NSGA Now March/April 2016

Volume 4 | No. 2 | March/April 2016

A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL SPORTING GOODS ASSOCIATION

Building Relationships that Last

Management Conference Speaker Sneak Peek NSGA Member Spotlight: Gerrells Sports Center Getting Retail Loyalty Right

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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CEO Corner

Relationship building — at the NSGA event and beyond

Management Conference Speaker Sneak Peek

Association Now NSGA staff updates

Membership Now

David Nour and Win Weber on Relationships

Spotlight on Gerrells Sports Center

Insights Now

What the NSGA Information Center can do for you

Profitability Now

How Payment Alliance International helped an NSGA member save more than $1,500 a month

Operations Now

SPS Commerce discusses the prioritization of e-commerce Stahls’ expands to serve the changing marketplace

20

Retail Now

22

Locker Room Now

L.E.K. Consulting helps get retail loyalty right

Chest protector standard, football helmets, third-party certification and more

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CEO CORNER

NSGA OFFICERS

In today’s fast-paced business world, it is not always easy to stay connected. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to build strong relationships that last in this ever-changing sporting goods industry. One of these is attending NSGA’s Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit. The Conference & Summit is a great opportunity to enhance already-established relationships or develop new ones with fellow industry leaders and potential business partners. Another opportunity is to join the NSGA LinkedIn group and follow our company page. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the whole host of social media tools provide an excellent platform for staying connected with your colleagues.

Chairman of the Board Randy Nill

Nill Bros. Sports, Kansas City, KS

Treasurer/Chairman-Elect David Labbe

Kittery Trading Post, Kittery, ME

Past Chairman Ken Meehan

Dunham’s Sports, Troy, MI

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dale Donaldson

Mallard’s Source for Sports, Castlegar, British Columbia, Canada

Pat Donnelley

Donnelley Sports, Twin Falls, ID

Rhett Johnson

Johnson-Lambe Co., Raleigh, NC

Jeff Miller

Scholastic Sports Sales, Ltd., Manlius, NY

Cathy Pryor

Hibbett Sports, Birmingham, AL

Pete Schneider

Athletic Dealers of America, Viera, FL

Rob Summerfield

MC Sports, Grand Rapids, MI

STAFF Matt Carlson

President & CEO

Meghan Beach

Director, Membership

Dustin Dobrin

Director, Research & Information

Darlene King

Director, Business Development

Marty Maciaszek

Director, Team Dealer Division/HDA

Angela Mennecke

At this year’s Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit, we feature phenomenal speakers who will share their expertise on the importance of growing and fostering business relationships, giving attendees the tools they need to build these successful connections.

Business relationship expert David Nour is part of a strong speaker lineup. Nour pioneered the phenomenon that relationships are the greatest asset any organization possesses. In his presentation at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 23, “Relationship Economics,® ” Nour explores how business relationships in the sporting goods industry are a platform for long-term business development and success that goes far beyond networking.

In addition, he shares his expertise on proactively converting every day contacts into “transformational relationships.”

Team dealer track attendees will hear from Win Weber, the CEO and Founder of Winston Weber & Associates at 11:15 a.m. on Monday, May 23. Weber’s session, “Supplier/Dealer Relationships,” will navigate through the issues team dealers and suppliers face, leading to better customer service, exceeding customer expectations, and adding value to the product distribution chain. Today’s consumer requires companies to demonstrate how they add value, and that demand permeates every sales transaction. That consumer “value” can be expertise, speed, product availability, price…the list goes on. Weber will share his thoughts on how our members can add value to the distribution system.

In addition to Nour and Weber, this year’s speaker lineup is sure to make the 2016 event one for the history books. It is not just speakers who contribute to the wealth of business relationship building opportunities at the event. We highlight our networking activities, like the evening receptions and golf, to remind everyone how essential face-to-face interaction can be. An introduction at one of those events can lead to a long-lasting relationship in business and in life. If you are in a position to share this experience with other members of your team, please commit to developing your colleagues, and bring those team members.

Who knows, perhaps you will strengthen the internal relationships you rely upon each day!

We look forward to connecting with you May 22–25 at the Westin Hilton Island Resort and Spa in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina!

Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Best regards,

Veneese Mollison

Matt Carlson President & CEO

Database Manager

Katie Nemec

Director, Marketing & Communications

Nick Rigitano

Research & Information Analyst

Larry Weindruch

Director, Public Affairs

Dan Wiersma

Chief Financial Officer

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Katie Nemec | Editor/Publisher NSGA NOW (ISSN 1045-2087) is published bi-monthly for members of the National Sporting Goods Association, 1601 Feehanville Dr., Suite 300, Mount Prospect, IL 60056-6035; Phone: (847) 296-6742; Fax: (847) 391-9827. Subscription price of $50 per year is included in membership fee. Non-member subscription information available from publisher. Periodical postage paid at Mount Prospect, IL 60056 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NSGA NOW, 1601 Feehanville Dr., Suite 300, Mount Prospect, IL 60056-6035. © by NSGA 2016. Printed in the USA.

