may 2013 digitald4ex6pvli7xof.cloudfront.net/teambusiness/tbd_2013/... · oakley, inc., an official...

MAY 2013 DIGITAL

VOLUME 46 ISSUE 6 JULY 2013

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thE most popUlaR issUE

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NortheastBuz Keenan

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TEAMBUSINESSDIGITALCOM 3

Copyright 2013 SportsOneSource LLC All rights reserved The opinions expressed by writers and contributors to TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL are not necessarily those of the editors or publishers TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts photographs or artwork Articles appearing in TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the publisher TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL is published monthly by SportsOneSource LLC 2151 Hawkins Street Suite 200 Charlotte NC 28203 7049873450 Send address changes to TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL 2151 Hawkins Street Suite 200 Charlotte NC 28203 7049873450

MAY 2013 DIGITAL

ON THE COVER Photo courtesy Mizuno

THIS PAGE Photo courtesy McDavid

Senior Business Editor

Thomas J Ryan

tryansportsonesourcecom

Contributing Editors

Aaron H Bible Fernando J Delgado

Charlie Lunan Matt Powell

Creative Director

Teresa Hartford

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Graphic Designer

Camila Amortegui

camilasportsonesourcecom

Advertising Sales

Account Manager Northeast

Buz Keenan

buzsportsonesourcecom

2018875112

Advertising Sales

Account Manager Midwest

Barry Kingwill


8475379196

Advertising Sales

Account Manager Southeast

Katie ODonohue

katieosportsonesourcecom

8282443043

Circulation amp Subscriptions

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MAKING NEWS 4 Zamst Becomes The Official Brand at Velocity Sports Performance 5 BSN Sports to Merge with Herff Jones Oakley to Manufacture MLB-Themed Apparel and Accessories28 Industry Calendar

EvENtS 6 Lessons in Leadership The sporting goods industry gathered once again for the NSGA Management Conference amp Team Dealer Summit

FEAturES10 Training Footwear Catches Some Buzz Suddenly the training footwear category has gotten crowded16 How Light Can Cleats Go Fast and light continues to drive in the baseball and softball cleat category20 Premium Swings Serious baseball and softball players are seeking high-end bats a trend that is expected to continue in 201424 Flashing The Leather Fit Performance and Durability are key to baseball and softball gloves as manufacturers design gloves with premium leather26 Safe At Home Manufacturers combine style and safety in diamond sports protective equipment

26

4 MAY 2013 I TEAM BUSINESS DIGITAL

Zamst a leader in high-performance sports bracing and support equip-ment recently announced a nationwide sponsorship with Velocity Sports Performance As part of the agreement Zamst will leverage its product knowledge and injury prevention expertise to assist Velocity Sports Performance centers in supporting their elite athlete needs

ldquoWith Zamst being a premier sports bracingsupport equipment brand our alliance with Velocity Sports Performance was a natural partnership We share the same passion to deliver high performance products to elite athletesrdquo said Bryan Smeltzer GM Zamst US ldquoWhether training or during competition Zamst sports bracing and support products provide a superior level of protection and prevention and aligning with Velocity who excels at training the best athletes in the world across multiple sports allows us to demonstrate the superiority of our productsrdquo

Founded in 1999 Velocity Sports Performance has more than

40 sports performance centers across the nation Zamst has been outfitting elite athletes across the world with prevention and injury solu-tions for more than 20 years

ldquoWersquore excited to partner with Zamstrdquo shared Peter Barbaresi presi-dent and CEO of Velocity Sports Performance ldquoTheir quality products fit perfectly into our High Performance model which includes offering specific solutions to our athletes in the areas of sports medicine physi-cal therapy and rehabilitation in addition to our core training service This strategic relationship should result in continued growth for both organizations here in the USrdquo

As part of the sponsorship Zamst will provide sport-specific high-performance products to Velocity Sports Performance centers in addition to injury prevention and rehab seminars print and marketing activities

ZAMST BECOMES OFFiCiAl BrAnd AT VElOCiTy SPOrTS PErFOrMAnCE

NEWS


BSn Sports to Merge with

Herff JonesBSn Sports has signed a definitive merger agreement with Herff Jones the manufacturer marketer and distributor of graduation-related materials educational products cheerleading apparel and services Under terms of the agreement BSn Sports will join the HJ portfolio of com-panies and continue to operate as its own branded entity

All BSn Sports management and employees will join Herff Jones and there will be no changes in the day-to-day operations of BSn Sports Adam Blumenfeld the compa-nyrsquos chairman and CEO will retain his role in this capacity

ldquoThis transaction is a landmark event for BSn Sports our employees and the more than 100000 custom-ers we service in every zip code throughout the United Statesrdquo stated Blumenfeld ldquoThe new company will offer a unique combination of complementary assets assembled on a single business platform We believe this will create incredible value for our clients and further ingrain BSn Sports into the fabric of local communities across the na-tion

it is a tremendous honor for our company to join one of the oldest and most esteemed employee-owned orga-nizations in Americardquo continued Blumenfeld ldquoHerff Jones was founded in 1920 and became fully employee-owned in 1995 BSn Sports prides itself on being a close knit family so i can think of no better culture with which to align ourselvesrdquo

The consolidated entity will consist of a large K-through-College sales force with more than 1000 sales profes-sionals servicing the school and institutional markets revenues from the combined companies are expected to exceed $1 billion annually

BSn Sports inc formerly Sports Supply Group inc was acquired in August 2010 in a take-private transac-tion led by management OnCAP and an affiliate of Andell Holdings llC BSn is a leading marketer manufacturer and distributor of sporting goods and team uniforms in the United States BSn markets via three million direct catalogs over 70 telesales professionals more than 300 direct sales professionals and eight e-com-merce sites to more than 100000 institutional customers across the United States

Herff Jones is headquartered in indianapolis in and is one of the nationrsquos largest 100 percent employee-owned companies The company offers its school partnersrsquo products and services including yearbooks class rings graduation caps and gowns graduation announcements diplomas maps globes classroom instructional materi-als programs as well as cheerleading camps uniforms and competitions

The transaction is expected to close in June 2013 sub-ject to standard regulatory and governmental approvals Weil Gotshal amp Manges llP acted as legal advisor to BSn Sports for the transaction

Oakley to Manufacture MlB-Themed Apparel and

AccessoriesOakley inc an official MlB Authentic Collection eyewear licensee has signed a license agreement with Major league Baseball (MlB) Prop-erties to manufacture and market Oakley performance and lifestyle apparel and accessories it marks the first apparel and accessories agreement between Oakley and MlB Properties

The initial offering features two team themes the los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and new york yankees Products include t-shirts polo shirts sweatshirts headwear wallets backpacks duffel bags mobile phones tablet cases lanyards and more The apparel and accessories are co-branded and feature designs fitting the Oakley aesthetic

ldquoWe are proud to open a new chapter in our rich history with Major league Baseball Propertiesrdquo said Oakley Chief Merchandising Officer raphael Peck ldquoUncompromising standards must be met to be granted the status of MlB products and we are honored to be recognized for unrivaled innovation in both performance and stylerdquo

On the east coast customers can purchase products at the yankees Team Stores and the Oakley shop location near section 135 within yankee Stadium On the west coast the products will be sold directly to customers through the Oakley store in Angels Stadium

The Oakley store in Angels Stadium is the companyrsquos first stand-alone shop under the new agreement and will be open for all home games The 1000-square-foot boutique includes a custom eyewear bar where visitors can build sunglasses from more than 28 frames and 20 lens tints Caps tees hoodies and polos are some of the other ac-cessories available for customers

Athletes and fans can also have the logo of their favorite team laser etched at the corner of their eyewear lenses through select stores and the Oakley Custom website

Current Angelsrsquo players who rely on Oakley eyewear include infielder Howie Kendrick and outfielder Mark Trumbo For the yankees outfield-ers ichiro Suzuki and Vernon Wells wear Oakley

ldquoOakley is the leader in the eyewear category and extraordinarily popular with players and fansrdquo said Howard Smith senior vice presi-dent licensing Major league Baseball ldquoWe are excited to grow from eyewear to apparel and accessories Our new agreement with Oakley highlights our commitment to offer our fans eyewear and apparel that is on the cutting edge of technologyrdquo

Photo courtesy Oakley


the sporting goods industry gathered once again for the NsGa management Conference amp team Dealer summit

