ISSUE 1410 MARCH 10, 2014 The Weekly Digital Magazine for the …d4ex6pvli7xof.cloudfront.net/.../SGB_14Q1/SGBW_1410lo.pdf · 2014. 3. 9. · ISSUE 1410 The Weekly Digital Magazine

ISSUE 1410MARCH 10, 2014

The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Sporting Goods Industry

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Tefl on® Brand.The Element of Protection.

Products that carry the DuPont™ Tefl on® fabric protector brand not only stand up to the environment, but can use less energy, less natural resources and reduce your carbon footprint.*

With Tefl on® fabric protector, textiles require less washing and lower wash- and dry-temperatures, which extend the life of the clothing and reduce the impact on the environment.**

Tefl on® fabric protector—now more sustainable than ever.

tefl on.com/sgb

*Carbon footprint claim based on testing which demonstrates that treated products require lower wash temperatures and 40% less drying time. **Capstone® repellents for Tefl on® fabric protector utilize short-chain molecules that cannot break down to PFOA in the environment. Capstone® repellents meet the goals of the U.S. EPA 2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Program.

Copyright © 2014 DuPont. All rights reserved. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, Capstone® and Tefl on® are trademarks or registered trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affi liates.

http://www.teflon.com/sgb

1

Tefl on® Brand.The Element of Protection.

Products that carry the DuPont™ Tefl on® fabric protector brand not only stand up to the environment, but can use less energy, less natural resources and reduce your carbon footprint.*

With Tefl on® fabric protector, textiles require less washing and lower wash- and dry-temperatures, which extend the life of the clothing and reduce the impact on the environment.**

Tefl on® fabric protector—now more sustainable than ever.

tefl on.com/sgb

*Carbon footprint claim based on testing which demonstrates that treated products require lower wash temperatures and 40% less drying time. **Capstone® repellents for Tefl on® fabric protector utilize short-chain molecules that cannot break down to PFOA in the environment. Capstone® repellents meet the goals of the U.S. EPA 2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Program.

Copyright © 2014 DuPont. All rights reserved. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, Capstone® and Tefl on® are trademarks or registered trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affi liates.

Copyright 2014 SportsOneSource, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors to SGB WEEKLY are not necessarily those of the editors or publishers. SGB WEEKLY is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Articles appearing in SGB WEEKLY may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the publisher. SGB WEEKLY is published weekly by SportsOneSource, LLC, 2151 Hawkins Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28203; 704.987.3450. Send address changes to SGB WEEKLY, 2151 Hawkins Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28203; 704.987.3450

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MAKING NEWS

4 Movers & Shakers

Adidas’ Outlook Dampened by Currency Woes 5 Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer's Contract Extended Through 2017

The Outdoor Foundation Releases New Paddlesports Report Study Identifies Metro Urban Cyclists as Potent Force 6 By The Numbers

Sports and Fitness Industry Leaders Gather in the Nations Capital8 SFIA Majority of Team Sports See Participation Grow

BEST PRACTICES I TEAM BUSINESS10 Selling Spring Team Sports12 Gizmos & Gadgets

GIVING BACK14 Boxercraft Welcomes President Clinton To Haitian Factory

MADE IN THE USA16 Merrimack Canoe Company Crossville, Tennessee

FEATURE18 Reebok Introduces Delta Fitness Mark

T&C PICK20 The Classic Field Jacket

MARCH 3, 2014ISSUE 1409

MARCH 10, 2014 | SGBWeekly.com 3

MARCH 10, 2014ISSUE 1410

The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Sporting Goods Industry

Made in the usaMerrimack Canoe Company

Cover: Photo courtesy reebok

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

NEWS

Adidas Outdoor announced Canadian born; high-altitude alpinist Don Bowie will join its team of athletes. Bowie has been climbing for the past 18 years.

Anta Sports Products Limited signed a basketball endorsement contract with Chandler Parsons, starting Small forward / Power forward of the Houston Rockets.

Bauer Performance Sports hired Rich Wuerthele to serve as executive vice president of hockey, a newly created position within the BPS organization. He most recently worked for Newell Rubbermaid.

Bern Unlimited, the lifestyle action sports company specializing in head protection for non-motorized action sports, officially announced the addition of Swedish freestyle skier Henrik Harlaut to its snow team.

Clarks appointed Geralyn R. Breig to the position of president, Americas region. Geralyn most recently served as SVP and President of North America at Avon Products.

Hoka One One has added Olympic Marathoner Magdalena Lewy-Boulet and All-American Miler Nicole Schappert to the brand’s squad of elite runners.

Longstreth Sporting Goods announced that Allison Lokey has been hired as field hockey manager.

Sanuk announced that Ethan Anderson has joined Sanuk as global vice president of marketing. Anderson most recently served as EVP, global creative director at Volcom.

Timex Group USA has named Stan Brajer as a vice president for sports sales.

Vibram appointed John McMahon as director of marketing. McMahon has over 15 years of marketing expertise in the footwear and athletic apparel industry, including several years at Reebok.

ADiDAS’ OutlOOk DAMPENED By CuRRENCy WOES

Excluding the impact of currency-fluctuations, Adidas Group reported a robust fourth quar-ter, with currency-neutral (C-N) sales ahead 12 percent on the back of growth in all regions, channels and brands. On a C-N basis, Adidas Brand sales grew 10.3 percent, Reebok ad-vanced 8.9 percent, and TaylorMade Adidas Golf expanded 25.3 percent.

Unfortunately, weaknesses in emerging market currencies like Russia's ruble and Argentina's peso dramatically cut into growth on a reported basis. Sales in euro terms grew only 3.3 percent to €3.48 billion ($4.78 bn). The euro has advanced 24 percent in the past year against the ruble and 64 percent against the Argentine peso.

Worse, currency translation is expected to have a “significant negative impact” on Adidas’ top-line growth in reported terms in 2014, despite the positive impact of the soccer World Cup in Brazil later this summer. Russia’s dispute with Ukraine also adds to this year’s foreign-exchange risk and may make consumers in the region nervous, CEO Herbert Hainer added during a news conference. In sum, these outside factors are expected to challenge Adidas’ ability to reach its Route 2015 targets.

