sgb weekly 1245
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SGB WEEKLY 1245TRANSCRIPT
NOVEMBER 5, 2012ISSUE 1245
The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Sporting Goods Industry
THEPOWER
OFTECHNICAL
APPAREL
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NOVEMBER 5, 2012 | SGBWeekly.com 3
Copyright 2012 SportsOneSource, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors to SGB WEEKLY are not necessarily those of the editors or publishers. SGB WEEKLY is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Articles appearing in SGB WEEKLY may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the publisher. SGB WEEKLY is published weekly by SportsOneSource, LLC, 2151 Hawkins Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28203; 704.987.3450. Send address changes to SGB WEEKLY , 2151 Hawkins Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28203; 704.987.3450
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The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Sporting Goods Industry
NOVEMBER 5, 2012ISSUE 1245
ON THE COVER: With a long-sleeve, mock-neck silhouette, Nike Pro Combat Hyperwarm Fitted Dri-FIT Max Shield Mock provides warmth with breathability. Photo courtesy of Nike.
NEWS 4 BY THE NUMBERS U.S. SKI TEAM Speed Center Opens at Copper Mountain 6 MOVERS & SHAKERS RUSSELL Donates $80,000 in Uniforms and Equipment to Orlando Youth Football League
ANALYSIS 8 TECHNICAL APPAREL’S Next Chapter
FEATURES 14 CLEATS Getting Ever Lighter
DEPARTMENTS 18 CALENDAR
14Photo courtesy of Nike
BY THE NUMBERS
11%Garmin, Ltd. reported that revenue at its Outdoor Segment rose 11 percent to $105 million during the third quarter ended September 29, while revenues in its Fitness segment declined 6 percent to $65 million. Total revenues across the company’s five segments, which also include Automotive/Mobile, Aviation and Marine, reached $380 million in the Americas, compared to $352 million a year ago, up 8 percent.
$753 MILLIONAmer Sports net sales reached €601.9 million ($753 mm) in the third quarter, up 7.6 percent from €559.2 million a year earlier as strong sales of Apparel, Sports Instruments and Fitness more than offset a 15 percent decline in Winter Sports. In local currencies, net sales increased by 2 percent. Strong growth in Apparel (+27 percent), Sports Instruments (+24 percent) and Fitness (+10 percent) was offset by a decline in Winter Sports Equipment (-15 percent).
9.2%Hurt by weaker sales of Ugg due to rising prices and warm weather, Deckers Outdoor Corp. reported net sales in the third quarter fell 9.2 percent to $376.4 million compared to $414.4 million for the same period last year. Net earnings slumped 32.3 percent to $42.5 million, or $1.18 a share, from $62.8 million, or $1.59 a share, a year earlier.
5.3%Delta Apparel, Inc. reported sales declined 5.3 percent in the first quarter ended September 30, to $130.1 million from $123.5 million a year ago. Net income for the 2013 first quarter was $3.6 million, or 41 cents per diluted share, compared with $4.4 million, or 50 cents per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Net income for the fiscal 2013 first quarter was affected by a one-time charge of $1.2 million related to the previously disclosed internal investigation completed by the company's Audit Committee in September, which reduced first quarter earnings per share by 10 cents.
NEWS
U.S. SKI TEAM SPEED CENTER OPENS AT COPPER MOUNTAIN
On Halloween, more than 250 VIPs, members of the media and season pass holders selected through a Facebook contest joined the U.S. Ski Team to tour and free ski at the newly opened U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper Mountain, CO.
The resort’s social media contest allowed a select group of pass holders lift access for two, a venue tour from U.S. Ski Team athletes and coaches, followed by open skiing and a magnificent lunch with the team sponsored by Copper Mountain. A fleet of dedicated snow makers and cold temperatures made the early season opening possible with excel-lent coverage and conditions.
The one-of-a-kind Speed Center allows U.S. athletes to train almost two weeks earlier than previous years. Professional skiers from around the world joined the U.S. athletes and their coaches to train at Copper Mountain before the competitive pre-season be-gins in Canada, with the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup season opening October 27-28 in Soelden, Austria. The Nature Valley Aspen Winternational takes place November 24-25 in Aspen, CO, followed immediately by the Audi Birds of Prey races in Beaver Creek, CO.
The Speed Center is utilized by Olympic gold medalists including Ted Ligety (Park City, UT), Bode Miller (Franconia, NH), Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) and Julia Mancuso (Squaw Val-ley, CA) and features the only full-length downhill training available anywhere in the world during this time of year. “Copper Mountain stepped it up with the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center,” said Olympian Ted Ligety.
This marks the second full season that the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center is in operation. The venue features 87 HKD automatic snowmakers, two miles of World Cup Supply A-net with steel structures, five miles of World Cup Supply B-net and fencing set on 4,500 Reliable Racing netting poles to parallel Audi FIS Alpine World Cup race hills across the globe in both safety and snow condition. According to Patrick Riml, U.S. Ski Team Alpine Director, American athletes are incredibly fortunate to have this level of support from Copper Mountain resort and snowmaking.