By Fernando J Delgado

EVENTS

he sporting goods world convened in sunny Florida earlier this month for the national Sporting Goods Associationrsquos 49th Management Conference amp 15th Team dealer Summit a four-day event featuring dynamic speakers information-packed

sessions and a chance to mingle with peers nSGA estimated that more than 330 attendees - including leading manufacturers retailers and team dealers - enjoyed the picturesque backdrop of the PGA national resort amp Spa from May 5-8 in Palm Beach Gardens Fl while working to expand their knowledge and make new connections within the industry

The event offered a variety of educational tracks featuring more than 35 speakers - 67 percent more than last yearrsquos Conference amp Summit in addition to the traditional Conference amp dealersrsquo tracks three new afternoon tracks ndash Global Strategic and Tactical - were introduced to provide further specialized content for attendees

The Team dealer Track included ldquoincreasing Team Sports Participationrdquo ndash a session that generated a great deal of interest given the importance of participation to the health of the industry - as well as sessions regarding advanced inventory management recruiting

top talent for team dealers and results from a team dealer road sales compensation study The Conference Track offered a ldquoState of Sporting Goods retailingrdquo panel along with sessions of a more specific tone such as ldquoHow to Fascinaterdquo and ldquoAre you a Genius or a Genius Makerrdquo

The first full day of the event May 6 included the All-Star Awards luncheon during which nSGA honored companies that made notable contributions to the sporting goods industry throughout the previ-ous year Attendees also enjoyed PGA nationalrsquos golf course as they formed teams and teed up as part of the Official nSGA Golf tournament on the afternoon of May 7

Both first-time and returning attendees appreciated how the event represents a rare and valuable opportunity to bring together hundreds of industry leaders in one location ldquoThis is the best thing that i do both for myself and the company every yearrdquo said George C Kline Jr sales pro at BSn Sports ndash Team Bethlehem ldquoitrsquos the only spot where you get to meet everybody in the industry Since a lot of the trade shows are gone we donrsquot get to meet with the big companies any-

Inducted into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame on May 7 during the NSGA Management Conference amp Team Dealer Summit are from left to right John Parish Sr Worth Inc Rusty Saunders Saunders Consulting and Randy Hooper Sports Distributors of Canada Ltd

Lessons in Leadership

T


more This is just a great event to talk with different people in the industry and learn new ideasrdquoThe eventrsquos keynote speaker duke University Menrsquos Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski was a

highlight for many of the attendees Taking the stage on Tuesday morning Krzyzewski captivated the audience with a session entitled ldquoVictory Through Teamwork and leadershiprdquo during which he offered inspirational advice based on his personal experiences from his coaching career He shared several anecdotes from his time with the Team USA Olympic Menrsquos Basketball Team which he coached to gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and related the lessons he learned from that experience to the leaders in the sporting goods industry attentively listening to him He encouraged executives of sporting goods companies to lead though teamwork communication and trust among other values and skills

Krzyzewski - who is a member of the naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame - also emphasized the importance of the sporting goods industry to the health and future of the country He said that the industry is needed to send a positive message during a time when physical education programs are being cut from school curriculums youth sports participation is down and childhood obesity is on the rise ldquoyour industry is neededrdquo said Krzyzewski to the audience ldquoOur country always needs to be involved with

teams because itrsquos the crucible that every educational system should use to really teach reality while theyrsquore teaching theory in the classroomrdquo

Krzyzewskirsquos speech left many attendees buzzing afterwards ldquoCoach K was tremen-dous He had to have been the best part of the whole eventrdquo said BSn Sportsrsquo Kline ldquoWe got a lot out of his talk and the values he prac-tices He was phenomenalrdquo

Coach K wasnrsquot the only Hall of Famer who made an impression during the event On Tues-day night the Sporting Goods industry Hall of Fame inducted three new members during a dinner and induction ceremony The induct-ees were randy Hooper retired president of Sports distributors of Canada ltd John Par-ish Sr retired CEO of Worth inc and rusty Saunders owner of Saunders Consulting The accomplishments of each inductee are truly impressive as all three have made numerous contributions to the industry and led organiza-tions to new heights

Keynote speaker Duke Universitys Mens Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski

Winners of the 2nd Annual NSGA All-Star Awards from left to right Jeff Rosenthal representing Hibbett Sports winner of the Industry Catalyst All-Star Award Larry Aasheim representing Universal Athletic winner of the RetailerTeam Dealer All-Star Award Kelley MacPhee Charles River Apparel winner of the Community Collaboration All-Star Award and Todd Levine Alleson Athletic winner of the Vendor Partner All-Star Award

Enjoying the golf course are left to right Dale Donaldson Brad Hause Colin Hopper and John McTaggart

Attendees of the NSGA Management Conference amp Summit gather prior to the Official NSGA Golf Tournament


Hooper became the first paid employee of Sports distributors of Canada ltd in 1975 serving as its president for 37 years until his retirement in January 2012 during his time leading the organization Sports distributors of Canada ltd grew from a few stores to more than 200 and Hooper helped create two retail brands Source for Sports and Source for Adventure Today Source for Sports has more storefronts than any other sporting goods retail banner in Canada

Parish retired owner and CEO of Worth Sports inc has been an influential force in the bat and ball industry After assuming lead-ership of Worth in 1970 Parish turned the company into a major player in one decade Shortly before taking over as owner he en-hanced the companyrsquos wood bat sales during 1968 and helped Worth enter the aluminum bat market in 1969 He also led a charge in product innovation making it a leader in the ball market with polyurethane core softballs and reduced injury Factor (riF) baseballs

The three new Hall of Famers have also held other leadership positions for various compa-nies and associations

Each inductee took the time to thank fam-ily members and mentors from the industry who were instrumental to their success during their acceptance speeches adding sentiment to a celebratory evening that capped off a busy day

Saunders has worn many hats throughout his 40-year career in the sporting goods industry proving to be a leader in multiple capacities Currently the principal of Saunders Consulting Saunders has held senior sales and merchandising positions at the MacGregor division of Brunswick Corporation in addition to senior management positions in retail He has been the moderator of the nSGA Management Conference since 2000 and was a founding partner of SportsOneSource He

worked as a sales agent for 19 years where he served as president of his own agency Saunders amp Associates inc Saunders also founded the Get in The Game initiative

ldquoBeing inducted into the Hall of Fame is an incredible honor and thrillrdquo shared Saunders who also served as moderator of the conference for the 13th consecutive year during a conversation with TEAM Business ldquoif you look at the names in the Hall of Fame you shake your head it was a special night As for the conference itself my gut feeling is that it will be well rated Having Coach K there ndash he was a home run The rest of the speakers and panels were outstandingrdquo

The conference also provided an opportu-nity for nSGA to hold a meeting on behalf of Get in The Game (GiTG) a volunteer-driven ini-tiative to attract talented college graduates to careers in the sporting goods industry nSGA originally announced a partnership with GiTG in October of last year pledging to provide strategic tactical and administrative support to the program to reach students at US col-leges and universities

larry Weindruch director of nSGArsquos team dealer division updated TEAM Business on the meeting as well as progress the program has made recently He noted that GiTG has made presentations to seven colleges and universities this year with plans for presentations at 20 more during the upcoming fall semester ldquoOne of the cool things that wersquore in the process of creating right now is a way to stay closer in touch with the studentsrdquo said Weindruch ldquorather than just talking to them once and letting them go on their way theyrsquore now giving us contact information so that we can send them a newsletter that wersquore creating for next semester Two of the trade publications SGB and Formula4Media are also graciously offering student introductory subscriptions at no charge So if the students are interested in reading more about the industry we give them the subscription informationrdquo

Weindruch also hopes to get help from fellow members of the sporting goods industry to promote Get in The Game ldquoAt the meeting itself we had a lot of suggestions in improving the presentations but in general the one thing that everyone at the meeting felt was lsquothe more the merrierrsquordquo he said ldquoWersquore trying to get more people from within the industry to volunteer for the presentations We have about 45 or 50 people right now but we need more particularly west of the Mississippirdquo Anyone interested in helping out by making a presentation is encouraged to contact Weindruch at lweindruchnsgaorg

Even with the 2013 schedule of events still fresh in their minds attendees have much to look forward to in 2014 The 2014 nSGA Con-ference amp Summit marks the 50th Anniversary of the Management Conference and the 16th An-nual Team dealer Summit The event will be held from April 27-30 2014 at the Hyatt regency indian Wells resort amp Spa in Palm Springs CA