ASSOCIATION NOW

New Team Member Joins NSGA Veneese Mollison is the Database Manager and newest member of the NSGA team. Veneese is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago and brings more than 15 years of database management experience. She understands the value of quality data and has a firm grip on the usage of data to further enhance the mission of the association. She looks forward to helping NSGA serve members even better! If you have any questions for Veneese, feel free to contact her at (800) 815-5422, ext. 1320 or vmollison@nsga.org.

NSGA’s Second Annual Lobbying Day Set for April A delegation of more than a dozen NSGA retailer and dealer members and staff will travel to Washington, DC April 12–13 in support of bills that NSGA hopes will be passed during this session of Congress: the Senate’s Marketplace Fairness Act and the House of Representative’s Remote Transactions Parity Act, and the PHIT Act. Watch your social media accounts to follow the NSGA delegation’s activities on Capitol Hill.

Veteran NSGA Staff Member Chuck Suritz Retires NSGA staff member Chuck Suritz, most recently serving as Director of Education & Strategic Planning for the organization, retired in December 2015.

He was part of many changes during his 33 plus years with NSGA, including the growth of the Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit. He played an integral role in the planning for this event as well as in the launch of new programs like the Next Generation Leadership Program. Chuck wore many hats during his tenure with NSGA and served in multiple roles, including Director of Membership and Director of Marketing. We appreciate Chuck’s long dedication to the association and wish him well in his retirement.

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MEMBERSHIP NOW

Gerrells Sports Center — Carving A Niche in the Industry

By Elvira Lopez, Member Services

Gerrells Sports Center has been a successful retailer and team dealer in North Dakota for almost 45 years. As a dedicated and long-standing member of NSGA since 1972, Gerrells represents the association’s commitment to quality business and leadership in the sporting goods industry. Gerrells President Brad Westrum served on the Team Dealer Advisory Committee and has provided NSGA guidance and feedback on issues in the sporting goods industry through the eyes of a retailer and team dealer.

A Glance at Gerrells’ History

Gerrells Sports Center opened in Grand Forks, ND, in August 1972. Since then, the 44-year-old business has become an institution in the state. Gerrells conducts both retail and team dealer business and has customers in 10 different states and two Canadian provinces, including the University of North Dakota, Bemidji State University and Concordia College.

Current President Brad Westrum joined Gerrells in 1980 and assumed ownership in 1988. He currently shares ownership with long time staffers Eric Knudson, Todd Warner and Joe Kriewald. Warner and Kriewald manage the institutional portion of the business by servicing team accounts in Eastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota, and Knudson oversees the retail side of the business.

With a real emphasis on hockey, Gerrells opened a second location in 1987 called “Hockey World,” where it introduced “skate leasing” to the area in 1989.

Skate customers widely embraced the unique “skate leasing” program and currently lease, on average, more than 1,600 pairs annually.

Hockey and figure skating continue to lead the retail charge as evidenced by brisk sales throughout the year. Junior hockey league teams in the USHL and the NAHL have also turned to “Hockey World” for equipment and services.

Gerrells also enjoys strong and loyal customer support in its baseball and softball department. In 2000, building expansion allowed “Hockey World” and Gerrells Sports Center to be reunited under one roof. According to Westrum, the team business complements the retail trade and provides a great balance.

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Gerrells President Brad Westrum shares his experience as a committed member of NSGA Q. How do you stay competitive in this market?

A. “We have stayed competitive on the retail front by becoming more of a ‘specialty store.’ We sell hockey and figure skating very well. We carry a large, deep inventory throughout the entire year and support sales with a knowledgeable staff. In fact, retail outlets and hockey associations often shop their large inventory and purchase reconditioned skates in bulk quantities at Gerrells. On the team side, we carry strong lines and continue to provide consistent face-to-face service.”

Gerrells is known not just for its high-quality products but for unmatched services after the sale, which has allowed for long-term relationships with NCAA collegiate programs at the University of North Dakota, Bemidji State University and Concordia College, as well as junior hockey league teams in the USHL and the NAHL. Q. How long has Gerrells been a member of NSGA? A. “We have been an NSGA member since opening back in 1972. We’ve always taken pride in being part of the sporting goods industry and always felt that it was important to support the professional organization that supports us.

Gerrells has been an active member with NSGA for almost 45 years, serving on committees and helping to shape the services NSGA provides over the years.”