“Copper Mountain Resort is proud to enter into our second season, in partnership with the U.S. Ski Team, in delivering the best speed training venue in the world for our U.S. athletes,” said Gary Rodgers, president of Copper Mountain Resort. “This year, with the cooperation of the team, we are excited to allow early venue access to some of our loyal guests so that they can experience firsthand the excellent snow surface, vertical rise and training conditions that our elite athletes will experience.”
The unique experience of having guests tour and run the course was a great experi-ence and invaluable marketing for the two organizations, who recently signed a multi-year agreement. “My favorite part was learning about the perspective,” said Copper sea-son pass holder David Culbertson. “I was a racer when I was young and it’s interesting to see what has changed since then. A lot of the information is the same but the technology has changed a lot.”
4 SGBWeekly.com | NOVEMBER 5, 2012
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MOVERS & SHAKERS
Acushnet Company, which manufactures the Titleist and FootJoy brands, announced that its relationship with Rory McIlroy will not extend beyond December 31, 2012. The news comes as Nike is reportedly close to signing a mega-deal with the golf star.
The Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA), a division of The National Retail Federation, named Kevin Brown, group vice president, and chief marketing officer at Meijer, Inc. as chairman of its board of directors.
Newton Running has signed three-time U.S. Champion runner Fernando Cabada and natural running-form expert Dr. Mark Cucuzzella to Newton Running-sponsored Team Alchemy, an elite running team based in Boulder, CO.
Target, which is preparing to open its first store in Canada in March of next year, added Canadian freeskier Rosalind Groenewoud to its roster of action sports athletes.
Wolverine Worldwide appointed Michael Hebreard as vice president and general manager for the company’s Cushe brand. Hebreard will assume the role currently held by Guillermo Perez, who will take on the newly established position of vice president, Latin America for Wolverine Worldwide.
Polartec, LLC announced the appointment of Gary Smith as chief executive officer, and Joe Robinson as chief financial officer, successfully completing the management succession process announced in July.
SnowSports Industries America (SIA) presented the 3rd annual Industry Achievement Award to longtime snow sports industry leader, educator and promoter Mary Jo Tarallo in October. The Industry Achievement Award acknowledges dedication to the snow sports industry, willingness to support and partner with industry suppliers, leadership and creativity within the industry.
Salewa North America, which sells, distributes, and services Dynafit, Pomoca, and Salewa, promotes Drew Saunders to operations director.
Honey Stinger recently announced that long-time team member Chris Tamucci has been named the brand’s first director of operations. Kat Fagan has transitioned from the sales team to Events Coordinator, a newly created role within the marketing department. Craig Rench joins the sales team from the operations staff of Steamboat Springs-based brand Big Agnes and will focus on bicycle category sales.
NEWS
RUSSELL DONATES $80,000 IN UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT TO
ORLANDO YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Russell Brands, LLC, title sponsor of the Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando, FL, has donated more than $80,000 worth of uniforms and equipment to the City of Orlando Youth Football (COYF), providing new Russell Athletic uniforms for the 800 players in the league.
"As a city youth sports league, we instill skills that will ben-efit our young athletes both on and off the field," said Clifford Charlton, City of Orlando Youth Football representative. "The city is grateful for the overwhelming support of Russell Ath-letic and its generous donation."
COYF serves young athletes in the Orlando community teaching good sportsmanship, leadership, teamwork and self-discipline through the sport of football. Russell's do-nation reflects its commitment to the Orlando community through the Bowl sponsorship and various other community outreach initiatives.
The company decided that COYF was a worthy recipient of the donation as the league’s key values align strongly with Russell's "Together We R" platform, which celebrates teams and the players who comprise them.
"Russell Athletic is excited to be a part of the Orlando com-munity and the makeup of this great city," said Gary Barfield, executive vice president of Russell Brands. "To support an organization like the City of Orlando Youth Football, which provides young athletes with skills they will use throughout their lives, is an honor."
In addition to uniforms – including both jerseys and pants – the City of Orlando Youth Football will receive sideline ap-parel for coaches and a range of assorted accessories such as wristbands, backpacks and Spalding footballs for practice and game use.
Left to right: Coach Tony Dungy (All-Pro Dad & Former NFL Coach), Gary Barfield (Russell Athletic EVP), and City of Orlando Youth Football League representatives Lisa Early and Clifford Charlton accepting the youth football donation at Memorial Middle School in Orlando, Florida.