Enjoying a reception at the event are (from left to right) Terry Hennessey president Source for Sports Randy Hooper Sports Distributors of CanadaSource for Sports and Dick Coffey board member Olympia Sports Center

Leading general counsels discuss legal issues effecting the sporting goods industry From left to right Mary Tortorice VP amp senior corporate counsel Dicks Sporting Goods Wade Turner executive VP amp general counsel Academy Sports + Outdoors and John Palmer senior VP amp general counsel Dunhams Sports

To kick-off the event speaker John Gerzema chief insights officer Young amp Rubicam discussed the post-crisis consumer


TraININGFOOTWEar CatCHeS SOME BUzz

By Thomas J Ryan


uddenly the training footwear category has gotten crowded

Puma earlier this year signed two nFl stars as part of a bigger push into training Asics ran TV ads during the recent nBA playoffs to highlight a more expansive training initiative With the benefits of natural movement speaking to intense training regimens new Balance Merrell and Vibram FiveFingers have all found room in gyms Even The north Face is coming out with a training shoe and gym wear for Spring 2014

But the training opportunity has evolved since nikersquos ldquoBo Knowsrdquo commercials in the mid- 90s launching the cross-training category Today it is more representative of the success both inov-8 and reebok are finding making shoes around the CrossFit phenomenon

ldquoCrossFit boxes are popping up everywhere with hundreds of members joining eachrdquo said lizzie Baker US trade marketing manager at inov-8 ldquoCrossfitrsquos popularity has inspired additional growth in the func-tional fitness and training category overall with larger gyms incorporating functional fitness areas - ropes box jumps etc With this trend crossfitters and gym goers are pushing themselves to new extremes and they are looking for the gear that will take their perfor-mance to the next levelrdquo

Beyond CrossFit the trend is evident in the contin-ued popularity of boot camps as well as Zumba MMA-inspired fitness classes and a host of other emerging high-endurance and ultra-aggressive aerobic classes at gyms Obstacle races such has Tough Mudder Muddy Buddy Spartan races are also said to be closely linked to this trend

NEW BALANCE Minimus 20v3 Photo courtesy New Balance

S


To some the growing popularity of these more extreme workout ex-periences and activities are a counter reaction to the tedium of running

ldquoThe dynamic movement group environment and goal-based train-ing is striking a cord with consumers globallyrdquo said Shaun Bohnsack category business director Outside Athletic Merrell

ldquoitrsquos connecting with the average person who sees fitness as very boringrdquo added Chris Froio VP of fitness and training at reebok ldquorun-ning on a treadmill for 45 minutes with headphones on and staring at a TV can seem like a chore These programs are mixing it up Everyday is a different workout And itrsquos doing it more in a social environment that i think is sparking a renewed interest in getting into the gym and working out itrsquos more fun compared to the solitude of running or lifting weightsrdquo

One opportunity continues to be the younger team athlete aspiring to improve his or her game with the popularity of the more varied and intense workouts At the same time the slightly older recreational runner appreciates the variety comradery competitiveness and the workout efficiency of these more functional activities

ldquoHigh school and college-age athletes as well as group fitness-oriented professionals are allowing the opportunity for a more diverse and specific training footwear assortmentrdquo said Colin ingram product manager for new Balance ldquoless and less of these athletes are getting a running silhouette to cover their needs The chance to purchase a shoe that has more specificity and helps them better execute their workouts is a huge advantage The gyms and trainers they work with are getting better at suggesting the proper footwearrdquo

With gym rats seeing value in having more than one shoe in their bag for different workouts some stores in particular run specialty dealers are seeing an opportunity for an incremental sale

ldquoThey may carry eight running brands so bringing in a ninth or tenth running brand isnrsquot a big deal for themrdquo said Froio ldquoBut CrossFit is dif-ferent and they see crossfitters as very technical people who want the best gear and love the service of a run specialty accountrdquo

For reebok its recent focus on fitness represents a return to its roots in the eighties when the introduction of the Freestyle helped spawn the aerobic exercise fitness craze Although less than at that time the cur-rent fitness push is also skewing toward women who are said to be especially drawn to its social aspects

reebokrsquos push back into fitness was signified by its move two and a half years ago to become title sponsor of the CrossFit Games The arrangement also included the launch reebok CrossFit ldquoBoxesrdquo around the world and the introduction of a range of footwear and apparel de-signed specifically for CrossFit training and competition

ldquoOur relationship with CrossFit has been amazingrdquo said Froio ldquoWersquoll be in our third year as title sponsor of the Games But more important has been the relationships wersquore build-ing with the gyms themselves the clients in those gyms as well as

CrossFit Game athletes itrsquos helping us build the best product for our train-

ing businessrdquo For the CrossFit games this July in Carson

CA reebok will debut the nano 30 which is built on a wider last that allows the foot to splay out more

for added stability required for Olympic weight-lifting move-ments At the same time flexibility and lightness assists in other gymnas-tic movements Finally a PU-casted upper prevents the shoes from getting scuffed up by ropes and walls ldquoitrsquos basically indestructiblerdquo said Froio

The prevalence of bolder colors hold greater appeal for Cross-Fit-type shoes to stand out on shoe walls and the overall styling also opens up opportunities in performance and lifestyle apparel Said Froio ldquoitrsquos all inspired by these cool Southern California surf and skate environment looks that embodies what the CrossFit community is all aboutrdquo

in May Asics introduced a new line of footwear apparel and accessories created specifically for the athletic training market backed by a ldquonextrdquo national advertising campaign The shoe side covers six models including ones aimed at the dance enthusiast those looking for a barefoot training experience as well as Cross-Fit shoes with enough heel to support weightlifting

Matt donnelly footwear product manager Asics America said beyond cushioning and flexibility shoes for sport training athletes need to offer a lateral outrigger or a technical support element to control lateral movement much like what is offered on tennis shoes He further said durability is the number one complaint from crossfitters and something very few manufacturers have looked at

Asics addressed this issue with the GEl-Fortius Tr which in-cludes a sticky outsole and reinforced toe bumper to prevent wear and tear during short intense interval workouts

ldquoThe tech that has been embraced up until now has mostly been in the profile (droppitch) and flexibility of the solerdquo added donnelly ldquoToday we are seeing what could be the beginning of a return to a vis-tech in the sole with emphasis on upper materialization as the major story lightweight seamless and minimal are words that describe the consumersrsquo needsdesires especially for the uppers of the shoerdquo

Around aesthetics the bolder the better agreed donnelly ldquoFor womens fitness its all about styling and trainingrdquo he said ldquoFit-ness shoes seem to be doing well in large part due to the styling as compared to running shoes which always seem a little higher profile and bulky compared to the sleek foot-formed look of the womens fitnesslightweight training shoes For men its still about clean looks with hints of tech or supportive design features that add valuerdquo

At inov-8 new additions include the F-lite 232 that brings the heel down to zero-drop while also offering a wider forefoot to deliv-er better fit for those who splay their toes while working out or for those with wide feet The F-lite 249 is a womenrsquos-specific version of the popular F-lite 262 also built on

Reebok CrossFit Nano 30

Asics GEL-Fortius TR


Inov-8F-Lite 249


a wider last for extra toe box room For FallWinter 2013 inov-8 will also launch its first weightlifting shoe

ldquoOur product has changed very little over the past few seasons because the dnA is what makes them so popularrdquo admitted Graham Jordison inov-8rsquos product design manager ldquoHowever we are still looking to implement new technologies using material welds and prints to aid the construction together with features such as our rope-tec for performance Getting the balance between minimalism and durability is keyrdquo

With only a relatively small number of SKUs for the category color can make or break the product added Jordison He said ldquoWe look closely at the market trends which continue to be the use of intense clashing brights and neons in an unapologetic fashion Of course we also pay close attention to the needs of the more conservative end user with the use of tone-on-tone darksrdquo

At new Balance the Minimus 20v3 Training Shoe has been doing well for the brand with a mid-cut version to debut spring 2014 ingram said while the running category certainly launched and fostered the return to minimally shod feet the approach is finding its place in the training world

ldquoBuilding a stronger foot as a base for every other movement is essential for the

complete athleterdquo said ingram ldquoThe elite trainers we work with such as Eric Cressey and BJ Gaddour embrace and champion our Minimus footwear as it allows for mobility and lightweight stable ground contact for a solid base We still work with folks who arenrsquot sold on the idea of minimus in the gym environment but the more they wear them the more they see the benefitrdquo