"The currency situation, as it is right now, represents a significant risk to the achievement of our goals," said Hainer. "We cannot ignore the significant weakness of the Russian ruble since the beginning of the year as well as the current uncertainty in the region, both of which have added considerable risk to our results in euros."

Adidas officials projected foreign exchange effects to have a mid-single-digit percentage point hit to sales growth in 2014 and to cut operating profit by 150 to 250 million euros.

Adidas had set targets for 2015 sales of €17 billion ($23.4 billion) and an operating margin of 11 percent, both looking ambitious given a margin target of 8.5 to 9 percent for 2014 and 2013 sales falling 2.6 percent to €14.5 billion ($19.9 bn).

The currency fluctuations overshadowed healthy underlying business conditions across Adidas’ portfolio in the fourth quarter. The 12 percent gain on a C-N basis was above expec-tations.

On a C-N basis, Wholesale sales grew 7.9 percent to €2.05 billion ($2.82 bn), Retail grew 14.8 percent to €934 million ($1.28 bn), and Other Businesses (TaylorMade Adidas Golf, Rockport, Reebok CCM Hockey) jumped 27.8 percent to €493 million ($677.1 mm). In euro terms, Wholesale sales were down 0.5 percent, Retail was up 5.9 percent and Other Businesses climbed 16.2 percent.

Net income attributable to shareholders excluding goodwill impairment losses amount-ed to €42 million ($57.7 mm) in the quarter versus net loss attributable to shareholders of €7 million last year.

For 2014, Adidas continues to expect C-N sales to increase at a high-single-digit rate, benefiting from heightened visibility as the Official Partner of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Sales are also expected to be boosted by Adidas’ high exposure to fast-growing emerging markets as well as the further expansion of Retail.

Net income is expected to be at a level between €830 million and €930 million compared to the 2013 net income, excluding goodwill impairment losses, of €839 million.

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ADiDAS CEO HERBERT HAINER'S CONTRACT ExTENDED THROUGH 2017

The Adidas AG supervisory board extended Herbert Hainer’s contract and also his mandate as CEO of Adidas AG by another two years beyond 2015 until March 2017. Hainer has been CEO of Adidas AG since March 2001.

In a statement, Igor Landau, chairman of the supervisory board of Adidas AG noted that the company’s value has in-creased more than fivefold since Hainer’s appointment.

Landau said, “I am delighted that Herbert Hainer has ex-tended his contract as CEO of the Adidas Group. In light of his extremely successful performance we would have liked to tie him to the company for an even longer period. We are

convinced that Herbert Hainer will continue to drive the company‘s success on its growth path."

The statement also signaled that Adidas is preparing for Hainer’s successor.

Landau said, ”Today's decision gives us sufficient time to ensure a smooth transition at the helm of the Adidas Group and to optimally facilitate the process of succes-sion for the company. In the coming years, together with Herbert Hainer, we will continue to pursue the genera-tion change which has already been initiated within the Group's management team, thus preparing the company for the next era of success.”

herbert hainer adidas Ceo

igor Landau, chairman of the supervisory board of adidas aG

STUDy iDENTifiES METRO URBAN CyCLISTS AS

POTENT FORCE

Metro urban bicyclists are more diverse, affluent and better educated than the average adult U.S. cyclist and significantly more inclined to buy their bikes from independent bike dealers than mass merchants, according to the third annual Ameri-can Bicyclist Study released at the 2014 National Bike Summit in Washington, DC.

A brief summary of the 84-page report shows that almost half of 152 city dwellers who respond-ed to a survey made their most recent bicycle pur-chase at a bike shop (49 percent) while one-third (32 percent) made their purchase at a discount/mass merchant retailer. More than 8-in-10 (81 percent) had spent an average of $554.37 to buy a new bike and 27 percent had spent an average of $551.72 to buy a used bike. Urban cyclists also indicated they planned to spend 38 to 60 percent more on cycling products compared with the typical adult cyclist.

Metro urban cyclists are younger and twice as likely be African-American, (18 percent) or Asian (11 percent) and much more likely to be Hispanic (13 percent) than the overall U.S. cycling popula-tion (9, 5 and 9 percent respectively). Thirty-three percent use their bikes primarily for commuting, compared to 25 percent for the overall population. As a result they are significantly more concerned about access to safe roads and safe places to store their bikes than the overall cycling population.

Excerpts from the 84-page report were present-ed at the National Bike Summit, which is held by The League of American Bicyclists in Washington, DC every spring.

“The riding habits of this group are significantly different in terms of riding frequency and are driven by reasons other than the typical fun and fitness – the two primary reasons for riding a bi-cycle among adults,” reads the report. “While they accumulate fewer miles, due to living in a denser environment where essentials such as shopping and dining out are closer, they ride much more fre-quently than the average adult bicyclist.”

THE OUTDOOR fOUNDATiON RELEASES NEW PADDLESPORTS

REPORT

The Outdoor Foundation and The Coleman Company, Inc. released the Special Report on Paddlesports, which provides a detailed look at participation in kayaking, canoeing, raft-ing – and for the first time – stand up paddling. Among other findings, the report reveals that more than 19 million Americans participated in paddling in 2012 to enjoy rivers, lakes, streams and other waterways in their communities.

Overall, the report found that 19.2 million Americans age six and older participated in kayaking, canoeing, rafting and stand up paddling in 2012.

Kayaking, with 10.3 million American participants in 2012, has enjoyed steady growth since 2010, climb-ing to a participation rate of 3.6 percent of Americans age six and older. About two-thirds (63.2 percent) of kayakers get out one-to- three times per year. Recreational kayaking is the most popular type of kayaking followed – by a significant margin – by sea/tour kayaking and whitewater kayaking.

