State your business III: athletic industry executives talk about the present and the future.ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT Dean N. Baker Vice President of Sales, Gared Sports-SSI Volleyball [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What's the state of the market? Gared Sport's primary business is after market sales of gymnasium and basketball equipment, training aids Any item developed or procured with the primary intent that it shall assist in training and the process of learning. , and outdoor basketball and recreation equipment. We also sell the SSI (1) See server-side include and single-system image. (2) (Small-Scale Integration) Less than 100 transistors on a chip. See MSI, LSI, VLSI and ULSI. 1. (electronics) SSI - small scale integration. 2. Volleyball line of competitive systems and training equipment. The expenditures by a school or institution for our products tend to be larger then the typical purchases the athletic department makes for equipment and uniforms. This combined with the fact that purchases for gymnasiums or field equipment are generally expended ex·pend tr.v. ex·pend·ed, ex·pend·ing, ex·pends 1. To lay out; spend: expending tax revenues on government operations. See Synonyms at spend. 2. from the School Districts capital improvement budget, has slowed down the recovery from the economic slow down and school cut backs experienced since 2002. While the booster clubs A booster club is an organization that is formed to contribute money to an associated club, sports team, or organization. Booster clubs are popular in American schools at the high school and university level. were helping out the athletic departments and in turn the team dealer's sales, gymnasium equipment had been lagging behind. Having said that, business in the new school year that started in September, as been much better as the economy and school budgets slowly recover. We are planning on some "pent up demand" for our products in the next few years, which should help push the market up. What's the next great advance? The rules and regulations that are mandated for gymnasium equipment don't allow a lot of room for drastic innovation. We are constantly testing and making subtle improvements to all of our products and of course looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. ways to make them safer. The Safstop Safety locking strap is not a new product, but one that is increasing in popularity as gymnasiums begin to age. We plan to introduce several new products to compliment our current training aids line. Players are no longer proficient in the fundamental skills like free throw shooting, passing, and rebounding, so we have developed products that can help a player work on his/her own or with a teammate, to develop these skills quickly and easily. Where's the business going? Gared is optimistic op·ti·mist n. 1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome. 2. A believer in philosophical optimism. op about the future. While new school construction is slowing down, we are seeing an increase in spending for renovating older school's gymnasiums, community centers are being built at a record pace, churches are building combination sanctuaries/gymnasiums or recreation centers, and the private sector is building "pay for play" facilities. As insurance premiums continue to increase we anticipate that school Faculties Managers and Athletic Directors Athletic director (commonly, "athletics director") is a position at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, which oversees the work of the coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic are going to need to become more cognizant of the age and design of the apparatuses in their gyms and begin to upgrade them before they have an accident. The game of basketball is not played today the same way it was 20-30-40 years ago when a lot of the gyms were built and some of the equipment just wasn't designed for today's style of play. Some schools are still using 48" backboards instead of the recommended 42" boards, which are safer for the players and less apt to break. Some ceiling structures still in use today were not designed for 250-300 pound kids to hang from them. The combination of: concern for safety, renovation of older facilities, new construction, and skill development should keep our business positive for growth into the foreseeable future. Greg Spodney Sales Manager sales manager n → gerente m/f de ventas sales manager n → directeur commercial sales manager sale n → , Hydra-RIB HYDRA-RIB What's the state of the market? We have seen growth in 2004 and are projecting growth in 2005 in sports construction ranging from new arenas, schools, small facilities, churches, and park and rec REC - CONVERT . The equipment that outfits these facilities includes arena / recreational portables, wall braced and ceiling suspended backstops, divider divider See European currency quotation. curtains, and wall padding Bits or characters that fill up unused portions of a data structure, such as a field, packet or frame. Typically, padding is done at the end of the structure to fill it up with data, with the padding usually consisting of 1 bits, blank characters or null characters. See null and bit stuffing. . What's the next great advance? Product performance, quality and durability will always be a priority for basketball equipment. Our equipment is designed to withstand the highest levels of competitive play, and includes a wide range of products for any budget. Easy installation, one-person set-up, and minimum footprint on the floor are key advantages that our Hydra-RIB arena portables offer. The HR1125, HR1100, and HR1175 come standard with a self-contained electrically operated hydraulic system Noun 1. hydraulic system - a mechanism operated by the resistance offered or the pressure transmitted when a liquid is forced through a small opening or tube . Electricity is not a concern for most facility managers as electricity is required for shot clock installation, and our backstops enable internal wiring to facilitate the sleek, clean appearance of the unit. The most recognizable features of the Hydra-RIB arena portables include the four-corner board mount, the compact base footprint, and the sleek design. The four-corner board mount provides superior stability and performance. The board mounting system's kinetically engineered design surpasses all known static requirements for any collegiate, professional or international competition. A board-leveling feature is provided to accurately level the glass board when the unit is up and ready for play. The goal mount features our patented T-plate technology, which provides an additional full-length bracket to support the rim across the entire backboard back·board n. 1. A board placed under or behind something to provide firmness or support. 