Even more so than running bright bold color have been the impetus for drawing the attention of consumers when on-the-shelf and also as a personal statement in the gym or on-the-town ldquoHowever added ingram consumers are beginning to appreci-ate and understand subtlety and depth in colors patterns and materials i expect to see a movement toward sophistication in consumer footwear choice going forwardrdquo

Merrell noticed that many CrossFit and boot camp classes are becoming ldquotech-niquerdquo based with bodyweight-only exercises This conversation around technique or form played directly into the conversations around shoes that allow the body to move more naturally The aligned well with Merrellrsquos M Connect range with minimal plat-forms that allow the athlete to feel the ground and naturally stabilize

Focused on building shoes to stand up to the rigor of going off road Merrell found its M Connect models more capable of handling the protection and durability needs in an intense training environment than many of the pure athleticrun brands

ldquoAs we develop shoes we donrsquot neces-sarily say rsquothis is a running shoersquo and lsquothis is a cross training shoersquordquo said Bohnsack ldquoinstead we look at the consumer need for natural form or technique and apply that to a range of shoes that are built for outside fitness and runningrdquo

Bohnsack said Merrellrsquos team is seeing a lot of seamless design aesthetics influenc-ing training running footwear and apparel no-sew technology heat welding and an overall look of sleek clean and molded prevail

ldquoOverall athletes are looking for products that are considered wearable - both in the gym and outside - and capable for their extreme usesrdquo said Bohnsack ldquoThis new need for versatility of products in training is a change and speaks to the evolving

athletes needs and the way they are approaching fitness in general The indoor athlete is a thing of the past people are stepping out of the gym into nature to get their fitness more now than in the pastrdquo

Vibram FiveFingers found its KMd Sport has been popular with CrossFit participants since the model can handle the wear and tear on the upper caused by activities like rope climbing and rowing while also handling more aggressive lateral activity said PJ Antonik media relations and communications associate for Vibram FiveFingers Mud racers are also leaning toward the aggressive lug outsole like the Spyridon to provide proper traction in the mud and on obstacles like ropes At the gym the new El-X for men and the Entrada for women support weight training with their ultra thin soles

Overall Antonik said participants in CrossFit and the ldquorugged racesrdquo are looking for a functional shoe that gives them a lot of ground feedback and versatility ldquoin

many of these new regimens proper balance and form are encouraged and taught so the more you can provide those sensations the betterrdquo

The north Face will also introduce its first training shoe the Ultra Kilowatt for Spring 2014 The inspiration came after the brand noticed that its athletes whether skiers climbers or runners were looking for gear to handle their extensive off-season workouts including many functional circuit-training type activities The shoe is part of a larger mountain athletic push that will include apparel designed for workouts whether in gyms or outdoors

ldquoOur athletes spend months and months training for that one moment and we realized wersquore not making prod-uct for that trainingrdquo said Mark Magruder product line

coordinator for The north Face ldquoWhen you come down to it the joy and bliss that you get in that one moment is a payoff for all the work you put in for so long We wanted to pay homage to that preparation timerdquo

While the brand typically sets its major marketing pushes for the back half of the year a major marketing spend is planned for spring 2014 for the Mountain Athletic

New Balance Minimus 20v3

Vibram Fivefingers EL-X

Merrell Crush Glove The North Face

Ultra Kilowatt


collection as well as an expansive Ultra Protection footwear series which includes a hiker light hiker trail shoe and hybrid roadtrail shoe

Magruder describes the Ultra Kilowatt as ldquobasically like a track spike on steroids with enough EVA underfootrdquo Features include a rubber toecap and some padding on its suede tongue to offset abrasion from rope climbs and drags To handle lateral movements rubber is wrapped along the side of the upper for more durability While The north Face has used Pebax Foam in its shoes in the past the Ultra Kilowatt will be the first time it uses Pebax Plates which are commonly found in track spikes and soccer boots to provide ldquogreat energy returnrdquo said Magruder

Compared to others aiming at the training category Magruder said itrsquos approach is more ldquogoal orientedrdquo and focused around achieving specific objectives to excel in events

ldquoit will totally work for CrossFit and it has some crossoverrdquo said Magruder ldquoBut itrsquos definitely intended more for our athletes who are using it in different en-vironments and getting ready for an event rather than for someone looking to get ripped or lose a couple of poundsrdquo

Puma in April signed Aaron Hernandez the new England Patriotrsquos tight end as the first face of a new training push Just before the 2013 nFl draft it added the second member to its training roster in Cordarrelle Patterson the star wide receiver from the University of Tennessee who was picked by the Minnesota Vikings

Tara Mcrae VP of strategic planning and brand management for Puma north America noted the signings represent ldquothe first time we brought on a roster of athletes with the intent to use them collectively to bring a category to life for Pumardquo The other training team roster athletes will span across sports but they all share the common thread of versatility uniqueness and speed Said Mcrae ldquoEach

of them is fast and each needs to train hard in their own way to keep up their speedldquoBoth Hernandez and Patterson will be featured in the brandrsquos nature of Performance

marketing campaigns attend Puma events offer training tips via the brandrsquos website and social media channels and lead special programs with retail partners including a program launching later this year involving training with high school students

Both players will train in Pumarsquos BioWeb Elite which combines a detailed and colorful outsole with a flexible and lightweight midsole

ldquoThe overall design plays with negative space carving into the outsole tread and minimizing materials to reduce weight but it also features a unique element called the lsquoWebcagersquordquo said Mcrae of BioWeb Elite ldquoThis is an engineered piece of technology that wraps around the foot to for support during intense workouts BioWeb Elite has been received very well by consumers and will continue to be a focus for us for the back half of the year and will be expanding in 2014rdquo

Both athletes will also support Pumarsquos new ACTV and rCVr compression apparel lines featuring athletic taping built into the garments for muscle support and recovery Mcrae added that while some brands have focused greatly on the CrossFit trend in attacking the training category Puma will look at all the training activities that help athletes and everyday consumers be active

ldquo[Training] is a category that is continuing to grow and doesnrsquot show any signs of slowing downrdquo observed Mcrae ldquoBeing active is not a trend it is part of life for our consumersrdquo Puma BioWeb Elite

Puma signed in April Aaron Hernandez the New England Patriotrsquos tight end (left) and Cordarrelle Patterson the star wide receiver from the University of Tennessee (right)

Achieve Your GoAls

As the broadest deepest and most timely data available for the US Sports and Outdoor Active Lifestyle Market SportScanInfo is the weekly retail point-of-sale data reporting solution To learn more about how we can help your business call 7049873450 or email sportscansportsonesourcecom

Breadth of data depth of data timeliness of data

SportScanInfocom a Service of the SportsOneSource Group


Much like the trends seen in running basketball and other sports baseball and softball are also testing the limits as to how light cleats can get Chris davis brand manager for new Balance Team Sports said performance shoes in all categories are constantly striving to reduce weight while maintain-ing elements of support stability and comfort

ldquoBaseball is no differentrdquo added davis ldquoEvery aspect implemented into our spikes is designed to deliver a performance benefit to our athletesrdquo

ldquoPlayers are looking for footwear that is light-weight flexible comfortable and supportiverdquo con-curred Ken Ueda business unit manager cleated footwear Mizuno USA ldquoThe upper needs to feature color but still be able to deliver the functional support and comfort demanded by the gamerdquo

Ueda said the rampd behind Mizuno products spans many years and compiles insights from players at all levels to ensure the product meets the needs of the sport team and the athlete The Mizuno 9-spike outsole which al-lows increased flexibility is an ex-ample of the inno-vation behind the design

Still although other sports have taken color trends to a new level baseball is a traditional sport where colors still need to meet the elements of the team

rdquoThere is more uniformity of colors such as black red royal and white which are still the standard in the industryrdquo said Ueda ldquorecently we have seen a mix of new colors becoming relevant including or-ange forest maroon and yellow Mizuno is always

Fast and light continues to drive in the baseball and softball cleat category

How LigHt Can CLeats go

By Thomas J Ryan

Mizuno Spike Vapor Elite


checking in with players to make sure our color options match athletes de-mandrdquo

