Search

National Basketball Assn (NBA) Commissioner David Stern says US premier professional basketball league is prepared to grow further after being side tracked by the players' lockout. Aside from continuing to be a fan-friendly league, the NBA will ensure that the needs of its sponsors and marketing partners are addressed. Stern says the NBA will also continue to develop other business opportunities momentarily affected by the lockout., NEW YORK - David Stern refused to spin the ball on his finger when posing for our cover, but that's about all he wouldn't provide us in this exclusive SGB [...]

Fogdog Sports Pres Tim Harrington believes that his company will remain the most popular online retailer in the sporting goods trade. According to Harrington, Fogdog intends to continue building its customer base by entering all major traffic areas and positioning itself as the online leader in these areas. He also believes that the Fogdog brand will become more recognizable as his company's cable television advertising campaign picks up. Harrington confidently predicts that Internet sales may eventually account for as much as 25% of the sports business., SAN JOSE - There was a lot of head scratching going on last November when SportSite.com announced it would do business as fogdog.com. No, people weren't scratching because they had [...]

Wilson Sporting Goods Pres Jim Baugh believes that the sports participation crisis happening in the US in the 1990s stems from the school children's lack of interest in physical education programs. He foresees that if this trend continues, the sporting goods industry may collapse. To solve the sports participation dilemma, Baugh proposes that sports industry leaders contribute in refueling the physical education programs of schools by offering financial support., Jim Baugh President Wilson Sporting Goods CHICAGO - One morning this past May, Jim Baugh stood before several hundred sports industry executives in a conference room at the Hilton Head [...]

Pacific Sunwear of California Chmn and CEO Greg Weaver firmly believes that the $400 million sports shoes and apparel retail company has the potential to become a 1,000-store chain. He says that this growth will be fueled by a massive marketing campaign and an expansion plan that includes adding more than 100 stores each year starting in 1999. He is also not worried by the growing competition since his company has already carved a niche by focusing on young men's apparel., Chairman and CEO Pacific Sunwear of California ANAHEIM, CA - Under the direction of CEO Greg Weaver, Pacific Sunwear's future has never seemed so bright. Weaver's 12-year commitment to Pacific [...]

Umbro International CEO Steve Preston and brand marketing director Peter Draper talk about the company's new direction. Preston says that the company has made the UK the base of its operations and will focus on licensing rather than acquisitions. It has also closed down its foreign facilities and have eliminated unprofitable businesses. Draper also foresees opportunities for the company in the US branded sports market., MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - The running joke in Manchester is that the sun doesn't shine for longer than ten minutes in any one stretch, But if you can stand the constant [...]

An eclectic mix of urban sportswear brass carried their soapboxes to SGB offices earlier this month for a tell-all session on the state of this sizzling market. David Rubenstein, president [...]

Oshman's Sporting Goods CEO/Pres Alvin Lubetkin believes that the move by sporting goods retailers and specialty chains to go public has been beneficial to the industry. The substantial amount of investor funds has enabled the industry to transform itself. Lubetkin noted that there are many developments occurring within the sporting goods industry that are a direct result of companies being public, and going public has to some extent forced sporting good retailers to consider different types of distribution than they have in the past to address investors' desires., HOUSTON - You might know Alvin Lubetkin as the head of the Southwest-based chain that has recently been shuttering a multitude of smaller concept stores in favor of an interactive, [...]

Joel Silverman, head of sporting goods retailer Galyan's Trading Co., believes that the company's parent, The Limited, has no plans of selling Galyan. However, due to its problematic finances, it is possible that Galyan would be spun-off or would invite outside investors. Galyan has cut down its expansion aims from 50 stores to 20 stores nationwide. It is experimenting on both stand-alone store and mall anchor formats. Whichever format becomes more successful would be applied for the other planned outlets., PLAINFIELD, IN - Years ago, when Joel Silverman walked into his first Sports Authority, he was so excited with the prospects for sporting goods retailing that he wanted his employer [...]

NORWALK, CT - So, what about Bob's? As astute retail watchers know, the Bob's Stores chain - which came into existence in 1954 - made its most aggressive run to [...]

Footwear retailer Woolworth Corp Colorado division Pres Dan Maguire, CEO Carol Greer and VP for retail marketing Jon Leafstedt claim that their company is planning to open 20 stores in 1998 as a part of its expansion efforts. They believe that the company is expected to get stronger as the outdoor industry, particularly the footwear category, continues to flourish. Woolworth is presently emphasizing on the significance of employee training for proper store management., NEW YORK - Three years ago, Woolworth's Colorado division, the footwear retailer conglomerate's ode to the outdoor industry, was launched amid great fanfare but with little apparent follow-through. However, after [...]

DENVER, CO - The recent Gart Sports/Sportmart merger may have underwhelmed Wall Street, which would have preferred a full-line marriage giving birth to a national superchain. But Gart CEO Doug [...]

NEW YORK--Helio Fialho's business card takes care of one of his more recurring obstacles. To the right of his give name in parentheses are the letters, 'L.U.' Consider it a [...]

