Who says pickleball is just a sport for ex-tennis players, retirees and school kids? Earlier this month two major partnerships were announced that continue to bring the oddly-named sport into the mainstream.

In an effort to create more consistency on uniforms and to allow for more decipherable patches, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP) recently approved the following rules change for all sports effective with the 2021-22 seasons...

The continuing growth of flag football at all levels is evident in the recent news that the American Flag Football League (AFFL) is headed into its fourth season and that fans will have an opportunity to to own a piece of the league through the launch of its investment campaign on SeedInvest.

In two more significant team dealer acquisitions, BSN Sports last month acquired Billings Sports, based in Meriden, CT, and more recently Sportline Team Sports, based in Arvada, CO.

Along with a number of rule changes impacting purchases in upcoming seasons, team dealers will want to be aware of two significant player equipment changes involving the wearing of head coverings and beads recently approved for...

Amy Watts’ journey in team sales began in 1995 in Wichita, KS, working for Athletic Attic Team Sales. Over a span of 10 years she sold team, licensed and corporate apparel prior to her division being sold to Nebraska Sports Industries.

There’s nothing like getting help from the top, and for high school football that means partnering with the National Football League (NFL), which in 2020 took an unprecedented leap forward and officially agreed to get more involved in supporting the work of the NFHS.

It may not mean that much in the day-to-day world of team sporting goods, but the recent announcement that venerable Hibbett Sports is taking the “Sports” out of its corporate name – the retailer will now be known just as Hibbett, Inc. – is surely some sign of changing times in sports retail.

Summer has most definitely arrived on the East Coast and with it our thoughts turn to … fall and winter. And that’s good news for team dealers who are in desperate need of good news.

USA Football has entered into new partnerships with BSN Sports and Profound Insurance Programs to help lower costs for youth football organizations through its grant program.

Seven former high school athletes highlight the 2021 class of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) National High School Hall of Fame, including three who went on to earn gold medals...

The Canadian Sporting Goods Association (CSGA) has named Jon Irwin as its new president and CEO, effective July 1. Irwin's appointment came after a search to replace Julian Savory, who is retiring after eight years...

After taking over the role as the official game ball of the NBA from Spalding earlier this year, Wilson Sporting Goods recently unveiled the league’s new official game ball in advance of the NBA’s 75th anniversary season.

It is a strategy certainly aimed more at its retail operations than on the team side of the business, but dealers will want to take note that Under Armour CEO and president Patrik Frisks recently told analysts that the company is "tightening" how it thinks about inventory.

After nearly 40 years, Spalding and the NBA are officially announcing the end of their partnership at the conclusion of this season and to mark the occasion Spalding recently released a final batch of Spalding NBA Official Game Balls.

Two changes were recently made to the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) Board of Directors with the appointments of Bob Fawley, of Capitol Varsity Sports, and Gordon Geiger, of Geiger’s, to three-year terms.

BSN Sports has signed a five-year deal to provide all of Youngstown State University (YSU) teams with Nike apparel on game days. All of the University’s 19 intercollegiate teams have been with Nike except football, which had a deal with Under Armour, also through BSN Sports.

Founder Sport Group has brought on industry veteran Todd Lamb as VP–business development and bookstore channel, where he will identify and pursue new revenue opportunities, expand existing customer partnerships and direct the bookstore channel of business.

In a welcome piece of good news after months and months of uncertainty – and in a trend that can’t help but boost the spirits of team dealers and sporting goods retailers across America – Back-To-School retail sales are expected to grow 5.5 percent during the all-important July 15 through...

As it ramps up its technology efforts in a post-pandemic world of youth sports, Varsity Brands, the parent company of BSN Sports, Varsity Spirit and Herff Jones, has named 25-year technology veteran Edwina Payne as chief information officer. In this capacity, Payne will report to...

While it has not yet mandated the use of a shot clock in high school basketball, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has recently discussed the state association option for the use of 35-second shot clocks in basketball beginning with the 2022-23 season.

It will come as no surprise to team dealers and their customers all the way through the sports participation chain, but the recently released NSGA 2021 Edition of its Sports Participation In The U.S. Report clearly spells out the drastic effects of COVID-19 in the 64 sports and activities tracked.

As it expands and reorganizes its sales efforts in Canada, Rawlings and Easton Canada recently named Kim Sarrazin as team sales manager for all brands in the country and named a new Canadian sales force for Rawlings and Easton for Canada. The sales teams will support Miken and Worth.

Looking to continue to grow the game at the youth level in the United States, USA Lacrosse, the governing body for lacrosse in the United States, and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) have reaffirmed the commitment of both organizations to strengthen the...

Taking advantage of local conditions, including the sale of Johnny Mac’s and Nill Bros. to BSN Sports, the owner of St. Louis-based soccer specialty store Soccer Master has taken the unusual (these days) step to expand into becoming a full-line team dealer.