New Era Cap Company, Exclusive Provider of Major League Baseball's Authentic Uniform Caps, Forms Division Dedicated to Serving U.S. Golf Market

Business Wire, Jan 11, 2001

Business Editors

DERBY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 11, 2001

New Era Cap Company, Inc. (www.neweracap.com), the nation's leading manufacturer and marketer of baseball-style sports caps, today announced it has formed New Era Golf, a separate division of the company devoted entirely to the golf cap industry.

In response to growing demand for New Era Golf caps among touring professionals worldwide, New Era has formed New Era Golf to better serve the entire golf market and to strengthen relationships with key golf equipment companies, golf associations, resorts, and private and public courses.

"New Era has been in the golf business for nearly 20 years," said Christopher H. Koch, president of New Era Cap Company. "Forming a dedicated division will help us better serve this unique and important segment of our business."

"We recognize the golf market requires resources dedicated to the development of this business. Every issue from the sales force to design to production is completely different from our licensed product business," Koch said.

"An experienced sales force dedicated solely to golf, a history of innovative, top-quality product design, superior customer service and an unmatched delivery system serve as the foundation for the new golf division," said Marc Richel, product manager for New Era Golf. "The ability to utilize one of our five domestic production facilities or source product from one of our global suppliers offers New Era Golf customers tremendous flexibility in products, designs and price points."

"We currently manufacture and distribute caps for many major golf equipment companies," said Brian McGahey, sales manager for New Era Golf. "We supply caps for such well-known companies as Titleist/Footjoy, Spalding, Taylor Made, Ben Hogan, Cleveland Golf, Tommy Armour, Maxfli, and Ping for the majority of their tour players. More than 150 touring professionals prefer to wear New Era caps on the PGA, Senior PGA, LPGA, Buy.Com and European tours."

The company also has a strong marketing and merchandising relationship with the PGA and USGA.

New Era Golf was an officially licensed product partner for the 1999 Ryder Cup matches and was selected as on-site vendor for both the 2000 U.S. Open and 2000 PGA Championship.

It has been chosen as an on-site vendor for the 2001 PGA Championship and is a supporting partner in the PGA Retirement Plus Program. In addition, New Era Golf will provide caps at the 2001 U.S. Open.

New Era Golf's parent company is a privately held corporation headquartered in Derby, N.Y., employing more than 1,500 people in New York and Alabama. The company is the exclusive manufacturer and marketer of the official uniform caps worn by every Major and Minor League Baseball player.

New Era also manufactures and markets caps under license of the NBA, NFL, NHL and most major colleges. Additionally, more than 8 million youth league, high school and college baseball players wear New Era caps as part of their uniform.

Founded in 1920, New Era produces more than 15 million caps per year.