VAN NUYS, CA-- Jim Darby thinks college baseball is just fine the way it is. And three years from January, when the newly revised NCAA rule and protocol on aluminum [...]

A million-dollar seed round and a unique grassroots program has the brass at eteamz (www.eteamz.com) believing they're onto a winner. Last month, the site officially opened its doors (following an [...]

And 1 founder and CEO Seth Berger is confident that his company can secure the number two spot in the basketball shoes market behind Nike. He also says that signing National Baskeball Assn star Latrell Sprewell to endorse the And 1 brand will be a big boost towards the company's goal. He also claims that that the company can effectively compete with Reebok and Adidas with in-store marketing and advertising at the right places., NEW YORK - At And 1, basketball is more than a business. It's a way of life. That attitude is driven by the footwear and apparel brand's founder, Seth Berger, [...]

Benetton Sportsystem USA CEO Dennis Shafer believes that the combination of marketing skills and focused brand theory are the key factors that will continue to make the firm's product brands dynamic. In particular, the company would concentrate on improving its independent sales agencies and marketing programs to serve its customers better. In Shafer's view, independent sales agencies do not exist just to make a sale but to provide services and support to customers., President & CEO Benetton Sportsystem USA NEW YORK - The last time SGB grilled Dennis Shafer at length he had just taken the reigns at Rollerblade, charged with leading the [...]

Doug Williams, an executive at Polo Ralph Lauren, states that his company's newly launched RLX brand perfectly combines functionality with fashion to create the most innovative technical and aesthetic product in the sporting clothes business. The company decided on a select distribution strategy for the collection by partnering with specialty stores, which it believes is the true influencers in the community, instead of going to department stores. Williams is convinced that the products, which were designed by athletes, and cooperation with the distribution channel will help push the RLX brand in the market., NEW YORK - Doug Williams, president of product licensing, international licensing and new business for Polo Ralph Lauren, knows that brand recognition can work both for and against you. Having [...]

Major League Baseball Properties Vice Pres for Licensing Howard Smith believes that the league's licensing efforts have been successful in the past few years. The increased interest displayed by the hip-hop generation towards the sports and the the success of the inter-league play are two of the factors influencing the growth. He thinks that the league should adapt brand marketing strategies similar to the National Football League and the National Basketball Assn., Vice President, Licensing Major League Baseball Properties NEW YORK - Howard Smith hadn't even punched his first timecard at MLB offices when he sat down with SGB to discuss the [...]

Vice President of Marketing, NASCAR NEW YORK - Sure, everybody has a hectic schedule these days. But NASCAR's George Pyne somehow manages to spend half the work week in the [...]

Cleary Simpson, publisher of 'Sports Illustrated For Kids,' stresses how the magazine adapts to the needs of its readers. She also mentions how she and the staff conduct research works regarding children's sports preferences so they could adjust their themes to what the youth wants to read. 'Sports Illustrated For Kids' has been thriving in the publishing sector due to this management strategy., Publisher Sports Illustrated For Kids ... with research director, Donna Sabino NEW YORK - With a decade in business and more than a million readers under its circulation belt, Sports [...]

Identifying the primary costumers, which are the 14-to-19-year-old males, is the key to success of Ralph Parks' and Keith Daly's Footaction U.S.A. Inc. Another turning point of the footwear chain's success is the experimentation with larger-format stores which are located in malls that draws the most number of costumers. An intense marketing effort which involves gaining exclusive rights from famous brands further paved the way for the chain's leadership in the market, with its competitors left behind., An unmatched exclusive product lineup, an intense marketing effort targeted at teenage males, and a rapid changeover to sleek, larger-format stores has the once overlooked Footaction chain tossing some lofty [...]

The launch of the high-end in-store concept Four Worlds and the venture into the upscale market are among the key moves that Mark Scott has initiated at the helm of Sportmart Inc. He has also spearheaded the rollout of the chain's own upscale label, the LX brand. Joining the chain in 1995, Scott's main focus is on merchandising stores and marketing. He foresees improvements in the company's handling of fitness and outdoor lines, as well hard goods and overall accessories., NEW YORK - Stints at Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor and The Bombay Co. had Sportmart president Mark Scott thinking upscale when he joined the chain a year and a half [...]

Play It Again Sports Pres. Charlie Kanan plans to have about 1,000 sporting goods stores by year 2000. The chain will open 75-80 stores in 1997. Kanan reveals that there is an increase in multiple store owners which is a very good trend for the sector. He also expects 1997 to be a good business year because of the robust economy, particularly in terms of sales growth and increase in new stores., MINNEAPOLIS - When he came to the sporting goods industry a couple of years back, Charlie Kanan was surprised to see that franchising was virtually non-existent. But it didn't take [...]

A wide array of boot styles and designs are available in the market to suit a hiker's needs and preferences. Boots should be selected for their suitability to the activity. Hikers should buy boots which offer the greatest comfort, durability and performance. Backpacking requires boots which are lightweight such as fabric and split-leather combinations, while backcountry treks require footwear with full-grain leather uppers that offers maximum support. Shooting activities require field footwear that is well-insulated and water-resistant. This include boots with rubber, leather or rubber/leather combinations which have rubberized outsole., Finding the perfect boot for your customer isn't a matter of luck A RETAILER CAN CERTAINLY get lost in the bevy of outdoor footwear SKU's that the truck-load of vendors [...]

