Champs Sports was acquired by the Company in 1987. Since that time, the Champs Sports business has grown to become a leading mall-based athletic retailer in North America with 565 stores at year end. Its stores offer a product mix comprised of athletic footwear, apparel and accessories for a wide variety of sports, fitness and lifestyle activities.

Each Champs Sports store is designed to provide an in-depth array of products, one-on-one customer service and a sales environment that reflects the lifestyle of its target market – 12-to-25 year old consumers who reside in suburban communities. The typical Champs Sports store is approximately 5,400 gross square feet.

Champs Sports differentiates its stores from its mall-based competitors by developing new and exclusive athletic footwear products in coordination with the Company’s well-known merchandise suppliers. A key competitive advantage is its private-label apparel offerings that the Company designs and sources directly from manufacturers. Champs Sports is also well known as a destination in the mall for its “licensed” apparel assortments of college, National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and Major League Baseball teams.

Focusing on the development of sports-related marketing programs is a key strategy designed to build the Champs Sports brand equity. For example, since 2004, Champs Sports has benefited from its sponsorship of the Champs Sports Bowl, a top tier bowl game which features college football teams from the ACC and Big Ten conferences.

Primary Customer
12 to 25 year old customers

Merchandise Mix
Men's, Women's and Children's Athletic Footwear, Men's Athletic Apparel and Accessories Athletic Equipment 

# of stores (as of January 31, 2009)
565