2. A board placed beneath the body of a person with an injury to the neck or back, used especially in transporting the person in such a way width. The compact base footprint is designed to occupy a minimal amount of floor space and to minimize the obstruction of the viewing area for those fans seated behind the backstop. This compact base allows facilities to maximize seating capacity Noun 1. seating capacity - the number of people that can be seated in a vehicle or auditorium or stadium etc. commodiousness, spaciousness, capaciousness, roominess - spatial largeness and extensiveness (especially inside a building); "the capaciousness of Santa's as well. With our focus on innovation and product improvements, enhancements are continually in development to provide the power and performance that is synonymous with synonymous with adjective equivalent to, the same as, identical to, similar to, identified with, equal to, tantamount to, interchangeable with, one and the same as Hydra-RIB. Where's the business going? The business is on an upswing Upswing An upward turn in a security's price after a period of falling prices. due to the growth in sports construction. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the Sporting Goods Noun 1. sporting goods - sports equipment sold as a commodity commodity, trade good, good - articles of commerce sports equipment - equipment needed to participate in a particular sport Business November 2004 "Sporting Goods Spending Potential", top markets include the West coast, the Southeast, and Texas. The staple backstop and basketball equipment products will continue to drive the business, along with replacement boards, rims and pads. Hydra-RIB will continue to be the official supplier to the NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association Men's and Women's Final Four Championship tournaments in 2005. We have been the official supplier in 24 of the last 27 championship tournaments, and are proud to realize our 25th year in 2005. Athletic directors, facility managers and coaches at every level of play recognize the power and performance of Hydra-RIB equipment. We are one of the most popular brands worldwide. Hydra-RIB will continue to be a symbol of excellence that the highest levels of competition have come to expect and depend on. ATHLETIC FACILITIES Nathan Stobbe President/CEO, Summit Structures [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What's the state of the market? Judging by the interest in new building technologies such as Summit Structures, there seems to be a lot of aging facilities in need of replacement. As the alternatives are being considered, customers are seeking to upgrade, not just replace their old facilities. With the extreme increases in steel prices over the past 15 months, the trend is towards buildings with less steel, such as membrane structures. The light advantages and quiet interior atmosphere make for a setting well suited to practice and instruction. Having been awarded a few impressive NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga projects has really helped us gain momentum in the industry. The combination of a quality design-build product, along with testimonials to back the product we stand behind, keeps the interest level in our product quite high. With the number of high schools, colleges, and universities in North America Universities in North America have an extensive history of being some of the leading educational institutions in the world. North American universities were originally modelled after universities in Europe but have developed different systems of their own. , the need for temporary and permanent facility solutions is growing. Whether the need is a cover for an existing field to protect players and coaches from inclement in·clem·ent adj. 1. Stormy: inclement weather. 2. Showing no clemency; unmerciful. in·clem weather or a new facility to serve as additional recreation space, Summit Structures can address the needs of every client. What's the next great advance? I believe it is customization. Besides simply meeting the dimensional needs of our customers, Summit Structures believes the ability to offer a look--on the exterior and interior--that reflects the customer's organization will be in high demand. A technology that is flexible and adaptable to individual site requirements is a big asset given the limited space available on many campus sites. Our in-house engineering services and complete construction and project management allows Summit Structures to set themselves apart from other building companies. Where's the business going? Summit Structures will be breaking ground in new markets while maintaining a strong presence in existing ones. The applications for the Summit product are endless and are constantly being introduced into new markets. Over the past few years, Summit Structures has been growing rapidly in the North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. and International markets. We will continue to find opportunity and promote our products worldwide. With the recent announcement that our buildings are now produced at an ISO (1) See ISO speed. (2) (International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland, www.iso.ch) An organization that sets international standards, founded in 1946. The U.S. member body is ANSI. 9001:2000 certified manufacturing facility, shows Summit Structures is investing time to ensure our processes are up to standards. Clients are not only intrigued by the technology of membrane structures but see the benefits of our structures as well--the naturally lit playing atmosphere, excellent acoustics acoustics (ək  `stĭks) [Gr.,=the facts about hearing], the science of sound, including its production, propagation, and effects. and speed of construction.
