Super Show hits the mark as industry looks to score - sporting goods market seen as growing 3%

DSN Retailing Today, Feb 10, 2003 by Mike Troy

"This is an aspect of our business we are very enthusiastic about," Ed Stack, chairman and ceo of Dick's Sporting Goods, told a gathering of financial analysts at an event preceding the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association's annual Super Show.

Store brands already account for a little more than 6% of Dick's annual sales, estimated to be $1.3 billion for the recently ended fiscal year. However, Stack believes that figure will grow to 15% within three years.

Marty Hanaka, chairman and ceo of The Sports Authority, has a similar goal in mind. Although the company had no private label sales when it began to introduce store brand products in 1998, Hanaka expects that by 2005 store brands will account for 15% of sales at The Sports Authority.

Less ambitious private-label growth is planned at Gart Sports, where chairman and ceo Doug Morton told financial analysts private label currently accounts for less than 1% of sales, adding that the percentage will increase to 5% within the next three to four years.