Adidas Baseball believes it has met baseball playersrsquo need for speed with the 5-Tool 20 which it claims is the lightest metal spike in baseball itrsquos being worn by some of the fastest players in MlB including BJ Upton of the Atlanta Braves and Coco Crisp of the Oakland Arsquos

ldquoWhen we develop new products we are constantly looking for ways to keep players lighter to make them fasterrdquo said Aaron Kahn business unit director Adidas Baseball ldquoin

terms of our footwear we have found new upper materials and constructions that allow us to take bulk out of the product without sacrificing durability likewise we have found new plate materials and cleat configurations that allow us to make the product lighter without sacrificing comfortrdquo

From a style standpoint Adidas looks to push the limits of faster design lines and exciting treatments Said Kahn ldquoKids today are influenced by unique non-team colors and sneaker trends for their cleat aesthetics so we are focused on creating footwear that stands out on the diamondrdquo

At new Balance the team divisionrsquos internal motto relates to the concept of creating

Lightest metal spike in baseball the Adidas Adizero 5-Tool 20

Atlanta Braves BJ UptonPhoto courtesy Adidas

Oakland As Coco Crisp Photo courtesy Adidas


ldquorunning shoes on spikesrdquo By using advanced running technologies foams and upper materials new Balance is able to deliver to its athletes an optimal-weight cleat that features enough comfort support and stability over the course of a 162 game season

ldquoAt the end of the day players are looking for a product that allows them to perform better comfortablyrdquo said davis ldquoThe more comfort-able and confident athletes are in our product the better they will per-form on the diamond A structurally sound flexible upper combined with a lightweight and supportive midsole is the ultimate goalrdquo

Around aesthetics some players like traditional looks while others want ldquomore swagrdquo but cleanliness in design is essential for both

ldquono one wants to appear as though they are trying too hard but at the same time if you look good you play betterrdquo said davis ldquoTraditional and progressive athletes all want to look fast and clean but it is all relative The amount of flash usually relates to color pops materials and discov-ery detail We continually see camo as a favorite pattern among our core consumer group As the sport evolves its great to see players having more fun with their on-field persona and stylerdquo

Marty Graham president 3n2 Sports said color combos and ability to customize are becoming increasingly important

ldquoOur custom footwear program went over well this year for those teams who had budget to spend on more expensive productrdquo noted Graham ldquoObviously for dealers color combinations are more elusive because they dont have the ability to stock colors due to investment dollars youd need to commit Vendors who can offer color combinations with minimum order commitments along with ability to customize team colors have a chance to help dealers and themselvesrdquo

Especially for smallernewer brands like 3n2 the ability to provide customization offers a differentiating position compared to the bigger brands that primarily offer ldquoblack black and more blackrdquo according to Graham low tops continue to dramatically outsell mid- or high-tops in baseball he added

in fastpitch girls tend to purchase based on look rather than perfor-mance said Graham Girls also tend to be less ldquobrand-centricrdquo enabling a newer brand like 3n2 to gain a foothold 3n2 has gained attention for the stitched-on pitching toe of its rally Metal PT which earned the ESPn The Magazine Womens Cleat of the year in 2012 it also has earned

recognition for building its fast-pitch cleats on a womens last

Menrsquos slowpitch tends to be a price-driven category domi-nated by a few web-direct com-panies such as Boombahcom Graham however said with a competitively priced sublima-tion program with color options

for bags and shoes dealers ldquocan compete against the web direct com-panies from a price standpoint while offering the local service that online factory-direct brands cannot offerrdquo

a key challenge in selling the cleat category at retail is that associates are often intimidated by selling anything outside running or basketball shoes

ldquoit is important to remember that the key ingredients to a successful cleated product are very similar to that of a performance running shoe comfort fit and feelrdquo said Chris

Davis brand manager for New Balance team sports ldquoalso in the visual repre-sentation of cleated prod-uct it is ideal to be able to show athletes wearing the shoes in a game as con-sumers are drawn to what their heroes have on footrdquo

marty Graham presi-dent of 3N2 sports said that while itrsquos a different sale each cleat brand has its own unique characteristics that drive sales like running shoes

ldquofor example on our fastpitch product we are the only brand that produces and markets a stitched-on pitching toe that is specifically designed for fastpitch girls who pitchrdquo said Graham ldquothis increas-es the longevity of the product however if you arent a pitcher this product wont be as stellar as it is for a pitcher where it eliminates the ath-letesrsquo parents from buying one-to-two more cleats through-out the season because the toe doesnt get destroyed by toe drag associated with pitching on the baseball side of cleated itrsquos more brand driven however things like weight width and comfort all are important if you have a super light cleat but it produces pressure points for pitchers or high-wear positions it wont sell Baseball players tend to like color combinations because team cleats are more prev-alent on baseball than fastpitchrdquo

Ken Ueda business unit manager cleated footwear mizu-no Usa also believes itrsquos important to call out each brandrsquos innovative features such as mizunorsquos 9 spike wave and pro-flex technologies

ldquostores knowledgeable and able to share prod-uct details ultimately will assist with sell through as well as an assortment of styles and color of-feringsrdquo said Ueda ldquoWe know consumers want to have options when look-ing to make a purchaserdquo

ClEats sEll-iNNew Balance MB3000 with 8-spike outsole plate

EN2 Rally Metal fastpitch cleat

Mizuno Finch Franchise 4 for the elite fastpitch player

3N2s Pulse+ fea-tures the most advanced outsole

New Balance MB4040 spike plate design eliminates 30 percent of the weight

FacebookcomSPORTSONESOURCE twittercomTEAMB_MAG

Now Available On Your IpadDownload the reader at TEAMBUSINESSDIGITALcom


With the flurry of sales from the introduction of BBCOr during 2011 and 2012 now in the rearview mirror the bat market has stabilized and presented some struggles for sellers

According to data provided by SportsScaninfo retail sales for all Baseball and Softball bats fell 9 percent in 2012 The Sports amp Fitness industry Associationrsquos (SFiA) 2013 Manufacturerrsquos Sales by Category report shows total BaseballSoftball Bat Sales amounted to $173 million in 2012 down 3 percent from 2011 Bats were the only

equipment category that saw a percent change decline during 2012 in fact many team dealers and retailers believe that the sudden introduction of BBCOr rules by the national Federation of State High School Associations (nFHS) and the national Collegiate Athletic Association (nCAA) created an oversaturation of BBCOr bats which will impact the market for the next several years

Team dealers have also been facing pricing pressure from competing web retailers losing business as more customers do their shopping

online Even with surpluses in BBCOr inventory baseball players will still buy new bats ahead of the 2014 season Team dealers and big box retailers will need to stock their inventory with the newest BBCOr models in addition to fresh wood bats and fastpitch softball bats that vendors are rolling out for next spring if the first look into these new models and lines is any indication there will be no shortage of quality bats for sellers to pick from

ldquoThe BBCOr issue has made it a challenge for manufacturerrsquos to differentiate their

Serious baseball and softball players are seeking more high-end bats a trend that should continue into 2014

PrEMIUM SWINGS


Photo courtesy of Louisville Slugger


productsrdquo explained Mike May director of the Baseball amp Softball Council at SFiA ldquoThe power of a brand can help sway many customers to pick one bat over another brandrsquos Then again the whole industry is filled with brand names that have credibility Easton Hillerich amp Bradsby deMarini rawlings Mizuno Anderson - and Marucci is also very strong with what they have been able to do with wood bats and take that customer confidence and relate it to the metal bat industryrdquo

For retailer and team-dealer buyers who stock inventory its essential to select the best models from the leading vendors providing BBCOr and wood bats for baseball and composite options for fastpitch softball customers Kody Wirt sales associate at The Sports Authority in rose-dale Md offered TEAM Business a glimpse into some of the bat brands and models that have been selling well during the current baseball and softball season while noting that updated models of hot-selling bats in the current season will always sell well in the following year ldquoFor the college and high school levels everything is going to be BBCOrrdquo said Wirt ldquodeMarini is a strong seller there With your little league and T-ball leagues Easton is the brand that sells the highest for usrdquo He pointed out that DeMarinirsquos Voodoo Adult bat is a leading seller for the high school level and above and he expected the Voodoo to once again be a big seller in 2014 deMarini has rolled out the 2014 Voodoo Paradox BBCOR bat which will be offered at high-end price points ranging from $200 for the (-13) drop model to $300 for the (-3) drop model

