The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) has set the Team Dealer Program for the historic 50th NSGA Management Conference and 16th Team Dealer Summit, which will be held April 27-30 in Indian Wells, CA. The conference and summit will once again have educational sessions geared toward team dealers that will give them more knowledge and power to succeed.
“We are really excited about the program for this year’s Management Conference and Team Dealer Summit,” said NSGA President and CEO Matt Carlson. “There are so many challenges for Team Dealers today. The four sessions focusing on technology, business planning, legal issues and equipment will provide tremendous value to all Team Dealers.”
Monday, April 28
How To Maintain a Personal Touch in the Technological Age
Renowned technology expert Gene Marks will discuss the growing challenge of more tech-savvy, younger coaches working with more traditional, experienced team dealers and salespeople who are accustomed to face-to-face or personal communication. A text message could be misunderstood or the way a uniform looks on a screen may not be quite the same as it appears in person. There is also the challenge of communicating with a growing number of coaches who don’t teach or work at the school where they coach. Marks, a small business owner and writer of five business management books, has articles regularly published by media outlets such as the New York Times and Forbes Magazine and frequently appears on shows on CNBC, MSNBC and the FOX networks.
Planning for Your Retirement and the Future of Your Business
One of the important parts of succession planning is the actual financial transaction transferring the company to new ownership. Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Famer Randy Ruch, who retired from the business he founded, Schuylkill Valley Sports, will discuss how he decided an ESOP was his best option. Philadelphia-based attorney James Steiker will give details on how the deal was structured.
Tuesday, April 29
Legal Issues Facing Team Dealers
Non-compete agreements, product liability concerns and the bidding process are among the legal areas of concern for team dealers. And the laws about them may vary from state to state. NSGA counsel Ivar Azeris and his colleague Todd Murphy will share their expertise and insight to ensure that Team Dealers have a better understanding of these and other legal issues.
Working with Equipment Managers
A panel of veteran equipment managers moderated by Ripon Athletic CEO Peter Derleth will discuss best practices and their expectations from team dealers and road salespeople. They will share experiences where team dealers provided unexpected and added value in emergency situations and they’ll discuss what could best be considered as “learning lessons” for Team Dealers.
“This program will hit some of the major issues that are crucial to the success of Team Dealers,” Carlson said. “The Team Dealers who attend these sessions are guaranteed to come away with more knowledge to succeed in an increasingly competitive landscape.”
More about the Management Conference and Team Dealer Summit
The NSGA Management Conference and Team Dealer Summit, the longest-running event of its kind and the premier educational and networking event in the sporting goods industry, will also provide plenty of formal and informal opportunities for networking with leaders and colleagues from all corners of the industry at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa, which is located near Palm Springs. The event will include a tennis clinic, golf tournament, “Mr. Newsome’s Neighborhood Walk” with Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Famer Mickey Newsome and new opportunities to connect in a social setting.
On Tuesday night, the industry’s past will be embraced with the annual Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony. Ira Silberman of Diversified Products and Bob Zide of Zide’s Sports Shop make up the Class of 2014 and will join more than 150 leaders, innovators and industry icons who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since 1956.
On Monday afternoon, the industry’s present and future will be recognized at the third annual NSGA All-Star Awards Luncheon. Awards will be presented to companies that have made significant contributions to the industry and the 2014 NSGA College Scholarship program recipients will be announced.
More details on other speakers and education sessions, as well as registration for the event, will be announced in the coming weeks. For more details on the 2014 Management Conference and Team Dealer Summit, go to the conference site at www.nsga.org/conference.