Those, combined with the unique construction services provided by our
company, will ensure another great year for Summit Structures.
Gordon Collins Director of Marketing, Rubb, Inc. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What's the state of the market? We are quite bullish on the growth potential of the athletic facility construction market. The demand for year round indoor facilities for both field and court sports are on the rise as a result of the baby boom of the 1980's and 90's. This influx of children, now in their early teens, has impacted facilities nationwide. The real challenge for both the public and private sectors is finding sources of funding and this can be the real challenge. We try to assist not only with the design/development of the building, but also with finding creative sources of financing. What's the next great advance? While we don't see any cutting edge advances on the horizon, we do see incremental Additional or increased growth, bulk, quantity, number, or value; enlarged. Incremental cost is additional or increased cost of an item or service apart from its actual cost. improvements coming in the areas of safety, accessibility, and programming flexibility. Designing and manufacturing safe structures is always our first and foremost consideration and we are entrusted to provide the safest environment possible for our occupants. Accessibility is another dynamic area that we pay close attention to. Moving people into and out of (ingress An entrance. Contrast with "egress," which means exit. See ingress traffic. See also Ingres 2006. and egress See ingress. ) our structures is just as important as what happens on the playing field. Naturally we adhere to adhere to verb 1. follow, keep, maintain, respect, observe, be true, fulfil, obey, heed, keep to, abide by, be loyal, mind, be constant, be faithful 2. the standards of the American's With Disabilities' Act (ADA Ada, city, United States Ada (ā`ə), city (1990 pop. 15,820), seat of Pontotoc co., S central Okla.; inc. 1904. It is a large cattle market and the center of a rich oil and ranch area. ) outlined in the Federal Register. Lastly, since today's indoor athletic facilities are used for many purposes (running the gamut from organized league play to summer camps and anything in between), we must work closely with facility owners to ensure that our building design supports what they are trying to accomplish from a programming standpoint. This can oftentimes be the greatest challenge. Where's the business going? As mentioned previously, we see continued growth in the need for sports facilities See:
DIGITAL VIDEO EDITING See nonlinear video editing and video editor. Barry Bryant Director of Marketing CoachComm [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What's the state of the market? Now that digital editing is affordable for programs at all levels, market acceptance is in a growth phase. What was once only used at the professional and Division-I levels is now available and affordable for programs at all levels. The growth and acceptance of Digital Video Editing has also created opportunities and confusion in the market place. Many small businesses have been established to capitalize on Cap´i`tal`ize on` v. t. 1. To turn (an opportunity) to one's advantage; to take advantage of (a situation); to profit from; as, to capitalize on an opponent's mistakes s>. this opportunity. It has been very interesting observing the evolution of the digital video editing market place. As show & clinic season rolls around, businesses and coaches will see a dozen or so companies selling digital video editing systems. Of these companies, at least half of them will be new to the market. There seems to be a core group of companies that have been around for several years and then there are some that will 'come & go'. It is important that coaches and administrators look at the company behind the product when in the market for digital video editing. Most of the systems available today do a good job at 'breaking down' game film, with a few different 'bells & whistles' that may or may-not be used. The most important aspect of finding a good editing system, is finding a good stable company that is behind the system. How long have they been in business? Do they offer support for their system? Is support available 24/7? Are upgrades available? Can you add on to the system? Does the company offer a 'complete solution'? What about camcorders & VCRs, can I get them from the same company? What's the next great advance? We believe the next great advance will be tools that go beyond editing systems and 'cut-ups'. These next generation tools will actually teach players with video and stats over the Internet. The ability to share digital video and stats between coaches and players over the schools intranet or even the Internet without losing video quality or playback performance will be huge! We believe this will be via software only players that can be loaded onto any school or personal computer meeting minimum hardware & performance requirements. The benefits of being able to affordably share video and stats between coaches and players are numerous. It's a cost effective network solution. It creates a collaborative working environment A Collaborative Working Environment (CWE) supports people (e.g., E-professionals) in their individual and cooperative work. Research in CWE involves organisational, technical, and social issues. where coaches can have instant access to video and stats. And it gives coaches the ability to work from home or the office and reach players 24/7. It will also give coaches the ability to receive automated feedback as to whether a player has