Baseball Is Working to Retain Its Position As America's
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TAG NOT IT HOOPS HEAVEN CUSTOM CAPS PERFORMANCE ANXIETY Buying Group Exits Basketball Finds Its Niche Headwear Gets Personal The Apparel Category Expands HARDBALL! BASEBALL IS WORKING PERMIT # 191 # PERMIT ITHACA, NY ITHACA, PAID US POSTAGE US TO RETAIN ITS POSITION RR STD PRSRT JANUARY 2015 AS AMERICA’S PASTIME 1652 | 1653 Sleeveless Wheel House Jersey Adult S-3XL/Youth S-L 1477 | 1478 Slider Baseball/ Softball Pant Adult S-3XL/Youth S-XL BACK DETAIL WE MAKE DOING BUSINESS EASY WITH OUR SAMPLE POLICY! Showroom Samples: 50% off 1 - 143 price | Preview Samples: 15% off 1 - 143 price CONTENTS JANUARY 2015 TEAM INSIGHT Editor While the big Michael Jacobsen names continue [email protected] 201-396-7005 to drive the Editorial Staff market, team Tim Sitek, Senior Editor Nancy Baeder, Correspondent dealers are Mike May, Correspondent finding there is Art Director a lot of demand Francis Klaess Associate Art Director for mid-tier Mary McGann brands that Publisher perform without Jeff Gruenhut [email protected] the higher price. 404-467-9980 Page 48 Advertising Sam Selvaggio [email protected] 212-398-5021 Mark Sullivan [email protected] 646-319-7878 Jeff Nott [email protected] 516-305-4711 Troy Leonard [email protected] 352-624-1561 Beth Gordon [email protected] 949-293-1378 Production Michael Jacobsen [email protected] 201-396-7005 Subscriptions www.teaminsightmag.com Business Manager Marianna Rukhvarger [email protected] 516-305-4709 Director of Audience Development Matthew Mauer [email protected] 516-305-4710 8 TEAM TRENDS 40 HOOPS MADNESS TAG is No Longer It; Ripken, Feherty To Headline Dealers are driving to the hoop on the strength of NSGA Conference; Adams Schutts Up; The soft goods and accessories, but many are also finding Formula 4 Media, LLC Concussion Discussion Continues big-ticket hard goods a way to score in 2015. PO Box 23-1318 Great Neck, NY 11023 Phone: 516-305-4710; Fax: 516-305-4712 18 PLAYING HARD BALL 56 ON GUARD www.formula4media.com The future of America’s Pastime is driven by core While they don’t – and should not – play a role in Formula4 Media Publications players, but dealers, vendors and organizations are the ongoing concussion discussion, mouthguards are Sports Insight looking for ways to increase participation by getting rapidly becoming a vital part of a player’s protective Outdoor Insight Footwear Insight more casual players in the lineup. gear. Opportunities abound beyond the traditional Team Insight contact sports. Textile Insight Running Insight 28 CAP ATTACK Trend Insight The headwear market is all about customization as 62 SO, HOW DID WE DO? In the January 2014 issue of Team insight we Team Insight ©2015 is a trademark of vendors ramp up their designs for 2015. The Team Formula4Media, LLC, Great Neck, New Insight Vendor Roundtable convenes to see what published an predictions article titled “4 For 2014 — York. All rights reserved. The opinions styles dealers can hang their hats on next season. Looking Back ... Looking Ahead.” Turns out, we were expressed by authors and contributors to pretty much on target (insert pat on the back here). Team Insight are not necessarily those of TAG NOT IT the editors or publishers. Team Insight is Buying Group Exits HOOPS HEAVEN Basketball Finds Its Niche CUSTOM CAPS Headwear Gets Personal PERFORMANCE ANXIETY The Apparel Category Expands FORMULA4MEDIA Let’s take a look. not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, YEARS STRONG photographs or artwork. Articles appearing in Team Insight may not be reproduced 66 END ZONE in whole or in part without the express NYFC In Deal With Adidas; BSN Buys Todd & Moore; permission of the publisher. Team Insight is published six times each GET MORE INSIGHT! Zamst and Curry Extend; Pro Feet Feted; Stahls’ year: January, March, May, July, September HARDBALL! Opens Location and November by Formula4Media, LLC.. facebook.com/teaminsight PO Box 23-1318, Great Neck, NY 11023 Subscriptions: one year, $24.00 insideinsightblog.com (U.S. Funds)in the United States. All other countries,$54.00 (U.S. Funds) teaminsight.com for surface mail. BASEBALL IS WORKING TO RETAIN ITS POSITION AS AMERICA’S PASTIME JANUARY 2015 4 TEAM INSIGHT • JANUARY 2015 TEAMINSIGHTMAG.COM EDITOR’S PAGE » MICHAEL JACOBSEN Thanks for allowing me to stay in the game. I “ would be falling apart if it weren’t for you guys. An editor serves as a walking test market for team products. THIS STUFF REALLY WORKS The editor (second from right) led the Red Team to a Santa felt bad for her nonetheless. Bowl victory, thanks to some key sports medicine products. s)GETAKICKOUTOFTHEEIGHT YEAR OLD!!5SU- perstar who wears