Q. Can you describe your experience serving on the NSGA Team Dealer Advisory Committee?

A. “I think it’s been a good experience and has given me an opportunity to meet team dealers from other parts of the country. You realize that you share many of the same questions and issues.”

The Team Dealer Advisory Committee addresses industry issues and concerns specifically related to the team dealer segment of the industry. The committee also produces ideas team dealers can use to become a more valuable resource for their customers. Westrum served two terms on the Team Dealer Advisory Committee.

“Brad’s experience in the industry and passion for it made him an excellent contributor to the Team Dealer Advisory Committee,” said Marty Maciaszek, the NSGA Team Dealer Division Director. “He provided a lot of valuable suggestions that helped a lot of team dealers across the country.”

Fun Facts about Gerrells:

1

ST

Gerrells was the FIRST Nike shoe account in Grand Forks, ND in 1974.

Gerrells was the FIRST retail outlet in North Dakota to “lease” hockey and figure skates. They lease more than 1,600 pairs of skates each year.

To learn more about Gerrells, please visit hockeyworldgrandforks.com or call (701) 775-0553.

For more information about the Team Dealer Advisory Committee, contact Marty Maciaszek, Director of the NSGA Team Dealer Division at mmaciaszek@nsga.org.

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INSIGHTS NOW

How the NSGA Information Center Can Impact Your Business

By Dustin Dobrin, NSGA Director, Research & Information and Nick Rigitano, NSGA Research & Information Analyst

What do team uniforms, foam fingers, square-toed kicking shoes, retractable bleachers and boxing rings all have in common? They are all products that have been successfully sourced through the NSGA Information Center located on NSGA’s website.

For those of you who are not familiar with NSGA’s Information Center, it is a members-only service that provides a go-to source for information on manufacturing, retailing, sports participation and industry data useful in conducting daily business. This service is perfect for smaller retailers and team dealers who need help sourcing hard-tofind products. NSGA has an extensive database along with additional resources that can be utilized to provide members with helpful and accurate answers in a timely manner.

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Each year, the Information Center responds to member requests from retailers, team dealers, manufacturers and industry associates. As shown below, calls from retailers and team dealers make up the majority of member inquiries. The vast majority of these calls are for help to locate hard-to-find products. Each inquiry is usually unique in nature and rarely is the same question asked twice.

What do users have to say about how the Information Center has impacted their business? For Mark Mannino, owner of Sports, Recreation, and Apparel, Inc. located in Rockford, Illinois, two things come to mind — better customer service and time saved.

“The Information Center has been a life saver for us. Without it, we would have lost a lot of sales to our competitors,” says Mannino. “We have saved countless hours by letting the Information Center do the searching for us. We are able to spend more time with our customers. This service has made this membership worth every penny.”

“ We have saved countless hours by letting the Information Center do the searching for us. We are able to spend more time with our customers. This service has made this membership worth every penny.”

— Mark Mannino, owner of Sports, Recreation, and Apparel, Inc.

NSGA members can submit inquiries to the Information Center via the “Ask NSGA (Info Center)” page located at nsga.org/asknsga.

 51%

RETAILER

Information Center Inquiries: % Breakout

by Member Type

 21%

TEAM DEALER

 20%

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATE

 8%

MANUFACTURER

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CONFERENCE NOW

Learning the Art and Science of Business Relationships

By Angela Mennecke NSGA Marketing & Communications Coordinator

A Deeper Look into Conference Speaker David Nour’s Passion for Relationship EconomicsŽ Each year, the NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit offers a unique form of leadership development that combines education and inspiration and gives attendees the extra edge to succeed in the competitive business world.

The three-day program brings together experts who touch on new ideas, new ways of thinking and new ways of confronting challenges affecting the sporting goods industry.

Whether you are a retailer, team dealer, wholesaler, manufacturer, sales agent or industry associate, a business cannot succeed in this ever-changing industry without developing and fostering meaningful relationships. Innovative products, advertising and competitive pricing are great, but the secret to a thriving business is the genuine connection between people.

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Business relationship expert David Nour is part of the strong lineup of speakers for NSGA’s 2016 Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit. Attendees who are interested in proactively converting everyday contacts into “transformational relationships” want to attend Nour’s dynamic session at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 23, in Hilton Head Island, SC. Nour pioneered the phenomenon that relationships are the greatest asset any organization possesses, whether it is large or small, public or private. Nour knows this first-hand since he arrived in the U.S. from Iran in 1981 with a suitcase and a meager $100 to his name. He knew very little English and had no connections.

Realizing he needed to leverage himself personally and professionally, he began forming meaningful relationships in order to work his way up the corporate ladder.

