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HONORS AND AWARDS
CCM "Four-Peat" as
Source for Sports Vendor of the Year
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SDC President Brad Hause, left, and CCM VP of Marketing Sean Williams
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CCM received the Source for Sports "Vendor of the Year" award for the fourth consecutive year at its annual hockey buying show in November in Niagara Falls, Canada. The award recognizes the vendor who does the best job of working with all of the Source for Sports members on customer service and product innovation.
"It is an excellent honor for CCM to win SDC Vendor of the Year from such an important group to our business and to the sport of hockey," said Sean Williams, the Vice President of Marketing for CCM. "
This award makes us proud and is a strong indication that our employees are doing good things and representing the great hockey brand of CCM very well."
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Number of Bidders for PSG Increases
 At least five private equity firms are considering making a bid for Performance Sports Group (PSG), according to a report on Street.com. The prospective buyers include KKR, Bain Capital LP, Apollo Global Management, TPG Capital and Sycamore Partners.
PSG's largest shareholder Sagard Capital Partners L.P., partnered with Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited for $575 million, and serves as the stalking course for an auction set for Jan. 30.
The stalking horse bid remains subject to regulatory approval by the Canadian Competition Bureau (CCB).
According to the Street.com report, former PSG chairman Graeme Roustan is pushing for the CCB to look into Sagard's ownership of Power Corp., a diversified Quebec-based international management company with interests in financial services, communications and other sectors. The conflicts could include any business relationships with Adidas AG, which owns CCM.
True Temper Acquires VH Footwear
 True Temper Sports acquired hockey skate manufacturer, VH Footwear Inc., in late November. True Temper will continue to manufacture VH skates at its base of operations in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Both True and VH currently distribute their hockey product lines globally and they are used by elite-level players across the world.
"There is a need and an appetite for a new brand in the skate category, probably more so than any other time in the history of the hockey industry," said Jeremy Erspamer, President & CEO of True Temper Sports. "This should also be further evidence to hockey players worldwide, our valued retail partners, and the hockey industry as a whole of our continued commitment to enter new product categories with game-changing, performance-enhancing technology."
Fanatics Signs Deal with NHL
 The NHL signed a deal with Fanatics, the nation's largest online seller of licensed sports apparel, giving the company the exclusive right to make NHL fan-replica jerseys as well as all quick-turnaround products, including official Stanley Cup-champion locker room apparel.
Fanatics officials said they plan to improve the appearance of the fan jerseys. Since the jerseys looked too bulky for fans who didn't wear pads, the company created a stretch fabric that fits better. The jersey is adjusted depending on size and gender.
A Fanatics logo will be on the bottom of the jerseys. The Adidas logo, which will be on NHL on-ice jerseys when its seven-year deal starts with the 2017-18 season, will not appear on the replica jerseys. The deal allows Adidas to get branding benefits on the jersey exterior on NHL players, but it doesn't have to worry about making jerseys for fans, which requires a significant infrastructure investment.
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BUSINESS BEAT
Holiday Shopping for Sporting Goods
Here is a look from NSGA at how sporting goods holiday shopping in 2016 was shaping up in the United States:
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GAMES PEOPLE PLAY
Stanley Cup Champion Sees
Value in Variety of Experiences
 Brian Engblom was a standout defenseman who won three Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens. But Engblom did not reach the pinnacle of hockey by abandoning the fun he had playing football, baseball and soccer.
Engblom, who is now a TV analyst for the Tampa Bay Lightning and NBC, sees too many kids focusing solely on one sport too soon. In many cases kids are also being pigeon-holed into certain positions at too young of an age.
Click here to read more about Engblom's thoughts on youth hockey and sports.
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GIVING BACK
 CCM is rewarding youth teams throughout North America that play an active role in their communities through the CCM Assists program.
Inspired by New York City native Dylan Gallagher, 12, who has been collecting used equipment to assist Ice Hockey in Harlem, CCM donated more than $20,000 worth of brand-new sticks, skates and helmets to the non-profit organization.