Canoeing was close behind with 9.8 million participants, or 3.4 percent of Americans age six and older who participated in canoeing in 2012. Canoeing participants get out more often than kayaking participants. Nearly 50 percent of canoeing participants make four or more outings per year. Canoe-ing appeals to youth and is the most popular paddlesport among Americans age 6 to17.

About 1.3 percent of Americans age six and older participates in rafting, or 3.7 million participants. Participation fell from 2010 to 2011 but remained relatively steady from 2011 to 2012. Thirty-eight percent of rafters make only one outing per year and 68 percent make three outings per year or less. Rafting is most popular among teenage boys.

Stand Up Paddling participation grew from 1.1 million participants in 2010 to 1.5 million in 2012. In 2012, stand up paddling participants made 9.6 million outings. Stand up paddling appeals most to young adults age 18 to 24 and adults age 25 to 44, an age group which saw significant participation gains in 2012.

This week, the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, (SFIA), held its annual National Health Through Fitness lobby day. Fifteen celebrity athletes and more than 125 sports industry leaders joined educators and PHIT America supporters in Washington, D.C. to advocate for physical activity. During meetings with lawmakers, discussions centered around three crucial pieces of legislation to “Get America Moving” – the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) and the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act along with the American College of Sports Medicine’s plan to update the national guidelines for physical activity.

“Having challenging physical education as a young boy gave me the confidence to become a great student, I believe today’s children should have the same opportunity,” said NFL great Herschel Walker, a Heisman Trophy winner, honorary chairman of National Health Through Fitness Day and PHIT America ambassador. “I challenge the U.S. Congress to do the right thing and support this legislation.”

U.S. Olympic softball gold medalist pitcher Jennie Finch added, "It’s so important to be involved in an event and cause like National Health Through Fitness Day.” As an athlete and a mom, I know the importance of physical activity and the role it plays in a healthy lifestyle for families and educational success for children.

According to Tom Cove, CEO and President of the SFIA, “This is one of the most important events that we do all year. Over the years, it has been well-established that participation in Phys-Ed increases physical activity and yields numerous

115 Industry leaders along with 15 celebrity athletes spend the day on Capital Hill lobbying for Physical Education and programs to get Americans more active.

positive benefits when it comes to lowering health care costs, improving performance in school and overall quality of life. In addition, we are now seeing obesity and inactivity becoming a national security problem in that the armed forces are having trouble recruiting fit young people.”

Below is the list of athletes that participated along with the company that brought them.

Herschel Walker (Franklin Sports)Jennie Finch (Mizuno) Matt Stover (Evoshield) Swin Cash (Nike)Tommy JohnCullen Jones (Speedo)Ken Harvey (ETS)John Booty (SFIA)Benson Henderson (Everlast)Ladarius Webb (Under Armour)Matt Elam (Under Armour)Brenda Martinez (New Balance) Peter Hudnut (USA Water Polo) Connor Barwin (GoodSports)Visanthe Shiancoe Bobby Boswell (adidas)

"We could not be prouder of what we were able to achieve as an industry this week on Capitol Hill," said Bill Sells, SFIA Vice President of Government and Public Affairs. "Meeting with Congressional leaders from both parties to discuss physical activity initiatives is proof there are solutions to the healthcare crisis that both Democrats and Republicans can rally around.

SportS and FitneSS induStry LeaderS Gather in the nation’S CapitaL

BY THE NUMBERS

($5.4 mm)dorel industries reported its Recreational/Leisure Segment lost $5.4 million in the fourth quarter after taking mostly non-cash restructuring charges that reduced its overall earn-ings by about half. While the segment's revenues increased 8.3 percent to $245.5 million, the gain came almost en-tirely from Caloi, a Brazilian company Dorel acquired in August. Dorel had warned in-vestors in January that it was restructuring its bike business due to continued discounting and delayed orders.

+7.1%Smith & Wesson holding Corp. said net sales grew 7.1 percent in its third quarter ended Jan. 31. Excluding Walther prod-ucts that were sold in the prior year pursuant to a distribution agreement that has since end-ed, sales climbed 16.7 percent. Handgun sales, which include sales of the company's popular M&P pistols, grew 29.9 percent versus the year ago quarter.Earnings jumped 42.5 percent to $20.8 million, or 36 cents a share, from $14.6 million, or 22 cents, a year ago.

+40.0%Black diamond inc. had net income of $700,000 in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2013, up 40 percent from a year earlier, accorded to audited financial state-ments released Monday. The statements confirmed sales increased 24 percent to $60.4 million on gross margins of 38.0 percent, as forecast by the company Feb. 11.

NEWS

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8 SGBWeekly.com | MARCH 10, 2014

ccording to the latest U.S. Trends in Team Sports Report published by SFIA, 15 of 24

teams sports grew in core participation in 2012. At the same time, traditional team sports such as foot-ball, baseball, and basketball saw declines.

Compared to 2011, which saw an increase in only 5 of the 24 sports, the surge in core participa-tion in the most current U.S. Trends in Team Sports Report is proof of the growing trend of specializa-tion in team sports, according to SFIA. While there are more quality participants (core), the report also revealed the decrease in overall (casual) team sports participants over the last five years. Since 2008, team sports have lost 16.1 million partici-pants or 11.1 percent of all team participants, mea-sured by those who played at least once a year.

“The industry continues to face a paradoxical reality of more quality participants (Core), but less in the overall participants (Casual),” wrote Tom Cove in the report. ”As Casual participation is the funnel for future Core participants, the in-dustry cannot ignore the future implications of the drying well of Casual participants.”

Currently, there are over 80 million Americans completely inactive (having not participated in any of 104 activities tracked by SFIA research), with that number set to increase to close to 92 million by 2018, if the trend proceeds unabated. The ad-dition of 11 million "inactives" represents a loss of $2 billion in sports and fitness product sales dur-ing the same period, SFIA estimates.

SFIA attributes the drop in team sports partici-pation influenced

by several nuanced factors: increased single sport specialization, overuse injury, athlete burn-out, safety concerns, and marginalization of the recreational player.