6 SGBWeekly.com | NOVEMBER 5, 2012
TECHNICAL APPAREL’SNEXT CHAPTER
8 SGBWeekly.com | NOVEMBER 5, 2012
ANALYSIS
NOVEMBER 5, 2012 | SGBWeekly.com 9
By Thomas J. Ryan
WITH COMPRESSION APPAREL NOW EASILY
FOUND AT TARGET, GAP AND WAL-MART, IS OVERALL TECHNICAL
APPAREL GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ABOUT TO WICK AWAY FROM
SPORTING GOODS CHAINS?
FAR FROM IT.
ccording to analysts, the fact that many mainstream chains are targeting the opportunity only proves
performance-oriented apparel is reaching a wider audience. Sales of compression product however appear to be slowing after its long streak of strong double-digit gains. According to SportScanInfo data, sports compression has moderated this year to a pace of around 5 percent through the end of October.
Still solid growth is expected driven by the serious athlete and gym rat who now prefers the tight-fitting option. Also, more people are wearing compression apparel on the street, opening perhaps a bigger casual opportunity in the years ahead.
But an even bigger driver as well as opportunity is said to lie around more loose-fitting apparel that uses moisture wicking, cooling or warming technologies, or offers protection against the weather. While stealing some thunder from the compres-sion side, the looser-fitting technical apparel is more widely ac-cessible to athletes of all shapes.
“I don’t think core compression type product is played out but it’s a mature business in the United States,” said Christopher Svezia, an analyst with Susquehanna Financial Group. “What has become bigger is all the loose-fitting stuff that has been derived from Heat-gear, Cold-Gear, Nike Dri-FIT, etc.”
With Nike first unveiling its Dri-FIT technology in 1989, technical apparel has been around long before Under Armour was founded in 1996. And despite all the growth and hype around the category, compression apparel makes up less than 10 percent of all athletic apparel sold, according to SportScanInfo.
A
Photo courtesy of Nike
10 SGBWeekly.com | NOVEMBER 5, 2012
Matt Powell, chief retail analyst for The SportsOneSource Group, believes the biggest benefit that compression has brought to the industry – particularly athletic retailers - is that consumers now expect performance benefits in all sports apparel.
“I think athletes are always looking for ways to improve their game and be more comfort-able doing it,” said Powell. “Since sporting goods chains cater to athletes, it’s logical that they be the go-to place for technical apparel.”
Jim Duffy, an analyst at Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., added that the “more democratic” or looser-fitting versions of technical apparel appear to be “on fire” with strong momentum going forward.
“I think you’re seeing people overhaul their wardrobes,” said Duffy. “People used to go to the gym in a schlocky pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Now everything has to look sharp, and performance apparel has been a beneficiary.”
The secular focus on healthier, active life-styles is also supporting the category. With technical fabrics proliferating across catego-ries as well as stylish cuts, performance looks are also more accepted as everyday wear.
“The performance stuff is smarter looking so you can get away with wearing what you wore to the gym to pick up the kids or get a cup of coffee,” said Duffy. “You’re seeing a lot of women do that. And then with the in-creased casualization of society, you’re even seeing people wearing performance golf shirts to work and so forth.”
For sporting goods chains, apparel de-partments that had historically been a sea of $15 cotton t-shirts that “invariably wound up selling for $7.99 with nobody making any margin on it,” now find the expanding techni-cal stories sparking demand across a breath of tops and bottoms and supporting a wide range at premium price points. “I think there’s been some good evolution in the fabrics, which is inspiring people to both buy more products and pay higher prices,” added Duffy.
Svezia likewise lists ongoing innovation, such as technologies offering protection against UV rays, as a driver of the technical category, as well as enhanced graphics and styling among technical apparel assortments,
made possible as the technologies are ap-plied to cotton and blends.
Besides looser-fits, the other obvious op-portunity is Women’s. Lululemon’s resilient streak of double-digit gains underscores the opportunity. “Everybody’s looking at what Lululemon has been able to do in the mar-ketplace for that type of product in their own stores and how they sell it,” said Svezia. “It’s pretty glaring.”
Duffy believes the women’s fitness catego-ry has been underserved both by traditional athletic retailers and by retail overall. “You’ve got this whole generation of women who since Title 9 have grown up playing sports and they’re serious about those sports and remain serious about working out when they get out of college and so forth,” said Duffy. “I think what Lululemon brought to the marketplace was a sense of style and true innovation com-ing from a women’s perspective.”
Helped by Nike and Under Armour bringing feminine product to market that places more emphasis on silhouettes, fits, colors and fin-ish, sporting goods chains are doing a better job reaching women. And the outdoor indus-try has followed suit. The staggering success of Lululemon – including notching $1,800 in sales per square foot in its last holiday quarter – shows how far they can go.
