Team Vendors Answer The Call in COVID-19 Response
Team Vendors Answer The Call in COVID-19 Response
TeamInsightExtra has invited all vendors and suppliers to the team sports industry to send us their messages related to the COVID-19 Pandemic to share with our readers. Below is a collection of those messages. Note to vendors: Please continue to send your messages to the team sports business to us and we will relay them to our readers in the next issue of TeamInsightExtra. You can send them to mjacobsen@formula4media.com.
Augusta Sportswear: Red Cross Partnership
The Augusta Sportswear Group is partnering with the American Red Cross for an American Flag Hat Program through its Pacific Headwear brand. The partnership calls for $4 from every cap in the American Flag Collection sold to be donated to the American Red Cross. The Pacific Headwear American Flag Collection offers three stock 104C designs — sayings include “Unified,” “Stay Strong” and “Apart and United.” With a lead time of 10 days, single unit dealer pricing is $12 with a 36-piece minimum, 12 per style.
SanMar: A Letter from the President
Jeremy Lott, President of SanMar, asked Team Insight Extra to send his letter out to the team sports industry as well:
I’m writing this from home, reflecting on what is happening in the world and across our business. Like many of you, we are making adjustments in our daily lives both personally and professionally. Thankfully we are healthy and staying home, but several of our SanMar family members have been sick. So far none are severe and we are supporting them the best we can.
As we all go through this together, our priorities are trying to stay healthy and keeping our companies viable at a time when most of our customers aren’t working and the events we sell to are not happening. Beyond that, I wanted to share some other steps we are taking at SanMar:
- Our entire office staff is working remotely. It is incredibly challenging, but I couldn’t be prouder of our team and how hard everyone is working to make it a success.
- Our distribution center network is currently operating with limited staffing. We will do all that we can to remain as operational as possible, respect local and state regulations, practice suggested distancing and other recommended health measures in all operating buildings. Please check www.sanmar.com for any distribution center closures or disruptions.
- We have worked with our banks to fully draw our line of credit, giving us the resources we need to weather a long economic downturn.
- We have cut expenses wherever we can, including delaying the launch of our 2021 Apparel, Bags and Caps Catalog.
- Our goal is to keep everyone at SanMar employed. That being said, we have had to cut hours for our hourly employees, and our salaried employees are all taking significant pay cuts. I have cut my salary to $1 and will keep it there until I can raise our team’s salaries and hours back up.
On a positive note, we are honored to be part of a consortium of American textile companies, many in our industry, including Hanesbrands and Fruit of the Loom, to produce protective masks. Designed in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and approved by the Food and Drug Administration, these masks will be distributed as part of the Federal government’s efforts to fight COVID-19. There is obviously a terrible shortage of protective supplies and SanMar is working hard to retool factories in order to ramp up to 10 million protective masks per week to support these efforts. To say this has been a massive undertaking would not do it justice.
We have created a website with tools and resources to help you with your business as we all navigate these uncertain times: www.education.sanmar.com/covid-19-resources. We have also created a recap of the CARES Act that was passed by the Senate on March 25, to help you find any assistance the government may be providing:www.sanmar.com/caresact.
A final thought from an unknown author that was sent to me from a friend: “In times of crisis, average companies fail, good ones survive and great ones transform.”
On some days we are average. Most days we are good. But today we have no choice but to be great. I don’t want to sugarcoat things or be overly optimistic. Real people are losing their jobs, many are getting sick and too many are dying. The next few weeks and months will be hard. Our only chance is to transform. Let’s do it together. We are here for you.
Pearsox: A Letter of Support
Pearsox’ Scott Schulman sent along this message to the team sports industry:
“The team at Pearsox wanted to take this moment to reach out to all of our amazing supporters and industry friends to extend our love and support to all during these difficult and uncertain times. As an industry that has evolved into the hyper-focused competitive space which it now exists in, it is in times like these that we need to be collaborative, band together and strengthen our ecosystem as whole.
“Having said that, if any individual, team, owner or store is need of our help or support please do not hesitate to reach out to Pearsox.
“Small businesses and our manufacturing industry professionals are vulnerable to financial crisis during time like these and that is why teamwork is essential now more than ever. This is a time that as a community we can work together and support each other’s small businesses. Please be safe, and looking forward to seeing everyone in person at the next trade show, and as always, don’t forget to wear the pear!”
Bison: Free Facility Safety Checklist
“Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.” This quote comes from football player and coach Mike Singletary, but the entire world of sports now feels the same way. At Bison, we are grateful to be able to continue manufacturing sports equipment for the day when our courts, fields, and stadiums are open for players, families and fans again.
No pandemic is going to eliminate America’s love for sports and we are committed to doing everything possible to be prepared while protecting the safety of our employees and our community of Lincoln, NE. If your facility has also re-focused on your next “Opening Day,” we offer this free facility safety checklist for your use and our product specialists are available at 800-247-7668 or live chat to help answer your questions.
InkSoft: Fundraising Capabilities
InkSoft points out that if a team dealer has an online designer and the ability to set up web stores, then it has a way to help local businesses to set up fundraisers that can help keep them afloat during the pandemic.
A customer success story, recently published by InkSoft, talks about Sunday Cool, a faith-based screenprinting operation in Tavares, FL, that is using its resources to create fundraisers for others.
Prior to the virus, this shop had 59 employees. In order to stay open, it was forced to lay off 19 and asked remaining staff to temporarily take a 50 percent pay cut. But its recent activities have allowed the shop to sustain those they kept and keep some money coming in through the doors.
It launched a #SupportLocal campaign that is available to any business. Sunday Cool works with the company to create and design a shirt and set up a free webstore. A percentage of the sale of these T-shirts goes to the company.
To read more about this campaign and how you can implement it in your own community, go to
https://www.inksoft.com/support-local-tshirt-fundraising-store-campain/
Light Helmets: Pivoting Resources
A message from Nick Esayian, CEO of Light Helmets, Carlsbad, CA:
“As you are aware there are mandatory closures for companies in California so the Light staff is not in the office, but is checking email, voicemail, etc. remotely, with the exception of our work with a large automotive and safety manufacturer on a ventilator design using some of our existing components.
“We are a new company and this situation is an obstacle that creates challenges for us and our competitors. We appreciate your support and understanding as we pivot some of our resources to the greater good as the safety and welfare of our fellow citizens comes first.”
“Thank you and please continue to place orders for our highly rated products as we all look forward to sports, especially football, returning in the near future. We urge you to continue to follow the guidelines set out by the President as it pertains to social distancing, hygiene and the other behavior modifications required to slow the spread of the Coronavirus. We are in this together and will come out of this together... God bless you and your families as we migrate through this unprecedented series of events.”
Old Hickory: Baseball Will be Back
In the words of the great Terence Mann from "Field of Dreams,"
“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again.”
So writes Travis Copley, of Old Hickory Bats, who wants to inform team dealers that Old Hickory is currently still working and fulfilling orders and that their support during these times means the world to Old Hickory.
Champro Sports: Making Masks
Champro Sports is usually busy making lots of sports equipment and uniforms. But in the past few weeks it has started making masks in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. According to a report in a local newspaper, Champro is now pressing and cutting fabric into masks, most of which were going to senior living facilities both for the residents and employees.
The company has created a prototype for surgical masks and submitted them to see if they would be workable in hospitals.
“Spring sports have been cancelled or delayed so our revenue has dropped 90 percent in the course of the last two weeks,” Champro president Ryan Hunt said. “We’ve had to reduce compensation and reduce hours for employees and this project has allowed us to bring employees back into the building and allowed them to be productive in this quiet time of business.”
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