MULTI-
GENERATIONAL
DEALERS SERVE
UP TOP-NOTCH
SERVICE AND
LONGSTANDING
COMMUNITY
RELATIONSHIPS.
FAMILY
PLANNING
T
here has been a long tradition of family-owned and
family-operated businesses in the world of team
sports, oftentimes going back generations. But over
the past decade or so, many team dealers have sold
or merged with other companies — or have closed
their doors for good. Succession planning can be
tricky — owners eventually want to retire, their kids
might not want to be involved with the enterprise,
or the business climate might become too challenging. For a
business to last for two or more generations is the exception, not
the rule. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that
only about 25 percent of small businesses survive for 15 years
or more, about five percent manage to stay open for 30 years
— the probability of surviving for 50 years-plus is a rarity. The
May/June issue of our sister publication Team Insight featured
a profile of Al's Sporting Goods in Wilmington, DE, which is
celebrating its 90th anniversary this year as a family-run business.
That gave us the idea to profile other family-owned team dealers
and in Part I of this two-part feature (with Part 2 scheduled for
the September/October 2025 issue), four of the team market's
most venerated dealers discuss their legacy and future plans.
Here are their stories.
Cook's Sporting Goods Johnson-Lambe Company
MVP Athletic Supplies Sportsman's
BY JUDY LEAND
TEAM SPORTS
54 • July/August 2025 sportstyle • sportstylemag.com