Powell said Lululemon, started two years after Under Armour in 1998, and does more business in women’s apparel in the U.S. than Nike. “The sporting goods industry’s approach has been to develop products for men and then modify them for women - shrink it and pink it,” said Powell. “Lululemon turned that paradigm on its head and is killing the athletic brands.“
But Powell also said the yoga chain’s suc-cess points to an underlying weakness of the traditional sporting goods full-line format. “Lululemon focused on the female first,” said Powell. “Sporting goods stores are ‘guy stores’ - they sell guns and smell weird.” Due to its challenges selling to the gender, Wom-en's remains about a third of all sport apparel sold as well as all compression, according to SportScanInfo.
Lululemon’s as well as Under Armour’s
success has prompted other more mainstream chains to jump into the technical apparel game. These include department stores, with Under Armour recently expanding its reach into that channel to better reach the women’s shopper. The Gap has also been aggressive, both expanding its GapFit collection in its own stores as well as acquiring Athleta in 2008. It currently has 28 Athleta locations and expects to have 50 by the close of 2013.
A wild success has been C9, an exclu-sive brand made by Champion for Target. Launched in 2004 as a line of sports bras, C9 has been expanded to a wide range of work-out apparel, as well as running shoes, leg-gings and even snow pants across genders and kids, raking in a billion dollars annually. In October, the first stand-alone store, C9 Active Apparel, opened in San Francisco, CA.
Among athletic chains, one effort has been in opening smaller, specialty concepts that not only are seen as better catering to women but also look to capitalize on the robust growth seen over the last several years in the run spe-cialty channel. With a focus by many on run-ning, the smaller locations generally promise to offer a higher degree of associate knowledge as well as a more upscale setting to showcase products and support premium pricing.
In 2010 The Sports Authority opened the first S.A. Elite, about half the size of a typi-cal TSA, and it now has three locations each in California and Illinois, two in Colorado, and one in Maryland. Its first store in New York will open soon in Westbury. Dick’s Sporting Goods introduced a run specialty concept, True Run-ner, in May and has two so far in Pittsburgh and St. Louis.
The biggest thrust directly at run has come from The Finish Line, which last year acquired the Running Company chain to form its Run-ning Specialty Group (RSG) with a goal of becoming the leading player in the run spe-cialty channel. In partnership with Denver-based Gart Capital Partners, RSG operates 24 stores, including its first acquisition of the five-unit, Dallas-based Run On! chain an-nounced in October. It also launched the run.com e-commerce website.
Foot Locker continues to test and learn from
12 SGBWeekly.com | NOVEMBER 5, 2012
its Foot Locker Run concept, opening its third location in Dallas earlier this year. But a big effort has been the test of several Lady Foot Locker reformats that place a greater emphasis on apparel over footwear.
At full-line stores, the industry is closely watching Dick’s Sporting Good’s aggressive expansion of in-shops from Nike and Under Armour that support both the women’s and overall technical apparel opportu-nity. At the end of the second quarter, Dick’s Sporting Goods had 129 Nike Fieldhouse concept shops, 56 Under Armour All-American shops and five Under Armour Blue Chip shops. By the end of the year, Dick’s Sporting Goods expects to have 170 Nike Fieldhouse concept shops, 90 Under Armour All-American shops and 10 Under Armour Blue Chip shops. Dick’s Sporting Goods is also rolling out shops from The North Face.
Borrowing from vendor shops first pioneered in the department store channel, the brands are essentially renting space on the selling floor.
“Ralph Lauren showed the world they could control and maintain quality real estate,” said Powell. “Retailers like them because they drive sales and profits, making the brand a larger partner. Consumers see a more complete and relevant assortment.”
With the more permanent fixtures, it’s much harder for brands to lose that shelf space. “For Under Armour, for instance, their strong sea-son originally was when the weather was cooler,” said Duffy. “But by locking up that shelf space, it’s giving them the opportunity to branch out into new spring and summer offerings. Overall the presentation of the product in the shops just looks smarter so I think it shows better which probably helps sell-through.”
Other chains from Hibbett's to Cabela’s to Modell’s also seem to be experimenting with branded sections but it’s still unknown whether other athletic chains will follow Dick’s Sporting Good’s lead by installing full-fledged shops across apparel departments. The vendor leading in the effort, Nike, appears determined to avoid the often-heard complaint
of “sameness” and “cookie-cutter formula” that the department store channel endured as identical in-store shops opened up across different chains.
Finish Line is rolling out Nike Track Club in-store shops in a variety of sizes that include kiosks for customized t-shirts. At Foot Locker, the House of Hoops basketball-themed concept done in partnership with Nike now counts 76 locations worldwide since the first one opened in Harlem in 2007. In September, the first football-themed Nike Yardline store opened in the Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, NJ, in partnership with Foot Locker’s Champs Sports chain.
On the downside, however, these shops are expensive to fixture and small brands get squeezed out.
New brands can still create a stir by bringing differentiation and a unique view to the marketplace. Duffy cited Lululemon as a good ex-ample of a brand that was “able to carve out a niche” in performance apparel. Still, Duffy believes it may be easier for a new brand to reach consumers through their own stores such as Athleta or Lucy by going direct rather than seeking shelf space due to ongoing consolidation.