“Our analysis also suggests costs of participation have become a constraint to some, especially in the post-recession period,” said Cove. “Keeping the American sports experience fun, accessible and safe is an imperative responsibility for our industry and the broader sports community. We need to understand challenges facing youth sports and act decisively to create a welcoming environment through which youth sports remain a fundamental element of indi-vidual, family and community life in America.”

Among those team sports, football (tackle, flag, and touch), baseball, and basketball have been the three most affected by the loss of overall

participants in the past five years. Growth sectors have been seen in non-traditional sports. Notably, the largest sectors with positive growth since 2008 are gymnastics (an increase of 5.1 million participants in 2012), ultimate Frisbee (5.1 million), indoor soccer (4.6 million) and beach volleyball (4.5 million).

The sport with the greatest gain in core par-ticipants was roller hockey, up 22.1 percent; fol-lowed by softball (fast pitch), 18.3 percent; rugby, 18.2 percent; volleyball (beach), 13.7 percent; cheer-leading, 10.8 percent; ice hockey, 9.1 percent; field hockey, 7.8 percent; ultimate Frisbee, 7.5 percent; and football (touch), 6.9 percent. Others seeing more modest gains were football (flag), gym-nastics, lacrosse, paintball, soccer, softball (slow-pitch). Among the major team sports, core participation was down 3.3 percent in base-ball, 2.7 percent in football (tackle), 2.3 percent in soccer (outdoor), and 2.1 percent in basketball.

SfiA MAJORITy OF TEAM SPORTS SEE PARTICIPATION GROW

TEAM SPORT 2011 2012 CHANGE (2011/2012)

2-yEAR AVG. GROWTH

5-yEAR AVG. GROWTH

Baseball 13,561 12,976 -4.3% -4.4% -4.2%

Basketball 24,790 23,708 -4.4% -2.9% -1.8%

Cheerleading 3,049 3,244 6.4% 1.8% -0.1%

Field Hockey 1,147 1,237 7.8% 2.4% 2.0%

Football (Flag) 6,325 5,865 -7.3% -6.0% n/a

Football (Touch) 7,684 7,295 -5.1% -8.2% n/a

Football (Tackle) 6,448 6,220 -3.5% -4.7% -4.7%

Gymnastics 4,824 5,115 6.0% 7.6% 4.8%

Ice Hockey 2,131 2,363 10.9% 5.3% 5.2%

Lacrosse 1,501 1,607 7.1% 6.3% 8.9%

Paintball 3,606 3,528 -2.2% -7.1% -8.3%

Roller Hockey 1,237 1,367 10.5% 0.3% -3.8%

Rugby 850 887 4.4% -2.6% 8.3%

Soccer (Indoor) 4,631 4,617 -0.3% -3.1% 1.8%

Soccer (Outdoor) 13,667 12,944 -5.3% -3.4% -1.1%

Softball (Fast Pitch) 2,400 2,624 9.4% 2.4% 2.4%

Softball (Slow-Pitch) 7,809 7,411 -5.1% -6.5% -4.8%

Swimming (Competition) 2,363 2,502 5.9% n/a n/a

Track And Field 4,341 4,257 -1.9% -1.4% -1.9%

Ultimate Frisbee 4,868 5,131 5.4% 6.0% 5.0%

Volleyball (Beach) 4,451 4,505 1.2% -2.6% 3.2%

Volleyball (Court) 6,662 6,384 -4.2% -6.5% -1.6%

Volleyball (Grass) 4,211 4,088 -2.9% -6.8% -3.6%

Wrestling 1,971 1,922 -2.5% -12.4% -9.8%

TEAM SPORTS PARTICIPATION (In thousands)

“The degradation of the casual team sports par-ticipant cannot be ignored,” added VJ Mayor, SFIA’s director of communications & research. “Casual participation is the gateway to more core partici-pants. We have already begun to see a decline in core participation among traditional team sports over the last five years; which is alarming. The drop could be influenced by several factors including in-creased single sport specialization, overuse injury, athlete burnout, safety concerns, and the margin-alization of the recreation player. Fortunately, the industry is aware of the magnitude of the issue and is coalescing to address it with initiatives like PHIT America and a participation initiative borne out of the SFIA Industry Leaders Summit.”

The SFIA U.S. Trends in Team Sports Report also explores core and casual participation around key demographic data such as age, gender, and in-come, as well as childhood participation, fandom in team sports, and churn rate.

NEWS I TEAM BUSINESS

A

MARCH 10, 2014 | SGBWeekly.com 9

SPORTS PARTICIPATION DRIVES FANDOM

SFIA again looked at the close correlation between sports participation and team fandom. It found that for 2012, 61.7 percent of team participants were "very interested" or "somewhat interested" in National League Football. Overall, Basketball (both NBA and College) and College Football skew fandom toward Team Sports participants, while the NFL, NHL and MLB are more universal (less difference in appeal between Team Sports participants and non-participants).

CHURN RATE IMPROVES

Each sport loses and acquires participants each year, even if the net number of participants stays the same. This situ-ation is known as the Churn Rate.

Newcomers/Returners minus the Churn Rate, those that leave the sport, equals the net change in participation in that activity. In the 2012 data, SFIA found a return to the positive Churn Rate as seen in 2010, now showing a net positive in 22 of 24 Team Sports (Baseball -4%; Basketball -4%).

The 2012 Churn Rate report gives room for optimism in recently suffering sports like Tackle Football (+21% Net) and Slow Pitch Softball (+11%), and reinforces the mo-mentum of smaller sports that are growing their base, like Roller Hockey (+33%), Lacrosse (+32%), and Field Hockey (+30%).

The Churn Rate Chart for 2012 appears at right.

10 SGBWeekly.com | MARCH 10, 2014

By William H. kendy

Sports and SeasonsFar and away football and baseball are the big dogs when it comes to team sports with football taking the top honor mainly because it requires more equipment and the list of necessities is always changing. In the spring, baseball is king.