viewed cutups or not. As digital video editing and other technologies continue to evolve, it is important for teams to partner with companies that are on the cutting edge and have a vision for the future, both for their products and their company. Teams that partner with these types of companies will have a competitive advantage over their competition, especially as new technologies become available. Where's the business going? Technology will continue to advance at a rapid rate. Smaller, one-dimensional companies will struggle to survive without the experience, knowledge, human or financial resources that will be required to compete in an evolving market place. The successful companies are moving toward a one-stop shop One-Stop Shop A company or a location that offers a multitude of services to a client or a customer. The idea is to provide convenient and efficient service and also to create the opportunity for the company to sell more products to clients and customers. , offering more than just digital video editors. These companies will offer 'total solutions' from video acquisition all the way to distribution and archiving. Coaches and administrators in the market for digital video editing systems and other technology solutions should make sure they partner with a company that: Has an attitude of partnership; Has stability (both product & company); Experience in the sports market; Has a vision for the future; Has a willingness and the ability to invest in future technology and software advancements. The purchase of digital video editing is an investment for your program. In a rapidly changing market place, make sure your are making a wise investment not only in the product, but also the company behind the product. Ron Wojcicki Sales Manager, LRSSports [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What's the state of the market? The state of the digital video editing market is, in a word, exciting. Digital video and PC technology continue to change at such a rapid pace that yesterday's cutting edge is today's mainstream. Digital cameras, desktop and laptop computers, and high-capacity, affordable storage are all delivering more power and features at a lower price than ever. Those developments mean that more schools can afford to adopt digital video analysis for their teams. At the same time, more coaches in more sports have become aware of the advantages that video editing and video analysis can give them. Also, large networks are getting even larger with more coaches using coach's stations and players using "big button" viewing stations, which is really like a digital VCR See DVR. . As these coaches research products and begin the purchasing process Purchasing Purchasing is the formal process of buying goods and services. The Purchasing Process can vary from one organization to another but there are some key elements that are common throughout The process usually starts with a 'Demand' or requirements , the result is an expanding market. What's the next great advance? The next great advance in sports video editing will be 16X9, or widescreen, high-definition video This article is about high-definition video technology. For television systems, see High-definition television. For the tape format, see HDV. For compression and prerecorded media, see High-definition pre-recorded media and compression. . As with previous advances, we'll see the professional and Division I college teams adopt high definition first because it will be more expensive, needing to purchase new video hardware (cameras, decks, monitors). MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group) An ISO/ITU standard for compressing digital video. Pronounced "em-peg," it is the universal standard for digital terrestrial, cable and satellite TV, DVDs and digital video recorders (DVRs). 4 video will be the next great advance for smaller programs because it delivers sharp, clear video in smaller file sizes, which requires less storage capacity. In addition to the video format everyone uses, the biggest advance will be affordable, high-quality video exchange via the Internet replacing the exchange of physical tapes, disks, or hard drives. Where's the business going? We see the sports video editing business moving toward easier, faster, better, more accessible video for everyone at all levels. LRSSports is focusing our development effort on features that make video easier to work with while making video tasks faster to complete. Computer and camera manufacturers are constantly bringing more powerful and less expensive products to market. All of that means more choices for all levels of coaches who see digital video analysis as a powerful tool for their team. PERFORMANCE APPAREL Kevin Plank Kevin A. Plank (born August 13, 1972 in Kensington, Maryland) is an American entrepreneur and businessperson. In 1996 he founded Under Armour, a sports apparel brand. Founder/President, Under Armour [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What's the state of the market? Under Armour's sales at sporting goods retailers such as The Sports Authority Sports Authority is the USA's largest full line sporting goods retailer. The company is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado. It operates over 400 stores in 45 U.S. states under the Sports Authority name. Total sales for the fiscal year ending January 29 2005 were $2.44 billion. , Dick's Sporting Goods Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) is the largest full-line sporting goods retailer in the world. It is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and has locations in thirty-four states with 314 stores. , Hibbitt Sporting Goods, Modell's and The Sport Chalet