“If you want to get into Dick’s, you have to displace someone else,” said Duffy. “It doesn’t strike me that Dick’s needs more than five or six brands in this category and they’ve got some very strong ones already. You’re seeing brands like Athleta from the Gap have some success, but it’s outside the traditional big box channel.”
After Under Armour and Nike, Adidas and The North Face appear to be the next two best positioned to capitalize on the technical apparel oppor-tunity. Adidas, which is said to be also opening in-store shops at Dick’s Sporting Goods, has done a much better job of bringing sport fashion to the casual side than Nike and Under Armour with its Sport Style side.
Another challenge for the branded players in the future may be private label competition. Again, Dicks’ Sporting Goods is making the most noise here. In mid-October, the chain launched Koppen
Photo courtesy of Nike
NOVEMBER 5, 2012 | SGBWeekly.com 13
baselayers collection, an exclusive partnership with Celliant. Retailing for $50 each, the tops and bottoms promise to harness the body's energy to increase oxygen levels in the tissue, balance temperature, and quicken recovery.
Analysts say the overall technical apparel cate-gory will continue in the short term to be led by the innovation stories being brought by the two leaders, Nike and Under Armour.
Under Armour gets credit for launching the category and continues to be the leader on the compression side. Says Powell, “I think Under Armour has built a category that speaks to the true athlete who is looking to improve their game.”
Under Armour is also seen as stronger than Nike with youth and Svezia says the brand has opportuni-ty to grab a greater share of the youth’s closet on the cotton side. “It’s t-shirts, sweatshirts, button-down shirts and polo’s but cotton and color based,” said Svezia. “They need to transition that Gap, American Eagle and Abercrombie & Fitch type of product more into Under Armour product over time.”
Nike has been aggressively chipping away at Under Armour’s lead in compression over the last year, and stands to benefit by being able to better promote its technologies through its just-started NFL deal.
Svezia noted that Nike’s one weakness in ap-parel is that it’s “first and foremost a footwear company.” While brands like Adidas and Reebok have periodically taken share in athletic footwear over the years, nobody has arrived to “challenge that dominance” cemented in the '80s. By com-parison, Nike hasn’t been able to shrug off up-start competition over the last decade from both Under Armour and Lululemon. “When you think about technical apparel, Nike is monster. And Nike does a really good job. But others can do equally as well.” Even small compression sock manufac-turers such as Point6 and Swiftwick offer a chal-lenge. But with vibrant growth fundamentals for the overall technical apparel category, analysts generally see both brands having room to grow.
“I think the pie is growing,” said Duffy. “There’s a market share battle within their channel of distribution. I see a situation where both can do well and incremental dollar of sales does not necessarily come at the expense of one another. As I see it, the athletic performance apparel market as a whole continues to grow.” ■
Built for the elements, the new line of Nike Pro Combat Hyperwarm apparel keeps the body regulated for inclement weather with breathability, water resistance and a streamlined fit.
With a long-sleeve, mock-neck silhouette, Nike Pro Combat Hyperwarm Fitted Dri-FIT Max Shield Mock provides warmth with breathability so athletes can brave the weather with confidence, whether it be training or game day. This top features Nike Shield technology to keep the lower arms dry in the rain, while Dri-FIT Max helps pull sweat off the skin to eliminate chill. Large ventilation over high-heat zones helps regulate temperature, an important attribute for peak performance.
The Nike Pro Combat Hyperwarm Dri-FIT Max Shield Tights complement the top and provide warmth, breathability and support. Dri-FIT Max fabric accelerates drying to eliminate the chill-effect and the water-resistant lower-leg panels shield against the elements.
Both the top and tights feature 3D-structured Dri-FIT fabric with a DWR (durable, water-repellent) finish for wind and water resistance. The fabrication utilizes this 3D structure to help keep athletes dry and reduce cling from perspiration.
Both the Nike Pro Combat Hyperwarm Fitted Dri-FIT Max Shield Mock and Nike Pro Combat Hyperwarm Dri-FIT Max Shield Tights are also available in versions with-out the Nike Shield technology.
These key base layer apparel items are designed for athletes across multiple sports and are available globally beginning this month.
NIKE HYPERWARM: DESIGNED FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE
Nike Pro Combat Hyperwarm apparel keeps the body regulated for harsh weather with breathability and water resistance.
"The consumer has every brand coming at them with their version of a light-weight soccer shoe,” said Billy Lalor, footwear buyer, Eurosport/soccer.com. “There are now many good models to choose from under eight ounces/190 grams, so the com-petitive player is looking to see which shoes offer benefits in addition to minimal weight.”
