In a major strategic move by both companies, BSN Sports recently entered into an agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of the Eastbay Team Sales business from Foot Locker Retail, Inc., a subsidiary of Foot Locker, Inc.

Founded in 1980 and originally established to meet the performance needs of high school and college athletes in Central Wisconsin, Eastbay Team Sales is now a major supplier of athletic footwear, apparel and sports equipment to high school and college athletes. Foot Locker, Inc. acquired Eastbay Team Sales through its acquisition of Eastbay in 1997 to integrate an additional channel of distribution for athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment.

The Team Sales business has historically accounted for less than one percent of Foot Locker’s annual consolidated sales. The transaction is expected to close in the coming weeks and terms were not disclosed.

“We are excited that the employees of Eastbay Team Sales will be joining the BSN Sports family, which is dedicated exclusively to serving athletes, athletic directors and coaches who impact more lives in a year than most people do in a lifetime,” says Terry Babilla, president of BSN Sports. “We welcome the Eastbay Team employees to the BSN Sports family and look forward to a productive and rewarding integration of our teams headed into the 2022-2023 school year.”

In a separate statement, Foot Locker said the divestiture of its team sales business will enable the company to sharpen its focus on its core consumer on business.

“We are very pleased for the Team Sales business to become part of BSN Sports,” says Richard Johnson, Foot Locker chairman and CEO. “For more than three decades, the Team Sales business has connected directly with high school coaches and athletic directors across the U.S. … and we are confident that the business and its experienced team of professionals have a promising future as part of the BSN Sports organization.”

Foot Locker also announced it will fully consolidate the Eastbay.com retail website into the Champs Sports banner, completing the integration of those two banners that began in 2019.