that provide the best ROO and ROI. ComQi’s hundreds of enduser customers include leading brands around the world, such as Gap, Victoria’s Secret, Bath and Body Works, H&M/Weekday, Six Flags, and McDonald’s.
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TECHNOLOGY
COMPANY: FLAPIT, LTD PRODUCT: SOCIAL MEDIA DISPLAY COUNTER
EXHIBITOR: Marc Muhlenbach, CMO EMAIL: marc@flapit.com WEBSITE: www.flapit.com Flapit is a departure board style display device for social media platforms, bringing social media into the physical world. Design and at the same time innovation focused, Flapit is an attention-grabbing product that focuses on the growing importance of social media for businesses and retailers in particular. The number of retailers with a social media marketing strategy grew from 48.5% in 2012 to more than 66% in 2014. The Flapit counter is a simple yet powerful addition to any retailer’s social marketing strategy. According to retailtouchpoints.com, only 24% of retailers said they promoted their social presence in-store at the POS. Flapit is a simple yet effective solution to help retailers augment their social media profile by adding a unique offline touch point and helping them grow their social following organically with a focus on quality followers.
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COMPANY: GIMBAL, INC. PRODUCT: MOBILE ENGAGEMENT
EXHIBITOR: Tyler Church, Manager, Enterprise Sales EMAIL: tchurch@gimbal.com WEBSITE: www.gimbal.com By understanding your consumer’s unique interests and their precise location, the Gimbal platform enables you to deliver the content, offers and information your customers want, when and where it matters. With our best-in-class secure proximity beacons, geofencing, location-based messaging, analytics and consumer privacy controls, you can create more meaningful consumer relationships by connecting their digital and physical worlds to deliver immediate customer value.
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TECHNOLOGY
COMPANY: HUBBA PRODUCT: SUPPLIER PRODUCT INFORMATION SYSTEM
EXHIBITOR: McKenzie Scott, Business Development Manager EMAIL: mscott@hubba.com WEBSITE: www.hubba.com Hubba is a B2B network for sports manufacturers and dealers. It gives manufacturers the ability to generate a hub of comprehensive product information while providing retailers with real-time access to this accurate up-to-date content. Hubba ensures all of your partners have access to everything they need to list, market and sell your products as well as you do. As dealers require more and more product information, they no longer have the time to visit each and every manufacturer’s website or Dropbox. Hubba is the one place dealers know they can go to access product information and content from all of their brands. The best part – manufacturers and dealers can join for free and get their products shared in minutes.
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COMPANY: JIFITI PRODUCT: JIFITI GIFTING TECHNOLOGY
EXHIBITOR: Shaul Weisband, Founder EMAIL: Shaul@jifiti.com WEBSITE: www.jifiti.com Jifiti’s gifting technology allows online shoppers to send any item as a gift with two clicks. No need to know a shipping address or guess product details (such as size, color and style). The recipient makes all those decisions when redeeming the gift online or in-store. They can also select anything else if they prefer.
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TECHNOLOGY
COMPANY: THE SAVANTIS GROUP PRODUCT: MANAGED SERVICES
EXHIBITOR: Brian Gallagher, Director of Sales and Marketing EMAIL: brian.gallagher@savantisgroup.com WEBSITE: www.savantisgroup.com With years of expertise selling and implementing retail solutions at mid-size sporting goods retailers (such as Cabela’s, Sports Basement and Soccer.com), Savantis Group understands the needs and speaks the “sporting goods language.” We offer a wide range of services and solutions to help sporting goods retailers select, implement and support merchandise management applications and provide associates services and experiences. We also provide real-time customer insight and predictive analytics, optimized merchandise and assortment planning, marketing, campaign and promotion planning and perfect price and promotion execution solutions.
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COMPANY: SPRINGBOARD RETAIL PRODUCT: CLOUD POS AND RETAIL MANAGEMENT
EXHIBITOR: Patric Caya, Director of Sales EMAIL: pcaya@springboardretail.com WEBSITE: www.springboardretail.com Springboard Retail is a cloud POS and retail management platform designed for retailers by retailers. It is built for multi-store, multi-channel retailers who need to service every customer the same way, no matter how or where they shop. Springboard Retail is giving retailers better control over sales and profitability by placing actionable real-time data in the hands of every person who needs it, from the C-suite to the store floor. Retailers nationwide have used Springboard’s Mobile POS to reclaim valuable square footage and influence buying behavior at the point of decision, where it matters most. With inventory management, unparalleled custom reporting, APIs, portability across platforms and devices, Springboard Retail is easy-to-use, quick-to-start and revered by its users for making their jobs easier. Springboard Retail is based in Boston. Follow us on Twitter @SpringboardUp. 22
TECHNOLOGY
COMPANY: SWORD & SHIELD ENTERPRISE SECURITY PRODUCT: INFORMATION SECURITY SERVICES
EXHIBITOR: Bowe Hoy, Director, Client Development EMAIL: brh@swordshield.com WEBSITE: www.swordshield.com Sword & Shield Enterprise Security, Inc. is the premier holistic information security service provider. With solutions designed to meet the needs of a dynamic security and compliance landscape, we deliver evaluation, remediation and ongoing monitoring and management to ensure your organization maintains the most comprehensive security posture possible.
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TECHNOLOGY
COMPANY: XCELACORE PRODUCT: DIGITAL MARKETING TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
EXHIBITOR: Mansoor Anjarwala, Founder & COO EMAIL: mansoor@xcelacore.com WEBSITE: www.xcelacore.com Chicago-based Xcelacore offers digital marketing technology services which focus on web analytics, search engine marketing and search engine optimization (SEO). We are solution partners with Google and Adobe with product expertise in Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics and Google Adwords. Xcelacore leverages the most cutting-edge analytics and management tools to maximize your impact across all channels while engaging with the most customers possible. We help savvy marketers achieve success in today’s customer-centered, data-driven, digital world.
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