He pointed to the success of Pelé Sports’ Trinity. Said Lalor, “Customers who have tried the Trinity have become believers that 3E stud geometry of-fers real benefits to a player’s speed and even re-duces the risk of injury by working better with the biomechanics of the foot.”
“Less is more,” said Ezio Mariotta, Pelé Sports’ foot and ankle consultant and the designer of its Trinity T3E outsole. “Less material and weight that does more in each cleat. Unique tripod geometry actually increases stability for various landing angles of the foot, increases speed and acceleration and for the first time in soccer footwear, pylometric force generation in the lower leg propelling muscles, which increases speed - the third element.” Mariotta nonetheless said comfort remains the most critical factor in a player coming back a second time for the shoe. “If you can
CLEATS GETTING EVER
LIGHTER
Shown here and at right:
Nike Vapor Talon Elite football cleat with adaptive traction system that utilizes on-demand forefoot talon cleats for multi-directional field movement. Hyperfuse construction and carbon fiber strength lends lightweight traction and durability with lockdown fit, MSRP $140.
While durability, traction, comfort and stability remain critical features around football cleats and soccer boots, lightweight continues to be the main draw.By Thomas J. Ryan
Photos courtesy of Nike14 SGBWeekly.com | NOVEMBER 5, 2012
NOVEMBER 5, 2012 | SGBWeekly.com 15
16 SGBWeekly.com | NOVEMBER 5, 2012
improve performance while fusing more comfort into the product – then you have a winner. Traction, stability and weight are secondary features.”
The football cleat is also seeing a trend toward lightweight. At 7.9 ounces, Adidas’ Adizero 5-Star Mid is more than two ounces lighter than the nearest competitor and is designed to help make players at every position faster. “Whether you’re playing on Sundays or on Friday nights, speed is critical in today’s game,” said Mark Daniels, director of football for Adidas. “The Adizero 5-Star Mid is built for players at every position who want maximum speed and support.” A single-layer synthetic upper called Sprintskin and a Sprintframe base in the Adizero 5-Star Mid reduces weight while providing balance between lightweight construction and increased support. Internal TPU support bands offer increased stability for quick cuts and changes
Under Armour Highlight with form-fitting CompFit ankle construction. Corespeed chassis supercharges the foot's natural motion, flexibility and acceleration. 4D Foam footbed molds to the foot for a locked in, cus-tomized fit. 3D-molded MPZ tongue uses UA's ultra-light padding to pro-tect the top of the foot. Lightweight, bladed cleats offer superior traction. 10.3 oz., MSRP $130.
Pele Sports Trinity 3E K with lightweight MuCell foam insole for shock absorption and comfort. Hybrid polymer outsole. "Tripod" stud mapping system designed specifically for quick contact with the ground for reaction, stability and accelerated release. Asymetrical stud design delivers fast muscular reactions for quick foot speed and coordination. 6.3 oz., MSRP $230.
of direction and triangular-shaped cleats provide maximum acceleration and traction on both natural and artificial surfaces.
Inspired by boxing shoes, Under Armour’s UA Highlight promises the support of a high-top with no tape needed for support with the weight of a low top. CompFit ankle construction delivers a snug feel for an extra boost of speed on the gridiron. Nike’s Vapor Talon Elite cleat’s adaptive traction system utilizes on-demand forefoot talon cleats for multi-directional field movement while Hyperfuse construction and carbon fiber strength lends itself to lightweight traction and durability with a lockdown fit. Diadora’s Evoluzione K Pro GX14 soccer boot’s big differential is the exclusive Net Breathing System--allowing excess heat to escape through the sole surface, allowing athletes to improve performance by increasing concentration, endurance and precision, said Johnny Alford, director of sales and product development, Diadora America. An ultra-soft kangaroo upper allows for an excellent touch on the ball.
“There is still the commitment from Diadora to provide a comfortable fit and great performing footwear in leather and kangaroo,” said Alford. “The lightweight story is
Shown here and at left: Nike Tempo with ACC (All Conditions Control) technology al-lows the boot's surface to maintain the same level of friction, touch and control on the ball in wet and dry conditions, MSRP $165. Photos courtesy of Nike
NOVEMBER 5, 2012 | SGBWeekly.com 17
DIADORA Evoluzione K-Pro GX14 soccer boot features a Net breathing system that lets the feet breathe while keeping the inside dry. The ultra-soft kangaroo upper of-fers excellent touch on the ball. Multi-density PU with 14 fixed studs provides optimum traction. Axeler technology improves forefoot propulsion and ensures maximum stabil-ity on firm, natural surfaces, MSRP $170.
Adidas Predator Lethal Zones featuring five lethal zones: First Touch, Dribble, Sweet Spot, Drive and Pass. Each zone is composed of super-light rubber and memory foam with 3-D print strategically placed on the Predator upper to help provide improved ball control, handling and feel for increased precision and accuracy. Integrates Sprintframe technology, featured in the adizero F50, for lightweight support and at 7.9 ounces, the Predator Lethal Zones is the lightest version to date. An improved Traxion 2.0 stud shape absorbs force for quick ground penetration leading to faster cuts and on-field ac-celeration, MSRP $220.