“Relationship Economics® is that vehicle to instill a sense of trust, respect and demonstrated vested interest in a stronger end result together.”

— David Nour, CEO, The Nour Group

To Nour, it was about creating opportunities, chances to get into new markets, launching new products and forming new teams. He credits his professional success not just to his education, but to his knowledge, experience, and ability to build and nurture real relationships.

“If you want to elevate yourself above the market noise, you must listen louder and become more intentional in the relationships you choose to invest in,” Nour said.

Now, Nour is a renowned global business adviser and growth strategist. He is the thought leader on Relationship Economics® — the strategic, intentional, and thus quantifiable value of the relationships you choose to invest in — within and beyond your organization. The Nour Group, Inc. has attracted consulting engagements from more than 100 organizations, helping all of them evolve their business models. The firm’s services range from strategic advisory and keynote speaking to training and development, coaching and mentoring, all aimed at driving personal, team-based and organization-wide growth through the art and science of business relationships.

In his presentation, Relationship Economics,® Nour explores how business relationships in the sporting goods industry are a platform for long-term business development and success that goes far beyond simplistic networking.

“To really thrive, the sporting goods industry must evolve with the dynamic needs and expectations of consumers and partners alike,” Nour stated. “Relationship Economics® is that vehicle to instill a sense of trust, respect and demonstrated vested interest in a stronger end result together.”

Nour hopes you leave his session with the belief that your business is only as strong as the people — and the relationships — that support it.

To learn more about David Nour, visit NourGroup.com.

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CONFERENCE NOW

A Win-Win Proposition Between Dealers and Suppliers Win Weber Looks to Drive Change at Team Dealer Summit

By Marty Maciaszek NSGA Team Dealer Director

Win Weber does not believe sticking to the status quo is the way to go through life.

“I like to drive change, it’s that simple,” Weber said. “I don’t know what the word maintenance means. I’ve been through so much change over my life.”

Team dealers have seen significant changes in recent years to their segment of the sporting goods industry. Particularly when it comes to how relationships have changed between dealers and suppliers.

This is a topic of tremendous expertise for Weber, the CEO and Founder of Winston Weber & Associates (WWA). Weber will share his thoughts on Monday, May 23 at 11:15 a.m. during the 52nd Annual NSGA Management Conference & 18th Annual Team Dealer Summit at Hilton Head Island, SC.

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Weber’s session, “Supplier/Dealer Relationships,” will address some of the key issues between team dealers and suppliers that can lead to better customer service. Weber will discuss how dealers must add value to make their relationships with suppliers more productive. Weber will show what team dealers have to do to add value to their relationships with suppliers and how they can build stronger and more sustainable customer relationships.

WWA is regarded as the expert in dealer/supplier collaboration. Weber’s firm is credited with introducing the retailer/supplier partnership concept to the United States in the mid-1980s and then to Mexico, Australia and Asia. Weber has also been very involved with the grocery industry, which has experienced similar consolidation challenges.

“ Both parties have knowledge the other party doesn’t have.

The need to work more closely together and collaborate together is the theme of the day in many industries.”

— Win Weber, CEO, Winston, Weber & Associates

“Relevant is the word of the day right now,” Weber said. “Some of them won’t be here tomorrow and that’s a hard reality. The issue of partnering and collaboration between the supplier and dealer is critical today.”

“Both parties have knowledge the other party doesn’t have. The need to work more closely together and collaborate together is the theme of the day in many industries.”

For team dealers, the right level of collaboration with their customers could result in better relationships with suppliers.

“The dealer is going to add value by building off a stronger knowledge base of ‘how-tos’ and recommending various products,” Weber said. “Does a team look at a dealer as an expert who can give them tremendous insights and help them make a decision or as a person who is going to make a sale?”

“They have to promote themselves more as experts than order takers. The issue from a supplier standpoint is which team dealers are adding value to me as a supplier.”

Weber will provide attendees with some of the tools they need to maintain successful partnerships with suppliers and also increase their value to their customers.

“It’s an issue of adding value,” Weber said. “How can I add value because I have competition right down the street.”

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PROFITABILITY NOW

Lansing Sports Shop Says Show Me the Money

By Krista Lowery, Vice President, Target Market Group, Payment Alliance International

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What would you do if you found an extra $1,500 beside your cash register every single month?

That is exactly what happened to Lansing Sports Shop last October shortly after receiving an email from the National Sporting Goods Association about the new credit card processing partner program with Payment Alliance International. Lansing Sports Shop’s office manager, Kathy Corbett, sent a message to Payment Alliance for more information about the program and the result is a proven extra $1,500 or more in the business bank account each month.