Sales statistics show that the archery industry has been down for 1993. The decline in sales is attributed to the cyclical nature of the business, which posted a 24% growth in 1992 over 1991. The slowdown has also been conditioned by consumer decision to rebuild archery equipment rather than buy new ones. However, analysts are optimistic that the industry will rebound because of the growth of the market for women, youth and the increasing popularity of three-dimensional target shooting., While sales results did not match predictions for archery in the past year, many industry execs say new participants and the continued popularity of 3D will aim archery back on [...]

The market for binoculars includes consumers involved with birding, spectating, hunting, hiking and backpacking. However, this broad range of possible sales is not reflected in retail sporting goods business. A major reason given for the situation is the limitation imposed by some retailers in selling the product for specific groups. Binocular vendors should consider cross-merchandising techniques to attract more customers in the market., Vendors are promoting the cross-merchandising opportunities that binoculars offer for spectator sports and other activities. And retailers are no longer relegating the category to hunting sections in their stores. Recent [...]

Retailers share their wish lists for the corning year. More domestic manufacturers. Faster response on hot-market items. A heightened focus on kids and women's product. Better communications between leagues and [...]

Creating an in-store concept shop is the first challenge. Figuring out a way to extend that licensed environment is the second. While retailers would like to set up concept shops, [...]

Hot markets create big opportunities - and big frustrations when deliveries are slow to arrive. No sports category demands faster response than licensed products. The Sacramento Kings make a playoff [...]

Retailers must embrace the rise of media companies and major corporations in sports. Ex-NFL Properties executive Jeff Sofka, now VP of Integrated Sports International, offered SGB's Licensed Buyers Council a [...]

Reviewing what worked on the sports licensed front last year, SGB's Licensed Buyers Council capitalized on hot-market success with some innovative approaches. Aside from widespread success with big hot-market events [...]

Overlicensing and poor segmentation are familiar problems. What is being done to address them? As leagues' licensee rosters have ballooned, the issue of channel segmentation has become even more pressing. [...]

Capturing the attention of fans at a young age is critical to keeping them around for the long haul. The youth market continues to be an important area for growth [...]

Retailers, manufacturers discuss what's hot - and what gets left on the drawing board. Licensees gripe that it's difficult to convince risk-averse retailers to try new items. Retailers counter that [...]

Rory Paquette is the head of Micro Marketing, a Wisconsin-based firm that provides professional guidance for small companies who plan to join international trade shows. Micro marketing has managed to expand their operations to include as much as 100 vendors in its client base. Paquette believes that small companies are not exactly defenseless in the face of major competitors in the field of international trade. He believes that the proper contacts can greatly contribute to the success of any business., Rory Paquette makes it his business to take U.S.-based companies deeper into the heart of international trade than they could ever hope to go on their own. The odds may [...]

Sports Specialties Corp is confident that its latest offering in caps will be patronized by college students because of the distinctive material. The cap is made from a cotton ribbed dobby fabric which lends it a classic and aged look. Expected to go over big with students, the company has purchased the entire inventory of the fabric from the supplier. This exclusive contract with the fabric supplier is expected to contribute significantly to the expected sales revenues from the Heritage cap., NEW YORK - Although it is keeping a lid on its fabric supplier, Sports Specialties is bullish on prospects for its new Heritage cap, constructed of 100-percent cotton ribbed dobby [...]

Canada-based Doubletex is expected to experience a 30% to 35% growth in its overseas operations annually. The company, which is the largest privately held mill in the country that specializes on dyeing and finishing woven, is recently undergoing 40% additional facility construction as part of its expansion project. A significant US presence is vital in achieving the company's global ambitions., MONTREAL - To call Charles Zuckerman and his team at the Doubletex mill motivated on the performance fabric front would he an understatement. To call them aggressive would be accurate. [...]

Outlast Technologies has developed an in-fiber version of its temperature regulating fabric coating material. The in-fiber technology will enable the company to add 'smart' insulative yarns to its product offerings. The technology uses micro-thermal materials that were first developed by the company for NASA and the Air Force. The micro-thermal materials in Outlast fibers and fabrics manage heat through a three-step process., BOULDER, CO - Following an inaugural year in which the company's temperature regulating coating won over several big names on the outdoor manufacturing front, Outlast has released an in-fiber version [...]

W.L. Gore has developed a testing system to ensure that it can support the 'Guaranteed to Keep You Dry' claim that it uses to market its Gore-Tex membrane. At the company's German facilities, the Gore-Tex membrane undergoes rigorous tests for breathability, tearability, abrasion and colorfastness. W.L. Gore also contracts outside testing organizations, including Hohenstein Institute in Bavaria, Kansas State University and Ken Ledward Equipment Testing Service in the UK., BONNIGHEIM, GERMANY - The claim 'Guaranteed To Keep You Dry' isn't something to take lightly. But it's one W.L. Gore has made famous for 20 years with the marketing of [...]