Asics DS Light X-FLY™ MS at 6.2 oz. is the lightest soccer boot Asics' makes. The MS model features a “micro-synthetic” upper that forms to the foot while providing excellent touch on the ball. The new X-Fly™ plate is made with our lightweight Solyte® polymer and features a low-profile cleat design for evenly distributed cleat pressure and excellent traction on soft ground, firm ground and even field turf, MSRP $175.
Umbro Speciali 3 soccer boot features a soft leather up-per that extends around the medial midfoot. Also fea-tures Clarino, a suede grip sock for comfort with greater breathability than synthetic materials. Poron memory foam insert on the rear tongue will not rot when wet. The A-frame remains as an internal reinforcement holding the midfoot in place, MSRP $130.
pushed by others and that is what the mar-ket is looking for at the moment, but there is still a place for superior comfort and fit.”
He added, “An always in-stock position during the season along with great selection and color combinations combined with quality product and competitive pricing allow us to compete in the market on many different levels.”
Adidas’ soccer boot update, Predator Lethal Zones, pays attention to five zones - First Touch, Dribble, Sweet Spot, Drive and Pass – to provide ultimate ball control. Each zone is composed of super-light rubber and memory foam with 3-D print strategically placed on the upper to help provide improved ball control, handling and feel for precision and accuracy with every touch. “The game has evolved and players today can influence a match with a single touch on the ball,” said Antonio Zea, director of soccer for Adidas America. “The five zones on the new Predator
allow players to accurately place the ball whether they are passing, dribbling or shooting on goal.”
Asics has been back in the U.S. market for a year in soccer and has already regained some rel-evance with the launch its HG10 category. Matt Donnelly, footwear product manager, team, training and walking, Asics America, said that while more people are talk-
ing about "drop" and "heel height" in their running and training shoes, Asics has been employing these thoughts into its cleat de-signs for years. Said Donnelly, “This is a ma-jor point of differentiation in that the 10mm heel gradient shifts the body mass forward over center allowing for faster transition from standstill to action with substantially less strain on the lower extremities." Outside of HG10mm, a trend Donnelly is seeing across soccer boots is lower profile studs. "So many of the fields today are made with synthetic / field turf where longer studs are not necessary."
Donnelly also noted that vendors are ex-perimenting with different materials on up-pers. “When it comes to leather, we are still bullish on the fact that kangaroo resonates with the elite player as the material of choice for fit, comfort and touch,” he added.
Tony Bertrams, footwear buyer, Soccer Plus USA, Dayton/Columbus, OH, said that while “less is more” is the primary feature soccer players are looking for, durability is second. Bertrams added, “the shoe also must stand out on the pitch. It seems the brighter or crazier the shoe looks, the better it sells.” ■
Puma King utilizes Puma's new ComfortLast technology for a glove-like fit and an external heel counter for improved heel fit and stability. The lightweight Pebax outsole, with a mix of conical and traction studs, ensures the perfect balance between flexibility, grip and maneuverability, MSRP $150.
Adidas Adizero 5-Star Mid cleats weigh in at next to nothing. A single-layer SPRINTSKIN™ upper sheds weight but not stability, while the TRAXION™ studs make sure you arrive at the land of six untouched, MSRP $115.