“The savings is real,” says Corbett. “So many people call saying… give me 15 minutes of your time…and it is often a big waste of time.”

Corbett’s best advice to other NSGA members, “Don’t wait.

I kept putting it off, but our President & CEO, Philip Rosati, pointed out how much we were spending on credit card processing, so I decided I needed to see what the program would mean to us.”

Lansing Sports Shop is a third generation business of 62 years, located in suburban Chicago. So, the last thing Corbett wanted to do was interrupt the status quo, unless there was a real advantage.

After receiving notice from NSGA that Corbett wanted more details on the program, Payment Alliance sales representative Gina Meyerson called to go over the program details. NSGA used the volume of the entire organization to negotiate rates for its members at less than 0.10% over interchange (cost).

In addition, NSGA provides a one-time $100 rebate when merchants purchase new EMV equipment to run the new chip cards as well as an ongoing monthly rebate based on the volume of processing.

All those details sounded good, but Corbett was not sure how that compared to her existing processor’s program.

So, Meyerson suggested Corbett email her most recent processing statement so a PAI analyst could break down the charges in an apples-to-apples style comparison to really see which pricing structure was best for Lansing.

Timing was perfect as the prior month’s statement arrived the next day, and Kathy was able to immediately send it to Meyerson for analysis purposes. With the October 2015 deadline for merchants to be able to read the new “chip” credit cards or accept liability for EMV chargebacks, “we wanted to make sure we updated our equipment and changed processors before the deadline,” Corbett explained.

Much to everyone’s surprise, the Payment Alliance analyst identified that Lansing Sports Shop’s statement did not disclose fees for the volume represented on the statement.

Instead, the statement displayed volume for the current month but fees for the previous month. This was certainly difficult to understand and somewhat misleading when anyone outside a processing expert tried to understand how the fees were calculated. Corbett quickly sent additional statements from prior months so that the Payment Alliance analyst could piece it all together. Between their LansingSportShop.com Internet business and the brick-andmortar, the NSGA processing program would cost the business $1,497.14 less per month.

“Holy cow…what a difference! Not only are we really saving at least $1,500 a month, now I can also read and understand our statements, how many transactions were made and what we paid.

No more mumbo jumbo,” — Kathy Corbett, Office Manager, Lansing Sports Shop

“The transition was much easier than I ever anticipated, and the Payment Alliance representative did all the legwork,” Corbett shared.

For more details on this NSGA partner program and to receive a custom costanalysis for your business, contact Payment Alliance today. PAI is a Platinum Sponsor of the 2016 NSGA Annual Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit. Speak to a representative in person during the Monday evening Low Country Reception.

Before the event, visit gopai.com/nsga or call (866) 371-2273, and select option 1.

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OPERATIONS NOW

Retailers Prioritizing E-Commerce Over In-Store Experience

By Peter Zaballos Vice President of Marketing & Product, SPS Commerce

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The results are in for the fourth-annual industry benchmark survey from Retail Systems Research (RSR) and SPS Commerce. According to the report, retailers are leading with new digital strategies for fulfilling consumer expectations. And for the first time, they are prioritizing e-commerce over in-store experience. In fact, 75% of retailers identify e-commerce as their top priority for 2016. What does this mean for the rest of retail? Distributors, suppliers and logistics firms need to prioritize digital as well.

Sporting goods stores push to increase omnichannel shopping In the benchmark survey, sporting goods and fashion retailers revealed their top priority is to increase omnichannel shopping (76% vs. 59% overall). They are unique in they are pushing to grow e-commerce sales while also reinvigorating the store experience.

Sporting goods retailers are focused on improving ship-fromstore capabilities and enabling customers to buy online and pick up in store. This is mostly driven by retailers trying to save online orders that would otherwise be lost when the distributor or vendor shows inventory as out-of-stock.

Consumer expectations drive change

Optimism reigns in 2016 The good news is the report also suggests 2016 will be a better year than 2015. Despite the economy only showing slight gains, the retail industry is optimistic, with 84% of respondents predicting a stronger year. How is this possible?

Consumers are still spending. They are buying online in new ways and the retail ecosystem sees potential growth.

To support these areas of growth, the retail network is focused on ensuring the following: • Budgets remain flat or slightly increase • Retail partners identify new efficiencies, such as drop ship • Proactive change occurs through mandates Retailers are more cautious than distributors, suppliers and logistics firms. They see the economy still on the cusp.

One thing’s for sure: everyone is learning how to react more quickly to change, so they can become less vulnerable to it.

The research report has confirmed that growing digital demands of consumers are transforming the industry.

Retailers most likely to compete directly against companies like Amazon are most challenged by rising consumer expectations. Like it or not, profitable or not, Amazon continues to set these expectations, and the companies operating in Amazon’s vertical space are forced to cope.