Throughout December 2016, CCM Assists has encouraged players to volunteer and do good deeds in their communities. In early January, CCM will randomly select five participants and reward the winners with top-of-the-line CCM hockey sticks for their team or another team of their choice.
CCM has also been selected as the new partner for the World Invite in Chicago by hockey tournament organizer 200x85. The elite tournament has been re-branded as the CCM World Invite and will feature nearly 500 elite teams from all over the world Nov. 2-5, 2017.
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SKILL SHOTS
Bauer Video Highlights Amazing Skills of Toews, Matthews
 Chicago Blackhawks star Jonathan Toews and Toronto Maple Leafs rookie sensation Auston Matthews squared off in an entertaining trick shot contest as part of the marketing campaign for the Bauer NEXUS 1N stick.
Click here to check out some of their incredible skill.
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JOIN OR RENEW NOW!
Now is the time to become a new member or renew your membership with the Hockey Dealers Association.
Click here to fill out an application and learn more about the benefits of being a part of the voice for hockey dealers.
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NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit
May 21-24, 2017
The 53rd Annual NSGA Management Conference & 19th Annual Team Dealer Summit will bring together a diverse group of sporting goods retailers, institutional team dealers and manufacturers, as well as service providers who play an important role in making these businesses better.
Join your colleagues for this event packed with a variety of opportunities, including education, networking, innovation and industry recognition.
Please click here for more information on this year's event May 21-24, 2017 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
And for the third year the Management Conference will feature the NSGA Innovations Arena, which highlights new and innovative products in the industry. Click here to learn more about the Innovations Arena if you are interested in getting your product in front of the industry's key decision-makers.
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Apply Now for HDA/SDC
Hockey Collaboration
The collaboration for the purchase of hockey equipment by U.S. hockey dealers between the HDA and National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) and SDC (Sports Distributors of Canada) continues to grow as it enters its third year.
Click here to learn more about how the collaboration works and to fill out an inquiry form to start the process. Members of the collaboration take advantage of access to various products and discounts to help their bottom line.
There is no obligation to complete the form. Criteria used by SDC to determine participation may include a minimum sales volume of $200,000 in annual wholesale hockey products, credit rating, proximity to existing members and meeting certain store standards.
Don't delay and inquire today!
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NSGA 2016
Research
Now Available!
The 2016 editions of NSGA's Sports Participation in the United States and Sporting Goods Market Report are now available. These are great resources for anyone in the sporting goods industry.
Click here
for more information.
If you are interested in HDA's Annual Business of Ice Hockey 2016 Edition please contact Marty Maciaszek at [email protected] or (847) 296-NSGA (6742), ext.1260. It is available for free to HDA and NSGA members and costs $395 for non-members.
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Did you know?
The Stanley Cup is named after a former Canadian Governor General, Lord Stanley of Preston, who donated the trophy in 1893. The original Stanley Cup was only seven inches tall.
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Request an NSGA Special Events Toolkit
Let NSGA help you impact your customer base by throwing an unforgettable event. The NSGA Special Events Toolkit contains a planning guide, event-specific ideas, templates and more.
Request a kit today by emailing
[email protected]
. Event kits are free of cost to NSGA and HDA members!
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Subscribe to
NSGA Scoreboard
The NSGA Scoreboard gives you all the sporting goods industry news you need in one place. The Scoreboard is sent twice a month and includes content about research, advocacy, NSGA, team dealer and sales agent issues and industry news.
Subscribe today
!
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What's your beef?
Have an issue or problem related to the hockey industry? A concern about equipment or rules that you'd like to share with everyone?
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We want
your news!
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We want to stay on top of the latest industry news and information, so if you have something to share, please
send an email to Marty Maciaszek.
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| Join HDA now! |
Become a member of the Hockey Dealers Association and help us build a voice for the independent hockey dealer. Visit our website
by
clicking here or calling (847) 296-NSGA (6742), ext. 1260 to join today.
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| Please Contact Us |
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c/o NSGA
1601 Feehanville Drive Suite 300
Mt. Prospect, IL 60056
(847) 296-NSGA (6742), ext. 1260.
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