Team Insight

C hange is the one constant in the otherwise conservative and sometimes slow-moving world of team sports and 2024 promises to be no exception to that rule. We are not even halfway through the year and there are two changes – "rebrandings" if you will – that are making the business different and, I will say here, a little better. e first will take place as I once again head to the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) Management Conference and Team Dealer Summit this month in Arizona — but wait, that's not what it is called any longer! Recognizing the sea change going on in board rooms and offices across America, the NSGA has renamed – excuse me, rebranded – its annual event as the NSGA Leadership Conference. Apparently, we "lead" now, not "manage." And that reflects a changing dynamic in businesses of all shapes and sizes because today's workers don't want to be managed any more —they want to be led. e most successful companies – and that includes team dealers – are led by forward-thinking men and women who are not afraid of change. As a person who was personally involved in the concept and formation of the Team Dealer Summit portion of the NSGA meeting years ago – and who has attended all but two of them since 1992 (COVID finally found me last year) – I welcome this forward-thinking change. e team business needs to keep up with the times just like any other industry and this is a nice step in the right direction. Words do matter. e second instance came in the news that Augusta Sportswear Brands and Founder Sport Group, two former competitors recently acquired by Platinum Equity, have offically merged into one entity that is being rebranded as Momentec. (See article on page 12 for more details.) e name, the company explains, pays homage to the rich traditions and legacies of both ASB and FSG with a nod to the momentum these companies have created in the marketplace. Again, as an editor who has chronicled so many changes in the business in the past three decades I welcome this move. Consolidation is a fact of business life in 2024 and any industry that sits still and doesn't change with the times will stagnate and risk obso- lescence. And stagnation is certainly not something anyone would associate with team sports. We have survived the pandemic shutdowns, supply chain disruptions, direct sellers and participation declines in youth sports. Our leading companies, associations and trade magazines, such as Momentec, NSGA and Team Insight, need to be on the forefront of responding to those challenges. So let's keep up our momentum, keep leading the change and keep the team business ahead of the game in 2024 and beyond. Change can be difficult, but change is good. n CHANGE IS IN THE AIR ... AGAIN We have survived the pandemic shutdowns, supply chain disruptions, direct sellers and participation declines in youth sports. Our leading companies, associations and trade magazines, such as Momentec, NSGA and Team Insight, need to be on the forefront of responding to those challenges. TEAM TALK / MICHAEL JACOBSEN 6 • Team Insight ~ May/June 2024 teaminsightmag.com STAHLS.COM | 800.4.STAHLS SHOP AUTHENTIC HEAT PRESSES stahls.com/usa-hp THERE'S ONLY ONE HOTRONIX ® DON'T BE DUPED BY IMPORT HEAT PRESSES TI0524 Precision Guaranteed UL, ULC, & CE Certified American Made Quality ✓ ✓ ✓

• Cover