To learn more about how the retail network is changing, visit spscommerce.com/resources/consumer-expectationstransform-the-industry to download an infographic where we’ve captured key findings from Retail Insight, our industry benchmark report with RSR.

When consumer behaviors change in this way, retailers are the first to respond, followed by the rest of the retail ecosystem. But progress is slow in the quest to improve omnichannel, and the retail network has a long way to go.

Among numerous forces driving omnichannel strategy and execution, the following three prove to be the most influential: • Consumer pressures • Competitive pressures • Executive mandates

Pick up the report at the NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit SPS Commerce is a platinum sponsor for the 2016 NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit. See one of our retail experts at the NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit for your copy of the report. We look forward to seeing you there.

Not only are consumers losing patience, but executives are growing impatient as well. More than 50% of survey respondents report having an executive mandate to execute an omnichannel strategy. This means that 2016 will likely be a year of significant change, because the pressure is coming from the top.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Peter Zaballos is Vice President of marketing and product at SPS Commerce, the industry’s largest retail network empowering 60,000 retail companies to advance their digital retail strategies.

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OPERATIONS NOW

Stahls’ Expands Capabilities to Serve the Changing Marketplace

By Carleen Gray, GroupeSTAHL, Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer Stahls’ Transfer Technologies and Stahls’ Apparel and Decorating Group Stahls’ Transfer Express StretchLitho™ Soccer Flat

Since 1932 Stahls’ has served the Imprinted Sportswear Industry. Its goal is to help your business succeed.

As the marketplace changes, it strives to bring you more solutions to help make your business more competitive.

Stahls’ Transfer Technologies

Stahls’ is one of the largest, most progressive heat transfer manufacturers in the world, supplying custom and stock screen print transfers for a variety of fabric applications via STAHLS’ Transfer Express. Stahls’ delivers the most innovative transfer technologies to meet the demands of today’s ever-changing technical fabrics.

Past, present and future — Stahls’ has been a pioneer in the transfer industry.

Technical fabrics, fashion and design all impact consumer demand for decoration. To meet the changing demands and increase our capacity, Stahls’ Transfer Express will more than triple in size in 2016.

We will expand the manufacturing and distribution footprint to include large format production operations in California and Arizona. Stahls’ will leverage new ink and adhesive technologies, investments in manufacturing and infrastructure upgrades and operational systems to bring the industry the most advanced transfer technologies available.

Stahls’ Transfer Express, Ohio will continue to set the pace in the Custom Transfer industry, serving our Dealers with Stock and Custom Screen Print Transfers.

Our California operation will produce high volume, quick turn, custom screen print transfers. The new state-of-the-art Arizona facility will produce high volume, waterbased ink transfers and will serve as a commercial decorating center as well.

Stahls’ CAD-PRINTZ® FoilTEK™

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Stahls’ Apparel and Decorating Group

We’ve spent nearly 100 years as a manufacturer of decorating materials, decades as a manufacturer of equipment and now, understanding what it takes to decorate textiles, we introduce Stahls’ Apparel and Decorating Group.

Stahls’ Custom Apparel For almost 20 years, Stahls’ has been a commercial decorator for the biggest names in sports. With the addition of our custom apparel facility in Nicaragua, we have become a contract custom cut/sew and decorator for even more of those players. We manufacture for Bauer, adidas, Under Armour and more. Our USbased commercial decorating facility in Pennsylvania is undergoing top-to-bottom operational process and equipment upgrades and our Arizona facility will serve as the West coast commercial decorating location. Combined, Stahls’ has more than 300,000 square feet of decorating capacity.

Stahls’ Identity Start to Finish Join Stahls’ at the 2016 NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit. Stahls’, a longtime supporter of the event, is once again a Platinum Sponsor.

Connect with them inperson May 22–25, 2016.

Stahls e-Sportswear Sublimation is the decorating process on everyone’s mind. The challenges were designing the products, managing the timeframe and delivery of the end product.

Stahls’ e-Sportswear, which is founded on our patented 360 3D design software takes the guesswork out of designing — either in template-based programs or in full canvas programs. Our Nicaragua facility has proven to eliminate the frustration of long turn times.

Myogrid Myogrid is our next generation technical performance wear brand. The objective was simple — performance engineered unique product at a competitive price, on shelf and available. We know the textile market has dramatically changed — we led the charge on development of low-melt adhesives, inks and vinyl with stretch and rebound that could be used on these fabrics. Full color with no scorch marks — we nailed it. But accessible garments with dealer margins is also part of the equation. Myogrid is the answer.