a shooting sleeve. I asked ing ground for many of the products we write him why and he said because it looks cool. about every issue. As is usually the case, we But he and his teammates also wear protec- were all decked out in the latest gear — from tive shirts under their uniforms and that high-tech football gloves to all-surface cleats to makes more sense. more than a few layers of Under Armour. s)HAVEBEENTOLDMYWHISTLEISREALLYLOUD Let me tell you, this stuff does work. I That’s a good thing. know because I had it all … plus a few more s5NIFORMS ESPECIALLYINNON HIGHSCHOOL braces and pads. I am a great advertisement sports where the design is less regulated, for team sports equipment because in addi- are looking good. I am seeing a lot more tion to the once-a-year old-timers’ football sublimated uniforms that allow teams to game, I officiate soccer and basketball here in push the envelope on their looks. I am the Northeast. From that vantage point, I of- even told our referee shirts will be subli- fer the following observations (brand names mated starting with the 2016 season. intentionally left out). s7HOWOULDHAVEEVERTHOUGHTHEHOTTEST s%VERYSOCCERSEASON)HAVEBEENHAMPERED piece of gear would be socks? Yet technology by a chronic strained hamstring. So this year and fashion have made this once-lowly piece I called in a favor from one of our advertis- of apparel the go-to style statement among I wake up every day thankful for the team ers and grabbed a pair of compression shorts today’s young athletes. Go figure. sports business, and not just because I have designed to alleviate stress on the hamstrings Walking around the bustling Sports, Inc. a great job as the editor of its leading trade and support the muscles around the hip. The Buying Show in Las Vegas in late November magazine. No, I mostly thank it because it result: No hammy problems this season. I saw all of this equipment and apparel on keeps me in one piece. s0OUNDINGONARTIlCIALTURFANDBASKETBALL display and felt good about our industry as we Let me explain. Recently I played in our hardcourts takes a toll on the ankles and head into 2015. We make products that work 33rd annual Santa Bowl flag football game. Achilles tendons, so part of my uniform now and are important to the physical well-being You know it — a bunch of high school bud- includes an ankle brace and Achilles support. not only of America’s youths but of aging ath- dies get together, try to rekindle old athletic I am not exaggerating when I say I could not letes such as myself who want to remain active. memories (actually our kids do more of the step on the court without it. So thanks to our industry for allowing me to playing these days) and then we go eat a big s!LOTMOREKIDSINTHEhNON CONTACTv stay in the game this year. I would be falling sandwich, quaff some beverages and watch sports of soccer and basketball are wearing apart if it weren’t for you guys. O some real football on TV. mouthguards. But not enough of them. In addition to being a great way for me to get Just ask the poor high school girl who left together with old friends, the frozen tundra in the field one game holding two teeth in her northern New Jersey serves as a real-life prov- hand. Yes, I called the elbowing foul, but I 5OVER 50 NEW NUMBER STYLES5+2+./5+-!!*.6+!.. 51%((!%* 4!(+'%*#-.%+*-!.%./*/)/!-%( 5!-"!/"+-,!-"+-)*!2!-.0(%)/! &!-.!4.* *4(+*)!.$ Place your order today at Stahls.com/pre-cut -!0/0)!-%*$+""!!$+0.!./4(! +(+-! $%/!$!-)+® -!,! !3/ %*$!)./4(!$%/!$!-)+® /$(.+)5 TEAM » TRENDS TAG IS NO LONGER IT With the surprising announcement that it would no longer operate as a team sports buying group – opting, instead, to switch its business model to making and selling its branded products – Team Athletic Goods gave in to the realities of the team business in the 21st Century. By Michael Jacobsen Purchased by current owner and not a buying group. This will TAG will be using our current Based on the Philip Rosati, Sr., in 2009, also give us a much bigger cover- distributors and adding distribu- TAG’s future now rests with its age of the country as compared tors who fit our model in areas changes in extensive line of TAG branded to our current dealer locations. that need coverage. products — football shoulder the industry pads, girdles, practice pants, So why now? Do you plan to sell direct to schools and the pants and girdles, protective TAG has been looking into and institutions? gear, catcher’s gear, inflatables, this for a few years and wanted TAG will not be selling direct. direction of rubber goods, baseballs and to make sure this would work We want to grow the business softballs, and baseball and for our current customers in the and at the same time not take groups as a softball clothing.