Still, there are exceptions depending on location and the emphasis and positioning of the store. Hockey, skating, figure skating, soccer, tennis and track are in the mix depending on the location and focus of the store.

“We’re open seven days a week and our sales are split 40 percent between retail and 60 percet from teams,” said Brad Westrum, owner of Gerrells Sports Center in Grand Forks, ND. “While we outfit all the teams in a sport, our business revolves around hockey, skating and figure skating simply because that is what we specialize in.”

Allen Sports Center is located in Seminole, FL about an hour west of Lakeland, which is home to a number of different major and minor

Selling Spring TeAm SporTS

hen it comes to basic retail selling it really doesn’t matter what type of business you are in. There is no difference in the steps to

a retail sale regardless of whether you are selling sporting goods, shoes, furniture or jewelry.

Except when it comes to team sports.While there is some sizeable sales generated “in-store” for team sport

retailers, the majority of their business comes from outbound sales efforts. Most of the stores SGB interviewed did between 20 to 40 percent in store

retail business verses 60 to 80 percent for outbound sales. Outbound sell-ing is a horse of a different color and the tactics and objectives are different.

“Selling to teams is completely different then retail sales,” said General Manager of Academy Sports Jared Snell with stores in Midvale and Layton, Utah. “In retail you get the product in, learn how to sell it, put it on a shelf or rack and it is done. With team selling there is a lot of coordination and considerations involved and team discounts, pricing, service and convenience are major keys.”

W

Clint "skeet" Colosky, the athletic buyer for Jay's sporting Goods in Clare, Mi and the varsity coach at

Clare High School is "suited up" hitting pre-game infield practice balls for his players.

BEST PRACTICES I TEAM BUSINESS

MARCH 10, 2014 | SGBWeekly.com 11

league training camps. Consequently, baseball makes up a major portion of their outbound business.

“We do a lot of business with minor league teams and some service business, like uniform alterations, for the majors,” said owner Don Bates. “Of course we call on everyone from T-Ball, little league, schools and colleges, travel, church, and parks and recreation teams.”

Striking Out and Hitting a Home Run Outbound selling is more than just showing up at a store on time to service walk-in customers. It is an on-the-road job and requires identifying and qualifying customers to make sure they have the money and the authority to make a buying decision, setting ap-pointments, making presentations, closing the sale, and making the numbers.

All of the retailers interviewed for this article maintain an out-bound sales staff to reach out to those prospects.

“We have eight full-time outside salespeople and cover the west coast of Florida up into Georgia and pretty much call on everyone who isn’t doing business direct with a manufacturer,” said Bates. “Some of the larger college teams deal directly with the manufac-turers and it is tough to compete at that level but we try anyway.”

“The biggest challenge for my outbound salespeople is that the decision makers in the park and recreation and travel teams change almost every year and it is hard to find the right person to make a presentation to or write and order for,” said Westrum. “There are better defined lines of authority and more continuity in school athletic departments where it is part of their job.”

“We talk to athletic directors and coaches at schools and all of the specialty and recreation teams we can find within a 30 mile ra-dius of our store,” said Skeet Clint “Skeet” Colosky, athletic buyer at Jay’s Sporting Goods in Clare, MI. “We are competing against on-line businesses, eBay and other team retailers so we make sure that our product and shipping prices are comparable and we pro-vide them with top-notch service.”

“Once we get a foot in the door as long as we stay in contact and deliver good pricing and service, we will work with them from then on, said Colosky. “It becomes easier once that relationship is formed because the coaches will call us when they need equip-ment and will give us a good recommendation to whomever takes over the job if they leave.”

While schools and parks and recreational teams are the bedrock of team equipment sales, travel and specialty teams offer lucrative sales opportunities.

“There are a lot of opportunities for travel teams in that there are some kids who are more serious about the sport or are at a higher skill level and don’t want to get lumped in with kids that aren’t at their level,” said Snell. “Recreation teams are great in that they offer a first introduction to the sport and they are not over-whelming or intimidating, but they can be a hindrance for some-one who is very serious about moving to a higher level.”

“We do a lot of business with travel teams and they don’t have as

many restrictions as to how much to spend or what to buy as do schools, “said Westrum. “Moms and dads want to make sure their kids and teams are outfitted appropriately and have a certain amount of money to spend but are more flexible. There is no athletic director or school administra-tor to restrict spending.”

Simplifying the ProcessTeam sports retailers have raised the bar and are streamlining the buying and outfitting process for all team coaches, with emphasis on the park and recreation and travel team markets.

If you’ve ever been a volunteer coach of any sport even though it may be a labor of love, it can be a time consuming, demanding and some-times stressful endeavor, especially when it comes to physically outfit-ting the team. Unlike school sports where there are established lines of decision making, ordering procedures and guidelines travel, and park and recreation teams aren’t that organized and structured. To take the hassle out of outfitting a team, team retailers are streamlining and mak-ing things easier.

“On the team side it used to be that we just gave team coordinators a price and some samples and then it was up to them to get everyone fitted, tally up all the sizes for the different items, collect the money and finish the order, “ said Snell. “Now all of the team members can get fitted at the store and we can build an individual team website where each individual can go in, order what they need in the right size and put it on their bankcard. “

“We’re taking 90 percent of the work out of what had become a sec-ond job for the volunteer coaches and we’re making life easier for school coaches,” said Snell. “It’s more work for us but it is worth the extra effort.”

Not to Forget About Retail SalesThere is an alleged quote from outlaw Jesse James who, when asked why he robs banks, answered, “Because that is where the money is.”

Aside from the robbery aspect of the equation, it is obvious that sell-ing 100 dozen baseballs to a little league organization results in a higher income per order then selling a single baseball glove.

Still, even at a low of 20 percent of total gross sales, individual retail transactions account for a significant revenue stream for team retailers.

“We do a good volume in walk in retail sales and they are more cen-tered around season openers and specific events like birthdays and holi-days,” said Colosky.