Stahls’ CAD-PRINTZ® Text & Number Effects

Stahls’ Cut & Sew Full Sublimation

Stahls’ Custom Apparel & Decorating

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RETAIL NOW

Getting Retail Loyalty Right

By Dan McKone and Chris Randall Managing Directors, L.E.K. Consulting

In the retail environment, true consumer loyalty is driven by selection, service, value and experience. However, with an ever-fickle consumer population, many retailers have pursued rewards programs designed to further strengthen their relationships with shoppers. While these efforts have the potential to generate real benefits, too many programs are poorly conceived — resulting in programs that don’t really drive incremental loyalty or sales. Ill-calibrated programs rarely achieve their intended effects and, at worst, can result in profit degradation for retailers.

In order to ensure value creation, each retailer must ask three questions about their rewards program: 1. Am I strengthening customer loyalty?

2. Am I driving changes in customer behavior?

3. Am I gaining valuable customer insights?

A successful program does not need to answer “yes” to all three questions, but there must be clear evidence of success on at least one value level or the program should be reevaluated.

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QUESTION

1

Am I strengthening customer loyalty?

It is often possible to “buy a transaction” through a discount, but it is generally not possible to “buy loyalty.” As such, if a loyalty program’s true objective is to drive loyalty, the program must be structured to fundamentally improve the retailer’s value proposition. There may be benefits to creating switching costs, but if the goal is truly “loyalty” the program must amplify other aspects of the retail proposition.

QUESTION

2

QUESTION Am I driving changes in customer behavior?

Often the most direct objective of retailer rewards programs is to increase store spending by increasing trips or average spending per trip. For a destination-based shopping category like sporting goods, the right focus is likely on maximizing spending per trip since creating the need for an incremental shopping occasion is very difficult. However, some creative focus on trips may be warranted in a competitive market where customers are cross-shopping many sporting goods retailers.

3

Am I gaining valuable customer insights?

Rewards programs can enable a deeper understanding of customers through data. Unfortunately, many retailers under-invest in the talent, processes or systems to properly mine this data and fail to really capture valuable insights.

If this is the ultimate objective, retailers must start with a deeper customer segmentation and define clear strategic objectives through utilization of the data (i.e., to drive e-commerce sales, create a community of shoppers or enable targeted micro-promotion).

Many retail rewards programs are set up to fail because they are ill-defined or unrealistically tasked to achieve too many goals. The most effective programs focus on clear initiatives against a focused objective. We recommend all retailers regularly and carefully reconsider the degree to which their programs are aligned with the ultimate marketing goals and consistently measure results to ensure they are getting retail loyalty right.

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March/April 2016 | 21

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NOCSAE Introduces First Chest Protector Standard to Address Sudden Cardiac Death NOCSAE introduced the world’s first performance standard for baseball and lacrosse chest protectors for commotio cordis and moved it to proposed status at NOCSAE’s standards meeting on January 29. Commotio cordis, a heart rhythm disruption caused by a blow to the chest, is one of the leading causes of sudden cardiac death in athletes.

In conjunction with research efforts by the Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation, NOCSAE has funded more than $1.1 million in research to help identify the specific cause of commotio cordis and to develop a chest protector standard designed to significantly reduce the likelihood of occurrence.

The new NOCSAE standard applies to baseball and lacrosse, where catchers and goalies are typically the most vulnerable to commotio cordis. Approximately five to 15 athletes die every year from this syndrome. Most of these deaths are males under the age of 14, who are often wearing chest protection.

“This is an unprecedented breakthrough in sports protection,” said Mike Oliver, NOCSAE Executive Director. “Scientists have pinpointed the exact cause of commotio cordis, including the critical moment of occurrence in the cardiac cycle and the required threshold to prevent the injury. These findings have allowed us to create a chest protector standard that will significantly reduce, if not eliminate, the risk of commotio cordis.”

The NOCSAE board of directors voted to advance the chest protector standard for commotio cordis to proposed status, meaning the standard will remain open for public comment until January 2017, at which time it will be eligible to be voted on as a final standard unless modifications are recommended.

Football Helmets: Pneumatic Ram Test Standard and Youth Provisions During the January meeting, the NOCSAE Standards Committee Consensus Body voted to move its proposed pneumatic ram test standard to final status. This standard includes new tests that create and measure rotational accelerations, a crucial first step in improving the ability of helmets to address the risk of concussion.

NOCSAE is working to revise its football helmet standard to incorporate the pneumatic ram test for rotational accelerations. NOCSAE received significant public comment on the existing proposed changes to the football helmet standard. In response, a new proposed football helmet standard was approved at the January meeting.

