The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) renamed its annual conference from the NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit to the NSGA Leadership Conference.
The idea to rebrand the event came from a speech given by former NFL quarterback Tom Flick on the differences between leadership and management at NSGA’s Summit in 2023 in Nashville, TN.
“Tom Flick’s message that leadership is about vision, strategy and inspiration and management is more about control really hit home with the NSGA team and our attendees,” said Matt Carlson, president and CEO of NSGA. “After careful consideration, we believe this is the perfect time to change the name of the event to the NSGA Leadership Conference from the NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit. Our goal with the event is to give the leaders of our industry the tools to enhance how they lead their teams and the switch to NSGA Leadership Conference fully embraces that vision.
“The name change to NSGA Leadership Conference is another part of the evolution of this great event since its inception in 1965. The NSGA team is always looking for ways to make the event better so attendees look forward to coming back year after year. What will not change are the efforts to ensure retailers, team dealers, manufacturers, brand ambassadors, sales agents and others affiliated with the industry have a first-class experience.”
NSGA said the NSGA 2024 Leadership Conference will continue mixing leadership speakers from the sports and business worlds. There will also be sessions on the topics impacting the sporting goods industry.
Speed Networking, which started in 2017, will continue as the event’s networking component with rapid-fire meetings between retailers and dealers with manufacturers and brands.
The NSGA 2024 Leadership Conference will conclude with the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner, inducting the Class of 2024 honorees Glenn Barrett, OrthoLite; Cathy Pryor, Hibbett Sports; Karsten Solheim, Ping Golf; and Mike Thompson, Rawlings.
The NSGA 2024 Leadership Conference will occur from May 19-21, 2024, at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix, AZ.
