The January/February issue of Team Insight will have our obligatory list of predictions not only for 2020, but for the new decade ahead. But instead of the regular 20 for 2020 format, we take it in a different direction and make our decade predictions from A to Z. It’s more fun that way and it seems appropriate for trying to figure out what the next 10 years will bring in the world of team sports.

We’re not going to provide all 26 of our prognostications in this issue of Team Insight Extra, but here is a sneak preview of a few of them:

B

BSN Sports will undoubtedly continue to disrupt how team sports are sold, even though it seems to have already acquired every independent team dealer of importance on its way to a true national footprint with more than 1200 roadmen already. The goal of 2000 sales pros in every zip code in America is certainly within reach early in this decade.

E

E-sports will be a real thing and team dealers will eventually get on board and realize there’s money to be made in outfitting and equipping gamers. Varsity status in high schools and college will become the norm and they are all going to need special sweat-wicking T-shirts for those tough virtual battles.

R

Real-time inventory will soon become the norm, not the exception, for all brands and dealers. OrderMyGear already has it with select partners through a partnership with Sports Inc. and that advance will continue to pick up steam as customers demand it and dealers expect it.

W

Wrestling becomes a core sport as Americans turn to an emphasis on rugged individualism in a world increasingly ruled by technology and automation. Other individual sports – golf, swimming, tennis, track and field -- will follow the same path.

Y

Year-round sports will rule. For better or worse, athletes are being forced to choose one sport over all others at a younger ages in order to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive sports landscape.

Check out the January/February issue of Team Insight later this month at www.teaminsightmag.com for the complete list.