Sport Chalet is a retailer of sporting equipment, apparel, shoes, and accessories in the United States. It operates approximately 40 company owned stores in Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, with new stores opening soon in Utah, with the first at Jordan Landing. , is continuing to grow, now accounting for more than 70% of all compression apparel sales. On an average, Under Armour has grown 250 percent per year since inception nine years ago, exceeding $200 million in sales last year. What's the next great advance? Under Armour is committed to finding innovative fabric technologies, providing athletes with performance apparel that wicks moisture off your skin, keeping you cool, light and dry. This is a big year for Under Armour with the debut of a variety of new products and collections, including the evolution of UA Metal Series[TM] for women, a series of products for women inspired by the company's popular Duplicity DUPLICITY, pleading. Duplicity of pleading consists in multiplicity of distinct matter to one and the same thing, whereunto several answers are required. Duplicity may occur in one and the same pleading. SportBra[TM], Under Armour's UA Tech[TM] T--a technically enhanced version of the company's LooseGear providing the coolest, lightest loose-fitting athletic apparel on the market, and the UA Streaker[TM] Collection, which is tailored specifically for male and female runners and features our new customized fit and PolyArmour moisture management technology. Under Armour is also launching a series of new colors to its line, including Atomic Orange, Chili (language) CHILI - D.L. Abt. A language for systems programming, based on ALGOL 60 with extensions for structures and type declarations. ["CHILI, An Algorithmic Language for Systems Programming", CHI-1014, Chi Corp, Sep 1975] Red, Zephyr Zephyr or Zephyrus: see Eos. Blue. Where's the business going? It is important for us to stay authentic to Under Armour's brand--imperative that we remain a company for athletes by athletes. We're expanding our current line, enhancing our women's line, and moving in a direction of collections rather than piece-by-piece items, in order to provide athletes at all levels with gear that will enhance their performance, keep them comfortable and ready to compete at peak performance. We're thrilled with the growth we've seen over the past nine years and are excited to keep the momentum going in 2005. Bob McDavid President, McDavid Sports Medical Products [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What's the state of the market? Performance apparel is equally popular with general consumers as well as athletes. The category is strong and vibrant with tremendous growth potential. Performance apparel originated with compression undergarments containing Lycra spandex like compression shorts Compression shorts are an undergarment usually worn by athletes. They are form-fitting and when worn cover the athlete's waist to mid or lower thigh. These garments are often made from a spandex-type material, similar to cycling shorts. in the mid 80's and evolved to include compression sliding shorts and football girdles by the mid 90's. With the development of performance fabrics that wick moisture and are able to moderate body heat the market has exploded. Today products include not only compression shorts but compression shirts, loose fitting shirts, shorts, pants, cold wear products and an array of women's and youth products and sport specific products. What's the next great advance? McDavid's focus has been on the technical side of performance athletic products since we introduced the first protective knee brace in 1969. That heritage guided us through the first introduction of McDavid's compression shorts in 1988--the same year we introduced the Cowboy Collar[TM]. In 1998 we introduced compression shirts and our Ultra hDc[TM] moisture management system that won't wash out. The next great product advancement in my opinion is Hexpad[TM] protective apparel. These revolutionary new products incorporate hundreds of individual athletic pads permanently bonded to compression fabrics at strategic locations. The pads flex and move with the body. They also breathe and help wick perspiration perspiration: see sweat. perspiration Fluid given off by the skin as vapour by simple evaporation or as sweat actively secreted from sweat glands to evaporate and cool the body. to help moderate the body's heat. Many teams have already replaced their 5-pocket girdles and hip pads with the Hexpad[TM] football girdle girdle /gir·dle/ (gir´d'l) cingulum; an encircling structure or part; anything encircling a body. pectoral girdle shoulder g. . We are also developing several new sport specific Hexpad[TM] products for baseball, lacrosse lacrosse (ləkrôs`), ball and goal game usually played outdoors by two teams of 10 players each on a field 60 to 70 yd (54.86 to 64.01 m) wide by 110 yd (100.58 m) long. Two goals face each other 80 yd (73. and volleyball that will be introduced next year. Where's the business going? As performance apparel becomes more popular the trend will be to see more low priced products introduced to the market, mostly targeting consumers. That is already happening. But to achieve reduced costs you have to compromise something--comfort, durability, performance, or service. Our focus will remain true to our heritage--providing high quality performance and protective products for athletes and delivering them at a fair price. We will also work closer with the teams and team dealers to stay abreast of demand and increase awareness of McDavid products. Interview By Kevin Newell |
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