Riddell Remains Industry Leader; Provides Helmets for More Than 80 Percent of NFL Players, More Than 60 Percent of Division-I Football Players

Business Wire, Oct 22, 2008

Riddell accounted for more than 1,400 helmets used in the NFL in 2007, continues trend of dominance in 2008

CHICAGO -- Riddell - the official helmet of the National Football League[R] - provided more than 1,400 of the NFL's 1,600-plus helmets in 2007, accounting for over 80 percent of the NFL's protective head gear for the fourth consecutive year. Although a league mandate does not exist with regard to which brands NFL players wear, Riddell remains the clear-cut industry leader.

According to initial locker room usage reports, there's clear evidence that Riddell, which is tracking slightly higher than 2007, remains the NFL's No. 1 helmet provider.

Additionally, 62 percent of Division-I College Football players wore Riddell helmets in 2007, including 65 percent of helmets worn in the Bowl Championship Series (Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, Orange and National Championship).

"Without question, we protect more NFL and Division I college football players than any helmet on the market," said Dan Arment, president of Riddell. "Football players insist on Riddell's unique innovations that focus on performance and protection - that's evident in the usage statistics. Couple those stats with the fact that these players have a choice on what they wear while on the field, and it speaks volumes about their conscious decision to demand the performance and technologies found only in Riddell helmets."

The Riddell Revolution, released in 2002, was the first major helmet innovation of the past 25 years. With Revolution Concussion Reduction Technology built-in, this helmet decreases the risk of concussions by almost one-third. In 2006 Riddell announced the findings of a three-year study of more than 2,000 high school football players by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). The study, published in the February 2006 issue of Neurosurgery, found that athletes who wore the Riddell Revolution helmet were 31 percent less likely to suffer a concussion compared to athletes who wore traditional football helmets.

NFL Helmet Usage Breakdown:

* 83% of NFL players wearing Riddell

Division-I College Football Helmet Usage Breakdown:

* 62% of Division-I College Football players wearing Riddell

To receive more information or schedule an interview with a Riddell representative, contact Matt Kovacs at Formula at (310) 578-7050 or via e-mail at kovacs@formulapr.com.

About Riddell

Riddell designs, markets and reconditions helmets, uniforms and protective equipment used in football and other team sports. Riddell was founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1929 as a performance footwear company. Riddell has been the official helmet of the National Football League for 19 years and is the market leader in the institutional football category. Riddell's sales team services schools with "best in class" equipment and reconditioning services.