“We train our salespeople to ask each customer what their needs are, how they are set for this and that and make sure they have everything they need when they are out playing on the field,” said Clay Keeney, gen-eral manager of the retail division for Johnny Mac’s, an eight store family owned chain based out St. Louis, MO.

“While they aren’t big ticket items, things like a new baseball glove, new bat, different grip on a bat, a jersey, an infield helmet or an accessory item like batting gloves or agility balls all add up,” said

“We try to stock odd items that customers can’t find in a box store like old fashioned hardware stores do,” said Kinney. “We also provide ser-vices like ice skate sharpening and new glove conditioning. We can con-dition and soften a new stiff glove and the customer then has an easier time making it fit his hand.” ■

12 SGBWeekly.com | MARCH 10, 2014

30” Aluminum Swift Stik with DVD and 12 Practice Balls from Pik Products, was developed to sharpen hand-eye coordination, build muscle memory, increase bat speed, and teach the hitter to hit the "sweet spot". Swift Stik is made of durable aluminum that is guaranteed for life and the package includes an instructional DVD and 12 golf-ball sized practice balls. The bat features a pat-ented adjustable foam head to match the "sweet spot" of the game bat. The foam head also gives instant feed-back if you’ve hit the ball with the correct part of the bat. It offers a ridged cushioned grip that helps isolate the bat in your fingers. Available in 34" (13 oz.) adult; and 30" (12 oz.) youth. Retail $30 for the 30” model.

Gaining the winning edge in sports is often a matter of mastering the basics: quick feet, rapid change of di-rection, sharp hand-eye coordination, depth perception and agility. The SKLZ Reaction Ball is a multi-sport tool aimed at developing these basics with a fun challenge. Reaction Ball features a six-sided, high-bounce rubber design that causes the ball to leap and hop randomly and unpredictably. It can be used solo on hard surfaces, walls or in a team setting. Pair the Reaction Ball with Agility Cones to work on peripheral vision and position awareness. Retail $10.

Focused on being glove experts for the serious ath-letes who see value in the highest performing equip-ment, Cutters Gloves has launched a new line of batting gloves made with the company’s C-Tack Performance Grip material. Designing a batting glove where the grip

By William h. Kendy

When I was a young person (back in the dark ages) in the spring and summer we just grabbed a baseball mitt, a softball and a bat and met everyone down at the park to play some “sandlot” ball. Not that there weren’t organized teams but certainly not to the level and degree of sophistication that exists today.

Baseball crazy kids in 2014 have a lot of very neat, focused gear and training tools to choose from. Here are a few of the cool things on the market.

is part of the material creates a strong self-restoring grip that performs in all weather conditions. In addi-tion, the C-Tack Performance Grip helps minimize grip pressure, causing less muscle tension leading to quicker bat speed and smoother swings.

The Cutter Power Control B440 is a machine wash-able synthetic glove that only needs to be wiped off with a damp cloth when it gets dirty. The reinforced palm patches provide durability in common wear spots and adapt to each player’s bat grip. The palm material is micro-tex embossed synthetic. The B440 features a 40mm elastic, Lycra lined strap for secure fit and comfort with pre-curved fingers for a natural fit and feel of holding the bat. The gloves come in a variety of color combinations and are available for kids ($30) and adults ($40).

Shock Doctor Gel Max Flavor Fusion Mouthguards are fused with great tasting flavors with no compro-mise in performance. Designed to deliver essential protection and comfort, the Gel Max line features a heavy duty Exoskeletal shock frame for impact protec-tion and absorbs shock through a muti-layer design and construction. The custom gel liner molds to teeth for a tight, comfortable and protective fit. Shock Doc-tor offers an integrated breathing channel and a con-vertible tether, that meets NFHS rules for mouthgards, allowing the guards to be used strapped or strapless. They come in orange, fruit punch, blue raspberry, bub-ble gum, spearmint and lemon-lime flavors and sized for kids and adults at $15 retail.

g i Z m o S & gA D g e T S

swift stik

sKLZ reaction Ball

sKLZ reaction Ball

Cutter Power Control B440

shock doctor Gel Max Flavor Fusion Mouthguard

BEST PRACTICES I TEAM BUSINESS

MARCH 10, 2014 | SGBWeekly.com 13

adsorbs impact energy and forces it away from the heart. The dome itself measures only 6”x6” and it is the largest rigid plate of the vital area of any other protector. When worn with a compression shirt, it is virtually invisible and does not restrict movement and lightweight isn’t a hindrance for athletes. Avail-able in youth and adult sizes at $39 retail.

The game of Corkball has long been a favorite in the St. Louis area and has spread to cover the nation. It is a game that has many of the features of baseball yet can be played in a very small area, since there is no base-running, which allows it to be played in winter or bad weather

in netted areas or gymnasiums. Pitchers throw fast balls, curves, knuckleballs, sliders and change-ups. One swinging strike retires the batter, providing the catcher holds the pitch. Two strikes, either swinging or called, are out, providing the catcher holds the sec-ond strike. Five balls constitute a walk, the equivalent of a hit. Four walks, or four hits, or a combination of four walks and hits scores a run, and each succeeding walk or hit in the same inning scores an additional run. The Markwort Official Corkball Bat is 36 inches long and re-tails for $30. The Markwort individually boxed official Corkball retails for $50 (per dozen). ■

Game Face has been providing athletes in various sports effective facial and dental protection since 1999 and comes recommended by doctors and dentists to protect in-jured players during recovery and to help them return to the field quicker. Designed for fast pitch softball, the Softball Safety Mask is made of ultra lightweight polycarbonate (the same material that makes up bullet-proof

glass) and provides secure and complete facial protection at the same time offering full visibility and ventilation. Its honeycomb de-sign gives strikebar strength and features high-impact adjustable foam pads for comfort. The mask is available in black, clear, smoke and exterior padding, in medium and large with a ponytail harness in 11 colors. Retail $42.