Wirt also said that Miken has consistently been the best-selling brand for fastpitch softball with the Miken Freak FX 700 proving to be a best-seller at his location Fastpitch bats from Easton Combat deMarini Worth and louisville Slugger also sell through each season for The Sports Authority at the national level

On the vendor side Tim lord VP of bats for rawlings Worth and Miken noted that manufacturers have started responding to a change in bat barrel sizes for youth players ldquoOne of the biggest things wersquove noticed is that more leagues ndash wersquore talking 14-and-under baseball - are going away from two-and-a-quarter bats and going more toward big barrel bats Thatrsquos probably the biggest trend wersquore seeing now in the industryrdquo lord observed ldquoThatrsquos happening more across the countryrdquo He explained that more players are playing travel baseball while fewer are playing recreational league baseball Since travel baseball allows players to use larger barrels usage of barrel sizes of 2 58 inches and above have become more commonplace As a result many brands such as rawlings are focusing efforts on expanding big barrel youth bats on the high-end and low-end that comply to USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association) standards

lord mentioned the rawlings Mach Youth Baseball Bat as a key big barrel item for 2014 For BBCOr the Rawlingsrsquo 5150 and Velo lines are expected to again be bestsellers lord also shared that rawlings has developed a new bat line the Trio Consisting of three different technology areas ndash a composite handle an aluminum pOp (Precision Optimized Performance) barrel and a composite end cap The Trio will be available in fall 2013

Several team dealers retailers and manufacturers have noted that bats with price points in the mid-range ndash about $100 to $175 ndash have suffered much slower sales compared to entry-level bats priced under $100 and high-end bats priced at $200 and above Serious players and their parents have shown a willingness to pay premium prices for what they consider to be better performing bats

However SFiArsquos May believes that diamond sports players may be overlooking value that exists with mid-range bats despite the increased demand for the low-end and high-end ranges ldquoSome athletes who are more serious players look at middle range priced bats and they figure that they should spend a little more and get the most expensive batrdquo he said ldquoBut the quality that you find on a mid-range bat or glove is still very good you could get two bats for the price of one if you buy two mid-range batsrdquo May suggested that doing so could allow a player to use one bat for batting practice and the other for game play ldquoyou can turn things around and create a win-win situation for the playerrdquo he continued ldquoPlayers shouldnrsquot skip over those mid-range priced items because theyrsquore a good quality product and the retailer wouldnrsquot stock them if they werenrsquot a high-performing batrdquo

Wood bats will also have a presence in Spring 2014 reflecting in-creased usage of wood bats by collegiate and high school players in tournament play and training Louisville Slugger recently unveiled a cutting-edge wood line called MLB Prime MSrP $120 The bats feature four innovations that make them harder than other wood bats Veneer wood Amish craftsmanship 360-degree compression and an advanced finish system ldquoWhat is cool about MlB Prime bats is - for the first time - we are offering retail customers the same highest quality wood the same manufacturing processes and the same hardest finishes on the market that we provide to our MlB playersrdquo said rick redman louis-ville Sluggerrsquos VP of corporate communications

Marucci currently offers Custom Pro and Pro Model wood bats for adults and youth and will run updated models for 2014 Maruccirsquos wood bats are available in maple and ash with the Custom Pro bats carrying MSrPrsquos of around $130 for adults and $85 for youth models With the Custom Pros players can choose the cut custom colors and engraving

Rawlings 5150

Rawlings Velo

Louisville Slugger MLB Prime

DeMarinirsquos 2014 Voodoo Paradox BBCOR

Mizuno MZB 271

Worth SickEaston FS1

Mizuno MZB 331

Mizuno MZB 271

Mizuno USA has also offered high quality high-performing wood bats made of maple ash and bamboo Mizuno will roll out new maple colors for 2014 including the MZM 271 Mahoganynatural handle bat and MZM 110 Grey bat as well as new bam-boo colors such as the MZB 271 Blacknatural and MZB 331 Matte Chocolate Mizunorsquos current Classic Maple wood bats range from MSrPrsquos of $78 (Classic Maple) to $128 (Pro Maple) while the Classic Bamboorsquos carry an MSrP of $78

With so many options in bats available now and heading into 2014 baseball players are the real winners honing their swings with high-performing offerings The challenge will be for retailers to selectively stock their shelves before connecting customers with their preferred bat

ldquoAny time a retailer makes a decision to stock a brand he or she knows that itrsquos a great product because anything bad would be a blemish on their retail name and thatrsquos the last thing they wantrdquo commented SFiArsquos May ldquoWith bats the BBCOr standard doesnrsquot give a lot of flexibility in how you make a bat and itrsquos not an easy standard to make a bat to i think top to bottom the industry has never been filled with a higher quality of product it comes down to personal choice the look of the product and how it feels Any youngster or parent making a decision on a brand of bat in baseball can almost pick any brand and they will be well served by whatever they choose And thatrsquos what makes it hard for the retailers with limited shelf space ndash picking the right inventory to keep in stockrdquo



copy 2

013

SH

OC

K D

OC

TO

R

PROTECTED AT THE PLATE

CARLOS SANTANA CATCHER CLEVELAND INDIANS

Shock Doctorrsquos innovative Baseball Protective line takes protection to the next level without

compromising performance At the plate or in the field Shock Doctor has all the bases covered

Hardcore Protection Fearless Performance

SHOWN 779 ULTRA BATTERrsquoS HANDWRIST GUARD AND 786 ULTRA BATTERrsquoS FLEX-CAP ELBOW GUARDAND 786 ULTRA BATTERrsquoS FLEX-CAP ELBOW GUARD

SHOCKDOCTORCOM



Gloves including both fielding and batting have experienced less sales fluctuations as a category in recent selling seasons compared to Bats which dealt with BBCOr changeover in 2011 and 2012 and Protec-tive which has seen sales spike thanks to consumer demand for in-creased safety rule changes for helmets and improved technologies According to shipment data from the Sports and Fitness industry Associationrsquos (SFiA) 2013 Manufacturers Sales by Category report shipments of baseball and softball gloves were up 12 percent from the previous year This is partially reflected in price increases that were made by manufacturers On the retail side however sell-through numbers show a different story According to SportScaninfo sales of Baseball and Softball Gloves are down around 8 percent year-over-year This is more reflective of what is going on with baseball participation as the latest participation report from the SFiA shows baseball is down 43 percent The downtick in baseball participation is not being made up with fastpitch softball participation which is up 94 percent

An advantage that both big box retailers and team dealers have over the online channel is that they can offer baseball and softball players the chance to physically try on gloves in the store Sales associates have a chance to try out different glove types and sizes on customers and determine the experience level of the player Whereas a player can order a bat online and know what he or she is getting based on using the bat before picking out a new glove and then breaking it in requires a more hands-on buying experience

ldquoBuying a bat or a glove is about feelrdquo observed Mike May director of the Baseball and Softball Council at SFiA ldquoit doesnrsquot take a lot of time to try on ten different gloves just to see which one feels better and throw a ball around in the store if they have one you donrsquot want to have someone come into the store and grab a glove off the shelf and leave At least wear it try it on and see how it feels itrsquos definitely a try-before-you-buy sportrdquo

leather quality and leather treatments are dictating the newest field-

flashiNGthE lEathERFit Performance and durability are all key to baseball and softball gloves as manufacturers design gloves with premium leather

ing gloves At leading retailers such as The Sports Authority and dickrsquos Sporting Goods players have a wide selection of high-quali-ty fielding gloves to select from at different price points Entry-level prices can start as low as $20 or $30 ideal for youth and T-ball players buying their first glove while high-end gloves usually start at $200 upwards to $320 ldquoFor fielding gloves rawlings and Mizu-no are our top two sellersrdquo said Kody Wirt sales associate at The Sports Authority in rosedale Md ldquoTheyrsquore also the highest-priced gloves that we sell since theyrsquore made of real leatherrdquo

When it comes to gloves the quality of the material does make a difference and better leather directly relates to higher prices Wirt believes that players are best served spending extra money for gloves made with superior leather as those gloves prove more durable ldquoThe quality of leather drives the price pointsrdquo explained Wirt ldquoif yoursquore below $60 or $70 ndash once you get to the $50rsquos $40rsquos and $30rsquos ndash with some models yoursquoll have synthetic leather that starts to fall apart whenever it gets wet Any time moisture gets on the glove and itrsquos not made of quality leather it poses a serious problem Spending that extra $20 or $30 on top of that $50 price point will get you a better quality glove that yoursquoll be able to use for an extra season or twordquo