The new proposed football helmet standard incorporates rotational accelerations in the pass/fail specifications and includes provisions for adjusted pneumatic ram impact velocities for helmets that manufacturers label as youth helmets.

Implementation of Third-Party Certification In January 2015, NOCSAE began requiring ISO/IEC 17065 accredited third-party certification for athletic equipment to meet NOCSAE standards. Under this requirement, a manufacturer contracts with an independent certifying body, Safety Equipment Institute (“SEI”), to audit their procedures and quality programs, and test, validate and certify their athletic equipment to meet NOCSAE standards. Over the course of 2015, the transition to third-party certification was staggered based on manufacturers’ sport-specific production seasons for equipment. As of February 1, 2016, all third-party certification for athletic equipment has been implemented.

“Implementing the third-party certification process in a year is a testament to the integrity of NOCSAE’s standards,” said Oliver. “Now, all manufacturers are using an independent body to ensure they’re meeting the highest safety standards for their athletic equipment.”

Other Standard Developments NOCSAE voted to move several proposed standards to final status, including standards for field hockey headgear and balls, and revisions to NOCSAE’s corrosion testing standard.

Additionally, a proposed lacrosse headgear standard is now available for review at nocsae.org.

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Russell Athletic, Easton Extend Partnerships with Little League Russell Athletic and Easton Baseball/Softball announced the extension of partnerships with Little League Baseball and Softball World Series tournaments.

Russell, a longtime supporter of NSGA and co-sponsor of the Team Dealer Summit at the annual event, extended its partnership for five years to remain the official uniform provider for the Little League World Series, supplying all on-field apparel and licensed souvenirs. The contract runs through 2020 for all nine Little League Baseball and Softball World Series tournaments.

Easton Baseball/Softball will continue to be the official team equipment supplier to Little League Baseball and Softball through 2022. Teams playing in a Little League World Series will receive donation kids of equipment which may include helmets, gloves, bats and catcher’s gear.

The relationships with Little League Baseball and Softball go back nearly 40 years for Easton and more than 30 years for Russell.

VERT Adds Miami Heat as First NBA Client VERT, an NSGA member and leader in wearable athletic technology, announced the Miami Heat will be its first NBA client. The Heat uses VERT in practice to prevent player injuries by allowing coaches to keep track of jump load and intensity measurements.

VERT is worn on an individual’s body to report numerous athletic measurements, including jump heights and jump counts, and they are sent to VERT software in real time to provide analytics that ensure high-level player management.

The technology helps coaches modify drills in practice for recovery and injury prevention.

Wilson Unveils Smart Football Wilson, a long-time supporter of NSGA, is taking a smarter approach with its sports equipment. The manufacturer unveiled a prototype of the Wilson X football, which is made with a motion sensor, at Super Bowl 50. A year ago Wilson introduced a smart basketball.

The Wilson X looks like an ordinary football on the outside but inside has a motion sensor to track spin, velocity, distance and whether the ball wobbles. The ball uses low-power Bluetooth technology to connect to a phone app and can’t be recharged, but the battery is designed to last two years.

Wilson has not determined a price for the football but sells official game balls to the NFL for $100. The Wilson smart basketball costs $200. The company believes purchasers will want the ball as a training tool or to liven up a game of catch.

Michigan High Schools to Promote Multi-Sport Participation The Michigan High School Athletic Association is creating a task force to work on promoting the benefits of multi-sport participation throughout 2016. The task force will develop strategies for the MHSAA and its member schools to give to coaches, athletes and parents to demonstrate the high risks and limited rewards of early and intense focus on a single sport. A January 2017 campaign launch is anticipated.

“For years it seemed educators were alone in promoting the multi-sport experience as the best for young people,” said MHSAA Executive Director Jack Roberts. “Rather suddenly, these voices have been joined by high-profile coaches and athletes and supported by a growing body of research.”

“Major college football coaches, members of the USA Women’s World Cup Soccer championship team, Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz, PGA golfer Jordan Spieth and others demonstrate to us that the multi-sport experience is the healthiest and happiest way to participate in youth sports.”

Performance Sports Group Acquires Easton Hockey Performance Sports Group Ltd., the parent company of Bauer Hockey, has acquired the Easton Hockey business from Easton Hockey Holdings, Inc. The acquisition adds Easton Hockey’s heritage of innovation to PSG’s existing Bauer Hockey business, including intellectual property assets that will add to the Company’s product lines under the Easton and Bauer brands. The acquisition will also provide PSG with exclusive control of the Easton brand in all sports other than cycling and archery.

PSG has owned the Easton brand since its April 2014 acquisition of the Easton Baseball/Softball business and has been licensing the use of the Easton brand in the hockey, cycling and archery categories. PSG will continue to license the brand for use in cycling and archery.

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