Heart-Gard Chest Protection Body Shirt is a high performance nylon/lycra mix compression gar-ment with a sew-in tough, high density polyethylene dome that

softball safety Mask

heart-Gard Chest Protection Body shirt

Corkball

Markwort Official Corkball Bat

http://www.coghlans.com

14 SGBWeekly.com | MARCH 10, 2014

of their location. In fact, they are, more often than not, considering this factor when they make their purchase decision.”

Eighty percent of Boxercraft’s tops are already made at this location. Boxercraft is work-ing with IRII closely and eventually hopes to produce about 40 percent of the mil-lions of tops and bottoms it sells annually through whole-salers, to retailers in college bookstores and resorts there.

The new factory arrangement follows a year in which Boxercraft saw its sales increase, aided by a good response by students, university athletes and teams to its range of products. Most recently, Boxercraft unveiled a series of new lines, including b*sport by Boxercraft, a prac-tice wear line that delivers active wear balancing fitness and style. This spring, more styles and colorways were added, resulting in its largest line in the history of the company in both adult and youth sizes.

IRII’s founders expect the plant’s workforce to expand to 280 to 300 within a year, giving the operation the capacity to produce four to five million items annually. It initially started with a group of 40 employees. The local workers (mainly women) have been trained to produce high-end apparel using the latest manufacturing technologies in the hopes of creating sustainable careers.

The textile and apparel industry is Haiti’s largest manufacturing sec-tor, accounting for 80 percent of exports and around 10 percent of GDP in 2010, before the earthquake in 2010, according to the Inter-Ameri-can Development Bank (IDB). ■

BoxercrAfT WELCOMES PRESIDENT CLINTON TO

HAITIAN FACTORy

GIVING BACk

Boxercraft, the Atlanta-based supplier of better spirit wear and sportswear, recently welcomed former President Bill Clinton to Industrial Revolution II (IRII), its manufacturing facility in Haiti.

Last year, Boxercraft, along with Threads 4 Thought, a sustainable apparel brand headquartered in New York, became the first two apparel vendors to source from the new, socially-conscious Haitian factory.

Founded by Rob Broggi, a former analyst at Boston-based Raptor Capital, and backed by designer Donna Karan, actor Matt Damon, and Joey Adler, CEO of Diesel Canada, IRII started production at its 35,000 square-foot facility in Port-au-Prince last September. Through its unique “shared value” business model, IRII invests 50 percent of its profits into their workers, their families and the local community through health and wellness programs, training and education initiatives.

Boxercraft’s partnership with IRRI came after the company began look-ing for a new supplier for its T-shirts and tank tops in early 2013. While IRII delivered competitive pieces and low importing costs, the appeal was the venture’s promise to train unemployed Haitians, pay them more than the minimum wage, and donate half its profits to social programs.

The jobs coming from the factory are expected to help efforts to stabilize the beleaguered Caribbean nation that continues to recover from the dev-astating earthquake in January 2010 that led to 230,000 deaths, 300,000 in-juries and displaced more than 2 million people. For Boxercraft, the search came after a factory collapse in Bangladesh in April 2013 that killed more than 1,100 workers put the spotlight on working conditions at factories.

Former President Bill Clinton spent a lot of time working with Haiti's administration to put the right systems in place for the factory to operate efficiently while IRII's founders worked on streamlining processes to make it easier to do business in the country.

“This was an easy business decision and the right thing to do,” said Shelley Foland, Boxercraft CEO. “Consumers are paying attention to where their garments are being made and the conditions of the factories, regardless

shelley Foland,

Boxercraft Ceo and President

Clinton

Photo courtesy of Boxercraft

P 382P 021 P 285P 877 100% K

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THE HANDCRAFTED BEAUTy OF MERRIMACk CANOES

Established in 1954, Merrimack Canoe Company is headed up by Randy Pew, the grandson of l.H. Beach, who developed the original wood-reinforced fiberglass hull and founded the company in Merrimack, New Hampshire 60 years ago.

Merrimack, now located in Crossville, Tennessee, continues the tradition of building boats by hand - producing two canoes per week. Although today they use modern composite materials for the hulls, Merrimack builds canoes the same way Randy’s grandfather did and being a third-generation Merrimack craftsman, getting the details in its construction right is what matters most.

Each canoe is made to order with cherry ribs, decks, handles and outwales, ash inwales, seats, thwarts and yoke. The hull is a carbon fiber composite for desired stiffness but light weight overall.

There are three models to choose from - the Osprey, the original model with 60 years of history; the Prospector for multi-day river trips; and for the solo paddler, the Baboosic a quick and agile canoe that’s also great for freestyle.

Maintaining a balance between technology and tradition is what Merrimack Canoe Company is all about. The result is a beautiful yet durable boat that will last for generations.merrimackcanoes.com ■

MADE IN THE USA

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16 SGBWeekly.com | MARCH 10, 2014 Photo courtesy Merrimack Canoe Company

Crossville, Tennessee

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Reebok inTroDuceS DelTA fiTneSS mArk By thomas J. ryan

spring/summer 2014, reebok will introduce its innovative construction

system, BareMove, into its performance apparel range - the

reebok one series.the zoned system is designed to target key areas within

the apparel to keep the body cool, free and protected for a more comfortable

experience when working out.

MARCH 10, 2014 | SGBWeekly.com 19

eebok has introduced a new delta ‘brand mark’ to coincide with the brand’s renewed singular focus on fitness. The delta mark doesn’t replace its vector-style logo, which was first used in 1986,

but will be featured going forward on nearly all Reebok fitness products.The new Reebok Delta symbol has long stood as a symbol of change and

transformation, and Reebok’s use signals the positive and transformative change that fitness can have on a person’s life, said Matt O’Toole, Reebok chief marketing officer. “It is our symbol of change - an invitation to take part, and to unlock your true potential. It’s not a logo, it’s a symbol…a way of life.”

Reebok burst forth on the American scene with its Freestyle collection that helped ignite the aerobics craze of the early 1980s. The brand was credited with bringing many women to gyms. Reebok afterwards widened its focus on more team sports, and found success with basketball.