According to Jeff Brusati president of TampB Sports a team deal-er in in San rafael CA the process used by several leading glove-makers has emphasized producing fielding gloves that are easier for younger players to break-in quickly ldquoFor younger players itrsquos all about the feel of the gloverdquo he shared ldquoConsequently you get a lot of soft gloves in the market Manufacturers at the entry-level price points have done a pretty good job of addressing that with things like suede-type material and pigskin They also do things like pre-tanning and other treatments so that out of the box theyrsquore soft yoursquove got to have that for the little kids because they want something thatrsquos ready to play out of the boxrdquo

Brusati said that gloves in the mid-range price points have seen a noticeable decline in demand at his stores a trend that mirrors what has been happening in the Bat category ldquoThe mid-point range has been a nowhere land for usrdquo he said ldquoin the mid-range gloves are firmer than the low price point range so you have to spend more time with the customer explaining why the glove is firmer and why they have to spend more time breaking them in properly Then you get to the upper-end gloves and theyrsquore all stiff But the customers know theyrsquore stiff because once players go through the break-in process they know they have a custom glove for their handrdquo

Breaking in fielding gloves has become an art form and ritual for players and manufacturers are trying to find better ways to make the process more effective ldquoitrsquos been going on in the market lately where everybody has all kinds of theories on the best way to break in a gloverdquo said Brusati who pointed out the emergence of various glove softeners that are now available including sprays oils and creams He also mentioned that Mizuno offers a glove steamer for team dealers something that he has taken advantage of at his own


Easton agreed while offering a manufacturerrsquos viewpoint regarding player needs for fielding gloves ldquoAs players get older they are playing more and at a higher intensity levelrdquo he said ldquoThey are demanding a product that is going to be durable through a whole season with-out breaking downrdquo Easton will be offering several new and updated models for the 2014 season including the EPG 822B and EPG 56BW Baseball Gloves and the Natural Elite Fastpitch Glove

store locations The steamer breaks in brand new leather ball gloves into game-ready condition within minutes and the option has made Mizuno gloves popular with his customers The treatment is a comple-mentary service and Brusati said that ldquo100 percentrdquo of customers who buy Mizuno gloves at his stores opt for it

Several key new styles will be arriving at team dealers and retail-ers in the upcoming weeks and months ahead of the 2014 season For baseball fielding gloves Nokona is offering the high-end X2 Elite Series a position-specific series made with the brandrsquos proprietary Buckskin leather for high performance while also including Kangaroo leather and the nolera Composite Padding SystemTM for lighter weight in select models Louisville Sluggerrsquos Omaha Flare Series combines a unique sleek design with premium performance leather while Mizunorsquos MVP Prime SE and Classic Pro Soft raise the bar by providing some of the softest most premium leathers on the market Wilson will once again offer updated models of its extremely popular A2000 glove line including the OTiF model which is a lighter option for multi-position players who pitch and work the infield Rawlingsrsquo Gamer XLE Series is an eye-catching line available as part of a limited edition release featuring Pro Soft leather and bright color schemes not found before on rawlings gloves

Easton VRS ICON

Easton EPG 56BWEaston EPG 822B

Franklin Insanity II

Cutter 018E Endurance

Franklin Shok-Sorb NEO

Nokona X2 Elite series

Mizuno ClassicProSoft

Wilson A2000

Louisville Slugger Omaha Flare

Mizuno MVPPrime

Rawlingsreg Gamertrade XLE Series

Several stylish batting gloves will also be available headlined by Frank-linrsquos Shok-Sorb NEO Insanity II and CFX Pro gloves Cuttersrsquo 018E Endur-ance Under Armourrsquos Motive and Eastonrsquos VRS Icon among many others from leading brands such as deMarini louisville Slugger and rawlings

With several new models rolling out for 2104 sellers at team deal-ers and retailers will successfully connect to a player with their new glove by relying on tried-and-true customer service SFiArsquos May shared that the critical first step for sales associates is to gauge how serious the player is before proceeding on a sale ldquoA casual or beginner player probably wonrsquot need to spend as much money on a glove than if they are a full-time serious travel playerrdquo he stated ldquoit depends on the level of commitment and experience that the athlete hasrdquo

ryan lawrence baseball glove and protective product manager

For SFiArsquos May selling gloves to youth players presents a unique opportunity for team dealers and retailers to help their customers with a seminal purchase while also building their business ldquoFrom the retail-errsquos perspective especially if you are a young sales associate your goal should be to give customers a great buying ex-perience so they walk out having that good value for their money and then what yoursquove done is planted that seed for them to come back for another item on another day And thatrsquos what the re-tailer wants ndash thatrsquos repeat businessrdquo

Photo courtesy Shock Doctor


With safety dominating the sports-industry headlines protective equip-ment remains a hot category for diamond sports sellers Even though baseball statistically is one of the safest team sports players and their parents cognizant of high profile injuries and concussions occurring in football continue to seek out the best batting helmets guards catch-errsquos equipment and other protective gear available on the market

Sales of baseball batting helmets jumped 15 percent in 2012 ac-cording to SportScaninfo retail sales data This shows significant sales growth while other categories of Bats (down 9 percent) and Gloves (down 8 percent) underwent declines approaching double digits One of the main reasons is the ever-changing standards for batting helmets an the constant improvements in safety and comfort The increase was limited strictly to baseball helmets as softball helmet sales plummeted 30 percent in 2012 from 2011

According to data from the Sports and Fitness industry Associationrsquos (SFiA) 2013 Manufacturers Sales by Category report manufacturer sell-in for the ProtectiveOther category increased 6 percent to $77 million in 2012 The category saw the largest sales increase in all diamond sports categories growing at a rate about five times greater than other categories such as Gloves and Mitts (up 12 percent) and Baseballs (up 11 percent) The increase was limited strictly to Base-

Manufacturers combine style and safety in diamond sports protective equipment

ball Helmets however as Softball Helmet sales plummeted 30 per-cent in 2012 from 2011 Several leading brands such as Easton louisville Slugger Wilson Schutt Mizuno and Xenith dominate batting helmets Meanwhile several companies ndash such as Mcdavid Shock doctor EvoShield Under Armour Markwort Cramer and Zamst among others ndash are bringing innovative sports medicine and protec-tive gear to the market for the 2014 season

Balancing maximum pro-tection with minimum weight remains the most important factor in protective equip-ment especially in helmets and guards ldquoPlayers are looking for the lightest and most protective productrdquo said ryan lawrence baseball glove and protective product manager at Easton ldquoif they feel confident that they are protected by a batting helmet or catcherrsquos gear without feeling it is on their body they are going to perform to their maximum potentialrdquo Easton will have several key


SaFE aT HOme

Photo courtesy of McDavid

Easton FORCE Chest protector


Rawlings S80X2SRawlings S70X2S

Rawlings S100 Rawlings S90PA

EvoShield Baseball Sliding Wrist Guard

Evoshield 186 Protective Arm Sleeve

EvoShield A130H Adult Baseball Catchers Thumb Protector

Easton FORCE leg guard

Easton STEALTH SE Catchers Helmet

Easton Natural Grip Two Tone Helmet

Markwort Game Face Softball Safety Mask

new lightweight protective items available for the 201314 season including the Natural Grip Two Tone Helmet and Stealth SE Catchers Helmet as well as the Force Chest Protector and Force Leg Guard for catchers

Rawlings is introducing a new classification system for baseball batting helmets in 2013 that could transform how players pick their helmet in the future The rawlings Performance rating System allows players to select the level of protection they need based on their level of play specifically how hard pitches are thrown in their league as mea-sured by miles per hour Their Performance rating Series of batting helmets includes the S100 S90 S80 and S70 Series where series numbers correspond to a miles-per-hour pitch speed All rawlingsrsquo hel-mets go through multiple cannon impact tests to ensure they meet or exceed the most current nOCSAE (national Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) standards with the current nOCSAE

standard equating to 68 mph baseball pitch speed With the new rawl-ings classification system a player can pick a helmet best suited to their skill level The S100 Series for example is designed to withstand a 100 miles-per-hour ball impact absorbing 75 percent of the impact energy before it reaches a players head making it ideal for profession-als and varsity players The S70 Series is designed to protect against high-speed impacts up to 70 mph and targeted for the youth player that will face pitch speeds at or below that velocity

