It’s that time of year again and never, ever before have I been so eager to turn the page on the calendar to a new year. Not that January 1 is going to all of a sudden magically cure all of the team industry’s ills, but at least we won’t have to look at that wretched number – 2020 – every day again.

Three days of free, virtual online printing sessions for T-shirt decorators at any stage of their business are being offered by Stahls’ in the “Heat Press for Profit LIVE” goes live January 5-7, 2021. More than a dozen classes, a few for beginners, and more for the advanced printers...

Extending its commitment to collegiate sports, Bison has renewed its corporate partnership with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). As a part of the new three-year agreement, Bison and its gym equipment division, IPI by Bison, will continue as...

ESPN and Under Armour, in conjunction with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), will be working with four new communities that are eligible for grants through the RePlay initiative, which helps kids “play on” by transforming vacant lots into community spaces for sports and recreation.

Jeff Webb, the man credited with helping to grow the sport of cheerleading in America in his role as founder and chairman of Varsity Spirit, is stepping away from the company he founded to shift his focus to growing cheer globally through his role as president of the International Cheer Union.

After months of uncertainty following Under Armour’s move to end its contract four years into a 15-year deal worth $280 million, UCLA found a new player when it signed a six-year partnership that makes Nike’s Jordan Brand the official athletic footwear, apparel and equipment provider for...

It has already been well reported in the press, but the recent Under Armour announcement that it is launching the Curry Brand with NBA star Stephen Curry – a move being compared to Nike’s launch of the Jordan brand in 1997 – is worth mentioning here because it could have an impact on...

TeamSnap is expanding its nine-year partnership with the Positive Coaching Alliance. The expanded partnership is part of TeamSnap’s $1 million commitment to improving access to sport for underserved youth athletes. Going forward, the sport management platform will provide funding and...

As youth coaches and players look to find ways to continue their development throughout the year and during the pandemic, Pop Warner, the nation’s oldest youth football organization, is partnering with the NFL to promote proper playing fundamentals.

In a move that could go a long way to playing a season next year, the NCAA has reclassified men’s and women’s lacrosse as sports with intermediate risk for COVID-19 transmission in its return-to-play guidelines, encouraging news especially as US Lacrosse lobbies the NFHS...

With the situation in most states changing almost daily, team dealers are now able to stay on top of developments in winter sports in high schools in their regions through an invaluable resource being provided by the National Federation of High School Sports Associations (NFHS).

Jim Keen, Sr., one of the icons of the wrestling scene in the U.S. for decades, passed away November 24 at home, surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren. He was 79 years old. Keen, of Ann Arbor, MI, was born September 9, 1941, the son of Clifford Patrick Keen and...

We always knew team sports tournaments were a valuable product, and recent research finds that there is certainly a significant economic impact felt by cities from the loss of youth and amateur sports tournaments a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This week Markwort Sporting Goods, St. Louis, MO, completed its acquisition of Arm Strong Baseball – The Complete Pitching and Throwing Trainer from David and Connie Higgins, the owners of DH Sports, Inc.

Looking to make inroads into the U.S. soccer market, Puma has entered into a three-year agreement with the United Soccer League, based in Tampa, FL, that makes the brand the national partner for the new USL Academy League. The league will launch in the spring with more than...

BSN Sports, along with Under Armour, has entered into a partnership with The Scout Hub that will allow baseball and softball organizations that use The Scout Hub to receive team apparel, equipment discounts and dedicated products serviced by BSN.

As the country struggles with restrictions mandated by local authorities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, America’s parks and recreation programs have continued to play an important role in providing opportunities for youth team sports. A recent Youth Sports at Park and Recreation Agencies report...

With America’s youth sports focus now firmly on indoor sports as the weather cools throughout the country, the team sports business faces increased challenges to get athletes safely back on the court. The fall sports season, played mostly outdoors, had its share of successes to go along with...

Let’s start with the topic on everyone’s minds. How has the COVID-19 team sports environment impacted the sock business in 2020? Ashleigh Brown: Like anyone doing business in the team sports market, 2020 has been a difficult year for us. We were forced to downsize our admin and warehouse teams ...

There was some optimism among youth sports organizers as fall sports seasons ran their course, but there is real concern as cooler weather – and indoor sports – approaches in the age of COVID-19.

In a true sign of the times—along with its oft-stated mission to reduce its outside retail exposure in favor of its own distribution – Nike has revealed plans to lay off approximately 700 employees at its headquarters in Beaverton, OR. In a letter sent in late October from...

If you can’t watch in person, the next best alternative is watching it on TV (or other device), so one silver lining in all of the pandemic-related bad news comes from the National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS), whose NFHS Network recently reported that despite 25 percent of...

Since the sport is primarily popular with older adults, a recent 10-year partnership between Foot Solutions and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) makes a lot of sense. Because pickleball is played on hard surfaces, the risk of injuries has accompanied the increased interest in the game.

With their eye on the girls’ sports market, Nike and the WNBA’s Seattle Storm have entered into a partnership along with the WNBA and NBA for Season Two of Game Growers, an empowering program for girls 13 years or older in seventh or eighth grade to share their ideas on how to encourage...

According to the UNICEF 2020 Report Card, America’s youth are ranked dead last in physical health. PHIT America, the national charity for kids’ health, is challenging the sports world, in particular its 200 million sports participants and fans, to step up to get kids more active and healthier.