Dick’s Sporting Goods extended its support of Team USA and its athletes as the Official Sporting Goods Retail Sponsor through the 2018 Olympic and Paralympicc Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.
The renewed partnership includes a continuation of the company’s in-store employment Contenders Program, which provided flexible work schedules and competitive pay to athletes training for Team USA in the lead-up to the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio this past summer.
“We have been so inspired by the grit, determination and the overall performance of our Team USA Contenders since the outset of this partnership, that it was an easy decision to renew our commitment to the USOC,” Lauren Hobart, executive vice president & chief marketing officer, Dick’s Sporting Goods. “These athletes were also our coworkers and truly ignited our entire company. We are excited to support another generation as they pursue their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.”
More than 15 percent of employed athletes enrolled in Dick’s Contenders Program went on to represent Team USA at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio. 42 total athletes either employed or sponsored by Dick’s brought home a total of 23 Olympic and Paralympic medals (11 gold, eight silver and four bronze).
The renewed commitment will provide the opportunity for athletes who are currently training for any future Games, including the PyeongChang Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2018, to be part of the Company’s Contenders Program.
In addition to renewing the Company’s partnership with Team USA, Dick’s also made a $236,000 donation to support future Team USA athletes through The Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation’s Every Medal program.
For every Olympic and Paralympic Games medal won by Team USA in Rio, The Dick’s Foundation pledged a $1,000 donation to select youth sports organizations that are part of the USOC family to ensure future Contenders are able to play the sports they love.
Thanks to Team USA’s impressive medal haul in Rio – 121 Olympic and 115 Paralympic medals – The Dick’s Foundation was able to commit $236,000 to four organizations – USA Diving, Fencers Club, United States Association of Blind Athletes and Ability360. These four recipient organizations were selected by Dick’s Sporting Goods Contenders and will benefit equally from the total amount of money raised through the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“As a company that truly believes sports make people better, we are extremely proud that our Team USA athletes’ impressive performance is able to help the next generation of Contenders,” said Hobart, who also serves as president of The Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation. “We have been committed to battling the youth sports funding crisis in America through our Sports Matter program since its inception in 2014, and we’re honored to be able to support deserving organizations through our Every Medal program.”
To learn more about Dick’s partnership with Team USA, the Every Medal program and athletes who are equipped and employed by Dick’s visit dicks.com/thecontenders.