For fastpitch softball Markwortrsquos Game Face Softball Safety Mask is an example of the combination of ultra-lightweight and strong protec-tion recommended by doctors and dentists to protect injured players during recovery and to help them return to the field sooner the mask offers secure and complete facial protection

After protection and performance appearance is key for baseball and softball players ldquoEveryonersquos big on colorrdquo observed Justin niefer VP of business development at EvoShield ldquoWhat wersquore seeing with pro-tective gear and apparel is that athletes want to express themselves with interesting colorways and customization that not only match with their team uniforms but also lets them define themselves by identify-ing what type of player they are A leadoff hitter might choose gear thatrsquos different from a cleanup hitter They can mold their gear to their gamerdquo niefer also said baseball players are using sleeves for com-pression and warmth ldquoWhether itrsquos from a therapy or performance

standpoint compression points help to create blood flowrdquo he added innovative protective items from EvoShield include the A130H Adult Baseball Catchers Thumb Protector the 186 Protective Arm Sleeve and the Sliding Wrist Guard which is scheduled for a full release in JulyAugust ldquoWersquove stepped up our protective and wersquore bringing the Sliding Wrist Guard to marketrdquo said niefer ldquoitrsquos in the big leagues now and itrsquos a very organic natural move for us to go there Major league Baseball players have asked us at EvoShield to provide a unique com-pression wrist brace that will also protect them when theyrsquore sliding into the bases while also being comfortablerdquo

CALENDAR For full year calendar go to sportsonesourcecomevents

Tr

aD

E a

SS

OC

IaT

ION

S |

BU

YIN

G G

rO

UP

SMAY

5-8 NsGa mgmt Conference palm Beach Gardens fl

8-9 asi New york New york Ny

JUNE

18-20 licensing international Expo las Vegas NV

26-28 taG springsummer show st Charles mo

27-29 sports inc athletic show Denver Co

JULY


10-12 BCa international Billiard amp home Recreation Expo friedrichshafen Germany

11-14 European outdoor trade fair friedrichshafen Germany

12-14 aDa spring show milwaukee Wi

16-18 asi Chicago Chicago il

17-19 NBs specialty outdoor market fort Worth tX

18-19 NBs athletic market austin tX

31 outdoor Retailer open air Demo salt lake City Ut

AUGUST

1-4 outdoor Retailer summer market salt lake City Ut

1-4 sGB active lifestyle investors Conference salt lake City Ut

8-10 sports inc outdoor show Denver Co

17-19 altanta shoe market atlanta Ga

SEPTEMBER

8-10 NBs fall semi-annual market fort Worth tX

18-20 interbike international trade Expo las Vegas NV

25-26 sports amp fitness industry assoc industry leaders summit Baltimore mD

30-2 oia Rendezvous san Diego Ca

OCTOBER

7-8 the Retailing summit Dallas tX

15-17 sGB sports amp technology Convergence palo alto Ca

NOVEMBER

5-7 taG fallWinter show tBD

15-17 aDa fall show san antonio tX

24-26 sports inc athletic show las Vegas NV

Athletic Dealers of America1395 Highland AvenueMelbourne FL 32935t 3212540091f 3212427419athleticdealersofamericacom

National Shooting Sports FoundationFlintlock Ridge Office Center11 Mile Hill RoadNewtown CT 06470t 2034261320 f 2034261087nssforg

National Sporting Goods Association1601 Feehanville Drive Suite 300Mount Prospect IL 60056t 8472966742f 8473919827nsgaorg

Nationrsquos Best Sports4216 Hahn BlvdFt Worth TX 76117t 8177880034f 8177888542nbscom

Outdoor Industry Association4909 Pearl East Circle Suite 300Boulder CO 80301t 3034443353f 3034443284outdoorindustryorg

Sports amp Fitness Industry Assoc 8505 Fenton StreetSilver Spring MD 20910t 3014956321f 3014956322sfiaorg

Snow Sports Industries America8377-B Greensboro DriveMcLean VA 22102t 7035569020f 7038218276snowsportsorg

Sports Inc333 2nd Avenue NorthLewistown MT 59457t 4065383496f 4065382801sportsinccom

Sports Specialists Ltd590 Fishers Station Drive Suite 110Victor NY 14564t 5857421010f 5857422645sportsspecialistsltdcom

Team Athletic Goods629 Cepi DriveChesterfield MO 63005t 6365303710f 6365303711tag1com

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Socks

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Socks

Key Features



bull Seamless Toe


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Achieve Your GoAls













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Rawlings 5150

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SEPTEMBER





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Socks

Key Features



bull Seamless Toe


wwwsofsolecom


gt TEAM SOCKS

Team Socks by

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MSRP now $799


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By Thomas J Ryan














































PrEMIUM SWINGS













Rawlings 5150

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SEPTEMBER





OCTOBER



NOVEMBER

































Socks

Key Features



bull Seamless Toe


wwwsofsolecom


gt TEAM SOCKS

Team Socks by

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MSRP now $799


Available Colors













































PrEMIUM SWINGS













Rawlings 5150

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Mizuno MZB 271


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copy 2

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Easton VRS ICON







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Tr

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JUNE




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AUGUST





SEPTEMBER





OCTOBER



NOVEMBER

































Socks

Key Features



bull Seamless Toe


wwwsofsolecom


gt TEAM SOCKS

Team Socks by

soccer



bull Net 60 terms



MSRP now $799


Available Colors











Rawlings 5150

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Mizuno MZB 271


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copy 2

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SH

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Easton VRS ICON







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Tr

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JUNE




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AUGUST





SEPTEMBER





OCTOBER



NOVEMBER

































Socks

Key Features



bull Seamless Toe


wwwsofsolecom


gt TEAM SOCKS

Team Socks by

soccer



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MSRP now $799


Available Colors

Mizuno MZB 271


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copy 2

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SH

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Easton VRS ICON







Wilson A2000


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Tr

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JUNE




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SEPTEMBER





OCTOBER



NOVEMBER

































Socks

Key Features



bull Seamless Toe


wwwsofsolecom


gt TEAM SOCKS

Team Socks by

soccer



bull Net 60 terms



MSRP now $799


Available Colors


copy 2

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SH

OC

K D

OC

TO

R







SHOCKDOCTORCOM

















Easton VRS ICON







Wilson A2000


Mizuno MVPPrime















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Tr

aD

E a

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OC

IaT

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S |

BU

YIN

G G

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UP

SMAY



JUNE




JULY









AUGUST





SEPTEMBER





OCTOBER



NOVEMBER

































Socks

Key Features



bull Seamless Toe


wwwsofsolecom


gt TEAM SOCKS

Team Socks by

soccer



bull Net 60 terms



MSRP now $799


Available Colors

















Easton VRS ICON







Wilson A2000


Mizuno MVPPrime















SaFE aT HOme




















Tr

aD

E a

SS

OC

IaT

ION

S |

BU

YIN

G G

rO

UP

SMAY



JUNE




JULY









AUGUST





SEPTEMBER





OCTOBER



NOVEMBER

































Socks

Key Features



bull Seamless Toe


wwwsofsolecom


gt TEAM SOCKS

Team Socks by

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bull Net 60 terms



MSRP now $799


Available Colors









SaFE aT HOme




















Tr

aD

E a

SS

OC

IaT

ION

S |

BU

YIN

G G

rO

UP

SMAY



JUNE




JULY









AUGUST





SEPTEMBER





OCTOBER



NOVEMBER

































Socks

Key Features



bull Seamless Toe


wwwsofsolecom


gt TEAM SOCKS

Team Socks by

soccer



bull Net 60 terms



MSRP now $799


Available Colors


















Tr

aD

E a

SS

OC

IaT

ION

S |

BU

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G G

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SMAY



JUNE




JULY









AUGUST





SEPTEMBER





OCTOBER



NOVEMBER

































Socks

Key Features



bull Seamless Toe


wwwsofsolecom


gt TEAM SOCKS

Team Socks by

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MSRP now $799


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Socks

Key Features



bull Seamless Toe


wwwsofsolecom


gt TEAM SOCKS

Team Socks by

soccer



bull Net 60 terms



MSRP now $799


Available Colors

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