THE FILA FLEXNET MEMORY HAS A SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTEDMEMORY FOAM FOOTBED, MOLDING TO YOUR FOOT WITH EACHSTEP. THAT MEANS INCREASED COMFORT, EXPERT CUSHIONINGAND A GREAT FIRST FEEL. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> FILA.COM
CALENDAR For full year calendar go to sportsonesource.com/events
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SNOVEMBER 2012
7-9 TAG Fall/Winter Show N. Charleston, SC
12-14 A.D.A. Fall Show Las Vegas, NV
18-20 Sports Inc. Athletic Show Las Vegas, NV
DECEMBER 2012
3-4 Sports Inc. Footwear & Apparel St. Charles, MO
3-5 EORA Southeast Market Asheville, NC
5-7 Atlanta Fashion Shoe & Accessory Market Atlanta, GA
JANUARY 2013
5-7 ASI Orlando Orlando, FL
7-8 ATA Show (Archery Trade Association) Louisville, KY
7-10 EWSRA/SWRA Winter Sports Market Atlantic City, NJ
7-10 NEWSR Winter Sports Market Manchester, NH
10-12 Surf Expo Orlando, FL
14-15 Metropolitan New York Shoe Market Secaucus, NJ
15-18 SHOT Show Las Vegas, NV
15-16 Première Vision New York, New York 17-20 NBS Winter-Specialty Market Denver, CO
17-19 Sports Licensing & Tailgate Show Las Vegas, NV
18-20 Imprinted Sportswear Show (ISS) Long Beach, CA
22 Outdoor Retailer All Mountain Demo Salt Lake City, UT
23-26 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Salt Lake City, UT
23-26 PGA Merchandise Show Orlando, FL
24-27 ASA-ICAST Chicagoland Fishing, Travel & Outdoor Exposition Schamburg, IL
29-31 WSA Show Las Vegas, NV
30 - 1 NABA Trade Show (National Archery Buyers Association) Reno, NV
31-3 SIA Snow Show Denver, CO
FEBRUARY 2013
1-5 NBS Spring Semi - Annual Market Fort Worth, TX
3-6 ISPO Munich 2013 Munich, Germany
5-7 FFANY New York, NY
6-8 ASI Dallas Dallas, TX
13-15 Magic Marketplace Las Vegas, NV
13-16 Sports Inc. Outdoor Show Phoenix, AZ
14-17 ASA-ICAST Greater Philadelphia Outdoor Sport Show Oaks, PA
17-20 WDI Worldwide Spring Show Reno, NV
23-25 Atlanta Shoe Market Atlanta, GA
26-28 MRA On Snow Demo Boyne Mountain, MI
28-3 ASA-ICAST World Fishing & Outdoor Exposition Suffern, NY
Athletic Dealers of America1395 Highland AvenueMelbourne, FL 32935t 321.254.0091f 321.242.7419athleticdealersofamerica.com
National Shooting Sports FoundationFlintlock Ridge Office Center11 Mile Hill RoadNewtown, CT 06470t 203.426.1320 f. 203.426.1087nssf.org
National Sporting Goods Association1601 Feehanville Drive / Suite 300Mount Prospect, IL 60056t 847.296.6742f 847.391.9827nsga.org
Nation’s Best Sports4216 Hahn Blvd.Ft. Worth, TX 76117t 817.788.0034f 817.788.8542nbs.com
Outdoor Industry Association4909 Pearl East Circle / Suite 300Boulder, CO 80301t 303.444.3353f 303.444.3284outdoorindustry.org
SGMA 8505 Fenton StreetSilver Spring, MD 20910t 301.495.6321f 301.495.6322sgma.com
Snow Sports Industries America8377-B Greensboro DriveMcLean, VA 22102t 703.556.9020f 703.821.8276snowsports.org
Sports, Inc.333 2nd Avenue NorthLewistown, MT 59457t 406.538.3496f 406.538.2801sportsinc.com
Sports Specialists Ltd.590 Fishers Station Drive / Suite 110Victor, NY 14564t 585.742.1010f 585.742.2645sportsspecialistsltd.com
Team Athletic Goods629 Cepi DriveChesterfield, MO 63005t 636.530.3710f 636.530.3711tag1.com
Worldwide 8211 South 194thKent, WA 98032t 253.872.8746f 253.872.7603wdi-wdi.com
THE FILA FLEXNET MEMORY HAS A SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTEDMEMORY FOAM FOOTBED, MOLDING TO YOUR FOOT WITH EACHSTEP. THAT MEANS INCREASED COMFORT, EXPERT CUSHIONINGAND A GREAT FIRST FEEL. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> FILA.COM
Athletic Dealers of America1395 Highland AvenueMelbourne, FL 32935t 321.254.0091f 321.242.7419athleticdealersofamerica.com
National Shooting Sports FoundationFlintlock Ridge Office Center11 Mile Hill RoadNewtown, CT 06470t 203.426.1320 f. 203.426.1087nssf.org
National Sporting Goods Association1601 Feehanville Drive / Suite 300Mount Prospect, IL 60056t 847.296.6742f 847.391.9827nsga.org
Nation’s Best Sports4216 Hahn Blvd.Ft. Worth, TX 76117t 817.788.0034f 817.788.8542nbs.com
Outdoor Industry Association4909 Pearl East Circle / Suite 300Boulder, CO 80301t 303.444.3353f 303.444.3284outdoorindustry.org
SGMA 8505 Fenton StreetSilver Spring, MD 20910t 301.495.6321f 301.495.6322sgma.com
Snow Sports Industries America8377-B Greensboro DriveMcLean, VA 22102t 703.556.9020f 703.821.8276snowsports.org
Sports, Inc.333 2nd Avenue NorthLewistown, MT 59457t 406.538.3496f 406.538.2801sportsinc.com
Sports Specialists Ltd.590 Fishers Station Drive / Suite 110Victor, NY 14564t 585.742.1010f 585.742.2645sportsspecialistsltd.com
Team Athletic Goods629 Cepi DriveChesterfield, MO 63005t 636.530.3710f 636.530.3711tag1.com
Worldwide 8211 South 194thKent, WA 98032t 253.872.8746f 253.872.7603wdi-wdi.com
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