Its refocus on fitness was first signified by its sponsorship deal in 2010 with the CrossFit Games, grueling multi-day, multi-event competition to determine the 'Fittest on Earth.' The deal came after Reebok transferred its NBA license to Adidas, which acquired Reebok in early 2006, and just as the brand was losing its NFL contract to Nike in 2012.

a newer one that recently opened in London (Covent Garden) and Paris.For product, Reebok debuted a co-branded CrossFit footwear and ap-

parel collection in fall 2011, and has since rolled out an extensive line of products across the running, training and fitness categories.

For 2014, the big push is the Reebok ZSeries running collection, natural motion product inspired by the design of high-performance ZRated tires found on exotic high-end sports cars. The underfoot grooves allow the midsole to flex and expand as the foot does, naturally increasing the edges in contact with the ground to allow rapid acceleration and easy control at high speed. The ZSeries also comes in walking and training models.

Reebok is also introducing the All Terrain Series, its first running foot-wear collection designed and engineered for the sport of obstacle racing. Created in partnership with the Reebok Spartan Race community, the All Terrain Series includes Reebok’s H20 Drain System, strategically placed drainage ports in the upper and midsole of the shoe that allows water to drain away quickly and easily, preventing heavy, water soaked shoes that are common with obstacle racing. Obstacle Grip also helps provide trac-tion and protection on ropes.

“We believe athletes should build a running program that includes con-stantly varied speed, distance and terrain,” commented Bill McInnis, head of Reebok Running. “This is what keeps running exciting and challenging.”

This spring/summer Reebook will introduce its innovative construction system, BareMOVE, into its performance apparel range - the Reebok ONE Series. The zoned system is designed to target key areas in apparel to keep the body cool, free and protected for a more comfortable experience when working out. Reebok’s research spent the last three years studying athletes performing functional movements to identify key heat zone, areas of flex-ibility/stretch and protection needs. The BareMOVE construction system will also be incorporated into the Reebok CrossFit apparel collection.

Said Chris Froio, head of training at Reebok, “The BareMOVE system optimized the athletes' range of motion during any training movement, keeping them cool and protected, so they can focus on performing at their highest level" ■

r

In 2012, Reebok officially launched its fitness refocus with "The Sport of Fitness has Arrived," its biggest campaign in over a decade. The campaign fo-cused on five fitness categories: Crossfit, fitness running, gym, yoga and dance. That was followed by the "Live With Fire" campaign launched earlier this year that shows how living an active lifestyle can inspire people to live their lives with passion, intent and purpose – and inspire others to do the same.

The new fitness push has also been marked by its partnership with the fitness group Les Mills - known for its Bodypump and Bodycombat classes - and the Spartan Race series of obstacle course races. Internally, Reebok’s employees in Canton, MA have collectively lost thousands of pounds after embracing the CrossFit fitness program, which combines sprinting, gym-nastics, powerlifting, kettlebell training, weightlifting, rowing, and medi-cine ball training, among other activities.

“At Reebok we know first-hand what kind of impact embracing a fit-ness lifestyle can have on not only an individual but also those around them – the community as a whole,” said O’Toole. “We’ve witnessed it our-selves at our offices around the world. Our ambition has led to a major change in corporate culture at Reebok headquarters here in Canton, MA and I couldn’t be more proud of what it’s done for the people here and our company as a whole. We’re tougher, grittier, healthier, more productive…together we’re a better Reebok. And we know this can happen anywhere with the right attitude and approach to life. This is what our new brand mark stands for.”

The new brand mark will first appear this month on footwear and ap-parel across all fitness disciplines supported by Reebok including training, running, outdoor, yoga, dance and aerobics. The brand's Reebok Classics line will retain the older logo.

As part of the overall CrossFit partnership and fitness push, Reebok has also opened several FitHub locations – combo stores with gyms – globally. It now has three FitHubs in the U.S. (New York, on 5th Avenue, Boston and Georgetown) as well as ones in Korea, Russia, Dubai and also

This Spring/Summer 2014, Reebok introduces the All Terrain Series, its first running footwear collection designed and engineered for the sport of obstacle racing.

New mark represents a better life through fitness.

in 2014, reebok unveils its latest running footwear collection, the reebok Zseries Collection. this natural motion product is inspired by the design of high-performance Zrated tires found on exotic high-end sports cars.

T&C PICk

20 SGBWeekly.com | MARCH 10, 2014

A menswear staple drawing inspiration from military and safari style clothing, the Field Jacket hits all the right notes. A classic garment with rugged utility details and weather-defying fabric to make it the perfect jacket for the outdoor enthusiast. Here are a few classics.

The clASSic fielD JAckeT

aLPha industries - M-65 FieLd Coata tough infantry classic whether for fashion or function, this vintage field coat from the 60s features a concealed hood/draw-cords for the waist, hood and hems. the bi-swing back ensures unrestrained movement. alphaindustries.com

huF - duBLiner Waxed M-65 JaCKetsan Francisco skateboard brand huF takes a more modern twist on the original version of the M-65 Field Coat stripping out a few traditional fea-tures and utilizing a more slim silhouette. hufworldwide.com

LL Bean - oriGinaL Cotton-Lined FieLd CoatA time-tested favorite first crafted in 1924, the LL Bean Classic Field Coat was originally designed for hunting and built to withstand the elements. two-ply 10 oz. washed cotton canvas treated to repel moisture and stains. Five pockets to carry a day’s essentials. llbean.com

orvis - heritaGe FieLd CoatHaving seen lifetimes in the field, Orvis brings the classic field coat back with subtle updates to become the favorite of yet another generation. dry-waxed cotton canvas, traditional red brushed-twill lining, lower bellows pockets with snap-closure pocket flaps, gusseted underarm panels with grommets, shooting patches on both shoulders and reinforced elbow patches. Adjustable button cuffs with corduroy trim. orvis.com

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MARCH 10, 2014 | SGBWeekly.com 21Contact Jeremy Freed at 303.997.7302 or email [email protected]

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