Law Dawg Sports

Archive for August, 2009

Soccer is a game that has become world wide famous now-a-days. With each passing day, one can see its popularity rising higher and higher. The term ’soccer’ evolved in the later part of the 19th century when people began abbreviating the French variation of ‘association football’ to soccer. Some people call it football, some call it soccer. But whatever the name is used, it refers to the same beautiful game which has made its place among the hearts of people within a very short span of time.

Despite of the region, age groups and gender, this game has its fans everywhere. Men, women, kids including both girls and boys, all adore soccer. Playing soccer is not the only interest of soccer fans but watching the soccer match has also become one of the major excitements among the soccer lovers. This craze of soccer can be seen everywhere, whether it’s in schools, colleges, local soccer clubs or national and international tournaments. Proper soccer teams are prepared and soccer matches are organized. Taking advantage of this growing soccer lovers’ community, different companies offer various thrilling soccer attractions. This includes a variety of soccer equipments like soccer balls, colorfully and sophisticatedly designed, soccer uniform consisting of soccer shirts, soccer shorts, soccer jerseys, socks, shoes, caps, gloves and different bed sheets, curtains, cushion covers, carpets with soccer related prints and the list goes on and on.

Soccer fans adore these soccer attractions and try to get more and more of these. They take pride in possessing these soccer related stuff. One of these attractions include skillfully designed soccer balls. Soccer balls come in many different sizes, materials, and styles; and league specifications vary depending on the age and level of the players. The best material for the ball depends on the fact that on which surface you are going to play with it. Accordingly the prices vary as well.

Soccer uniforms have become an inseparable part of this magnificent game. Initially soccer uniforms were worn only by soccer players. But with the passage of time as the admirers of soccer increased, the companies started designing uniforms for soccer fans as well. Now it has become a full time business. Many colorful, bright and trendy soccer shirts, jerseys, shorts are designed for the fans who happily wear these uniforms to support their teams and proclaim their loyalty and admiration. Also the soccer players in the field get encouraged when they see their cheering supporters, shouting for them in their colorful uniforms. The soccer uniforms for fans are manufactured in different colors, with various designs, logos, and numbers or soccer players’ pictures imprinted on them. The companies also offer customization facilities to their customers by which the soccer lovers can get their uniforms personalized according to their choice. Kids, adults, male and females all love to wear such uniforms in the spirit of supporting their teams.

Unique and stylish soccer shoes are also in high demand now-a-days. Different companies manufacture the trendy soccer shoes, keeping in mind the comfort of the players and fans. Lighter and flexible soccer shoes are preferred by most of the people. Since 1990, the best shoes are usually made of kangaroo skin with plastic soles and aluminum studs.

Many bed sheets, curtains, carpets and cushion covers are available in the market with soccer related prints on them. Fans especially kids love to decorate their rooms with these accessories.

Different players also auction their soccer uniforms or equipment in the spirit of charity. Soccer fans find them priceless and buy them even for large amounts. The money is then donated to any charity, ultimately contributing to the society. This is a very healthy practice and should not be stopped as the money after all goes for the needy people.

Soccer attractions, like the game itself, are marvelous and countless.

The Sports Authority, Gart Sports Company, Dick’s Clothing and Sporting Goods, Academy Sports and Outdoors and Cabela’s are USA’s fanciest sports shops.

Read and catch some hint of how five of USA’s fanciest sports stores began.

THE SPORTS AUTHORITY, INC.

The Sports Authority, Inc. is the largest sporting goods retailer, with its offering of the most complete line of products for sports enthusiasts. It was in 1987 that Jack Smith, then chairman of Herman’s World of Sports, opened its first Sports Authority shop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Smith applied the idea that made Home Depot a hit in his conceptualization of the Sports Authority.

Three years later Smith already had eight giant stores in Florida. That same year, Joseph Antonini, former CEO of Kmart Corporation, backed him up by acquiring the sporting goods small chain for 75 million dollars. With enough capital, Smith designed an expansion plan that soon made The Sports Authority rise to a hundred stores in four years.

Almost 140 shops are scattered all over US and Canada that bear over nine hundred famous brands including K2, Nike, Adidas, and Coleman. With its sturdy finances and technological advantage, The Sports Authority continues to lead the sporting goods industry.

GART SPORTS COMPANY

The Gart Sports Company is United States’ second largest company specializing in the retail of sports equipment and goods. Its creator Nathan Gart, and his family moved from Russia to Colorado. Nathan sold newspapers and utilized his earnings to buy and sell watches and rings from his patrons. Saving an ample amount of capital, Nathan purchased a tiny, limited-spaced shop worth 500 dollars at downtown Denver in 1928. He then launched Gart Bros. which is a family business focusing on selling outdoor sporting merchandise such as camping, hunting, and fishing gears. A pocket knife was Nathan’s first sale.

Before long the shop developed into a family business in a new direction. Nathan’s brother George joined him in 1932, his brother Kibby two years after and another brother, Melvin joined in 1946. That same year, the company turned into Gart Bros. Sporting Goods Co.

Gart Sports Company introduced its first Sports Castle store, a renowned, pioneering superstore in downtown Denver in 1971.

