sportstyle

The so-called 'specialty sports' have become profitable priorities for team dealers. By Mike May T here's no denying that the vast majority of team dealers and local sporting goods retailers spend a large percentage of their time stocking, selling and delivering product connected with the "major" sports of football, basketball, baseball, softball and – to some – soccer. But in a changing world that demands everyone adapt to a new reality, the "other" sports, which include – but are not limited to – volleyball, track and field, swimming, cross-country, wres- tling, lacrosse, field hockey, ice hockey, rugby, cheerleading and tennis, make a case for being just as important to a dealer's bottom line. Perhaps they even fall into the COVID-19- created category of, "Any sport that is playing these days is a major sport." While these other sports may be classi- fied as specialty to some, their rising levels of participation are beginning to rival and rub elbows, so to speak, with the majors. So while no sport will ever rival football for sales because of its place in America and the large number of items needed by each player, many team dealers would agree that the smaller sports are gaining ground. Examples of their increasing importance abound around the country. For example, in New Jersey girls are play- ing varsity volleyball in the fall and boys are playing in the spring — and in between many of those same athletes are playing club/ travel volleyball. That opens up year-round opportunities for Darrow's Sporting Edge in Whitehouse Station, NJ, which caters to all variations of the game — inside gyms, on sand courts and outdoors on grass courts. "We sell balls, knee pads, undergarments, nets, socks and some uniforms," reports salesman Larry Hansen, who adds that the only thing they don't stock in volleyball is O T H E R W I S E sportstyle • sportstylemag.com TEAM SPECIALTY SPORTS

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