Champs Sports is an American

sports Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, ...

retail Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers, in contrast to wholesaling, which is sale to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturers, directly or through a wholesaler, and ...

store, it operates as a subsidiary of

Foot Locker Foot Locker Retail, Inc. is an American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in 28 countries. Although established in 1974, and founded as a separate company in 1988, Foo ...

. Products sold at Champs Sports include apparel,

equipment Equipment most commonly refers to a set of tool A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, onl ...

, footwear, and accessories. As of June 2019, there were 540 store locations found throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The stores are mainly located in

shopping mall A shopping mall (or simply mall) is a North American term for a large indoor shopping center, usually anchored by department stores. The term "mall" originally meant a pedestrian promenade with shops along it (that is, the term was used to refe ...

s, and are on average.

History

Early years

Champs Sports was acquired in the 1980s by the Woolworth Corporation, then a specialty store division of the

F. W. Woolworth Company The F. W. Woolworth Company (often referred to as Woolworth's or simply Woolworth) was a retail company and one of the pioneers of the five-and-dime store. It was among the most successful American and international five-and-dime businesses, se ...

. It, along with

, sold athletic merchandise, replacing the five and dime and department store concepts with the increasing specialty store concept. In 1997, the Woolworth Corporation acquired the mail-order catalogue athletic retailer

Eastbay Eastbay was an American supplier of athletic footwear, apparel and sports equipment, which sells by direct mail. Since 1997, it has been the direct-to-mail division of the F. W. Woolworth Company, now known as Foot Locker, Inc. History The ...

for approximately 146 million dollars. A few months later, on July 17, 1997, the F. W. Woolworth Company closed their remaining department stores. The surviving Woolworth Corporation changed its name to Venator Group, Inc., while continuing its focus on the specialty store idea.

21st Century

In 2000, after a decline in the market of sports apparel, Venator Group shuttered many of their stores, including 27 Champs Sports locations. This proved successful as high-end footwear grew in popularity.

Marketing

''Swag'' Magazine

With the first issue released on August 28, 2012, ''Swag'' Magazine is a quarterly online magazine focused on showing sports fans a different side of athletes and celebrities. Champs Sports partnered with many companies, including

Under Armour Under Armour, Inc. is an American sports equipment company that manufactures footwear, sports and casual apparel. Under Armour's global headquarters are located in Baltimore, Maryland, with additional offices located in Amsterdam (European head ...

, Adidas, and

Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...

, giving fans an interesting look on sports. The magazine features athlete interviews, athletic gear, and interactive videos.

Nike Yardline

On September 8, 2012, Champs Sports and Nike launched Nike Yardline, a store specializing in NFL apparel. The first store opened in the Willowbrook Mall in

Wayne, New Jersey Wayne is a township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. Home to William Paterson University and located less than from Midtown Manhattan, the township is a bedroom suburb of New York City and regional commercial hub of North Jersey. ...

. Champs Sports and Nike stated that they are looking to expand the concept in the future. Between January 5–6, 2013, a Nike Yardline location was also opened in South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida during BCS weekend. The store displayed college football apparel featuring participating bowl teams, including

Alabama Crimson Tide The Alabama Crimson Tide refers to the intercollegiate athletic varsity teams that represent the University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide teams compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I as a me ...

and

Notre Dame Fighting Irish The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are the athletic teams that represent the University of Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish participate in 23 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I intercollegiate sports and in the NCAA's Division ...

. On June 19, 2013, Champs Sports and Nike launched their second mall-based location in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. Promoting the grand opening was

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...

's running back

Adrian Peterson Adrian Lewis Peterson (born March 21, 1985) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in football history. He played college football at Oklahoma, where he set the ...

, who signed autographs and released a new shoe style.

Sponsorships

From 2004 until June 18, 2012, Champs Sports sponsored the

Florida Citrus Sports Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to th ...

's annual college football bowl game. Each sponsorship is a four-year deal costing them $4.25 million. Vice president of Champs Sports Rob Brodersen commented, "As the premier mall destination for the core sports enthusiast, it is a natural fit for Champs Sports to continue our partnership with FCS. We are excited to strengthen our relationship and look forward to further success by building upon our athletic heritage with this high profile college bowl game." Although the name of the bowl was changed, Champs Sports continued to remain an official partner of both the Russell Athletic Bowl and the

Capital One Bowl The Citrus Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group that also organizes the Cheez-It Bowl and Florida Classic. The gam ...

through 2014.

Controversies

Dispute with Nike

In late 2002,

placed restrictions on stores that sold their products. These restrictions required stores, including Foot Locker and its subsidiaries, to sell less popular lines of merchandise alongside the high-end products. Knowing the sale of these products could negatively impact profits, Foot Locker refused to sell any Nike products unless they received better quality products. Both Nike and Foot Locker suffered from the lack of sales. A negotiated agreement ended the dispute in late 2003, and Nike products were re-admitted to the stores.

References

External links

* {{Woolworth Companies based in Manatee County, Florida Foot Locker American companies established in 1984 Retail companies established in 1984 Sporting goods retailers of the United States