Gart Sports Company merged with Sportmart, Inc. in 1998. It has now more than 180 stores located in Western and Midwestern America under the Oshman’s, Gart Sports, and Sportmart names.

DICK’S CLOTHING AND SPORTING GOODS

In 1948, Richard “Dick” Stack created the Dick’s Clothing and Sporting Goods. He was 18. The owner of the Army and Navy shop where Dick was a salesman asked him if it’s feasible for the store to offer fishing gear. Young Dick devised a business plot over a series of nights without sleep. When he approached the store owner with his plan, the owner’s reaction was surprising. Dick was taken aback to hear from the owner that he would never be a good businessman.

Frustrated Dick found comfort in his grandmother who after learning Dick’s story, pulled out her savings worth $300 from a cookie jar, gave it to her grandson, and encouraged him to pursue his dreams. Dick then used the cash in opening his humble fishing gear store in Binghamton, New York.

After ten years and inspired by his faithful customers, Dick expanded his merchandise scale that include a large amount of what is offered at Dick’s Sporting Goods stores nowadays. Presently, the company has more than 300 stores situated in 30 plus states nationwide.

ACADEMY SPORTS & OUTDOORS

Academy Sports & Outdoors started its business in 1970. Arthur Gochman, an attorney, and his business associate bought Southern Sales, a chain of army and navy surplus that included 6 shops that was already into business failure. The idea of surplus business was learned by Arthur from his father, Max who then operated a chain of surplus outlets. In 1973, Arthur took over from his business associate. He then gave the company its commercial name Academy Corp., the name that he borrowed from his father’s shops.

Arthur gave up law in 1978 and transferred to Houston where Academy store is located to take on full control of the business. He ceased the selling of military surplus items and soon responded to new market trends of latest lifestyles. With the soaring prevalence of leisure wardrobe and sports footwear, Academy began offering sports apparel and goods, as well. The 1980s found the company transforming into a chain of stores supplying a varied and economically priced gamut of branded, superior sporting goods and apparel that gave the Academy Sports & Outdoors the perfect picture that remains until now.

CABELA’S

Cabela’s is the globe’s leading company to deliver the finest outdoor equipment and supplies. The story of Cabela’s spawned from modest domestic beginnings. In 1961, Dick Cabela bought a set of fishing flies at a furniture show and thought it’s a good idea to sell them. When he came back home in Chappel, Nebraska, he placed an advertisement in a newspaper offering 12 hand-tied flies for 1 dollar. Inadvertently, Dick took the initial measure in making a thriving mail-order business and a multi-billion dollar venture.

Toiling at their kitchen table, Dick and his wife Mary began filling orders from sports lovers here and there in US. As demand for the fishing flies rose, Dick bought other outdoor leisure goods and sent a catalog of other merchandise offered. Their inventory escalated quickly as multitude of orders was generated from the catalog mailed. The following year, there was a requirement for a warehouse to meet the demand.

Cabela’s expansion is unstoppable with almost 80 catalogs delivered each year, and its online division soars higher.

Sports journalism in dedicated sports magazines offers reports on events like competitions and tournaments and related sports news. There are many sports magazines that have been mocked and called “toy magazines” for showing no concern for the ’serious’ topics covered by various news desks. Today, sports coverage has grown in importance, just as the different sports themselves have grown in wealth and influence and a lot of subsequent power and recognition.

Sports journalism in sports magazines is an essential component of the news media organization. Sports journalism in sports magazines includes a sports department that is devoted solely to diligent sports reporting. Some of the world renowned magazines dedicated to sports are Sports Illustrated and Sports Round Up.

The reporters of various sports magazines have a tough time with sports teams from around the world. While some are not always very accommodating with sports journalists, others are known to allow sports reporters into locker rooms for interviews and some extra information. There are also sports teams that provide extensive information support, even if the reporting proves unfavorable to them. There are certain countries where sports coverage is often barely tolerated by the clubs and players.

Sports journalists who work for the various sports magazines are like any other reporters. They too have to find the story rather than simply rely on information that is generated by the sports teams or institution or the dedicated coaching staff. The reporters on sporting events are expected to first and foremeost be conversant with the particular game they are covering and the nuances involved. Sports journalists have to verify facts given to them by the teams and organizations they are covering, before getting the content into the sports magazines.

Often, the coaches of the different games and teams and players and even the sports organization management rescind the access credentials of the reporters covering a particular controversy or sporting event. This is done entirely in retaliation for printing accurate, but disparaging information about a team, player, coach or the organization in question.

Today, sports reporters cover extensively sports journalism for professional and intercollegiate sports such as American football, ice hockey, basketball, baseball and football. The sports magazines are segregated to either cater to the target ‘reader’ group for a particular sport or into sections within that cover different sports and offer better coverage to the sports enthusiasts. The sports magazines are headed by a team of professionals either from the games themselves or avid enthusiasts from around the world, who have followed the games religiously.

Sports magazines all over the world have now become a part of the integrated world online. The online sports magazines are increasing in popularity due to the private and comfortable access to live news and reviews possible because of the interent technology. There are many sports magazines that cater to both, the online and virtual segments successfully.