PITTSBURGH, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate
the upcoming National Girls & Women in Sports Day (February 3), DICK'S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS)
today announced it will expand its efforts in support of female
athletes throughout 2021.
The Company's 2021 efforts to champion women, while highlighting
the importance youth sports play in the lives of girls will
include:
- A commitment by The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation to donate
100,000 DSG Brand sports bras over the next 18 months to
under resourced female athletes across the country. To distribute
the sports bras, the Foundation will partner with Good Sports, a
nonprofit organization that provides athletic equipment, apparel
and footwear to young athletes in need. Sports bras are an
essential piece of equipment for girls, but many girls do not have
access to them, something that can contribute to increased drop-out
rates in sports. Research shows that by the age of 14, girls quit
sports at two times the rate of boys.1 In addition, 73%
of girls have concerns about their body when they play.
2
- The formation of the Company's first-ever Girls' Power
Panel for girls ages 13-17 with the goal of giving a
younger generation of females a voice to provide general insights
on sports issues, give their input on product offerings and
initiatives for the Company and help overcome barriers for women in
sports. Starting today, interested young females can apply or learn
more by filling out the online application.
- A National Girls & Women in Sports Day social challenge,
#StrongerWithSports, aimed at showcasing the strength girls
and women gain by participating in sports. Candace Parker, Sydney
Leroux and Morgan
Simianer are among the group of today's female sports
advocates and leaders supporting the challenge. Each will post a
sports photo from when they are younger and describe how sports
have positively impacted her life and will encourage others to post
in support of the challenge on National Girls & Women in Sports
Day (February 3). Knowing the
valuable life lessons and confidence sports offer, the Company
hopes current and former female athletes of all levels will join
this effort to celebrate the power of sports and inspire increased
participation by young girls.
- Offering an exclusive drop of the Brooks Running "Empower
Her" collection, specifically celebrating National Girls
& Women in Sports Day. The product line, including a variety of
footwear, apparel and accessories, will be available in DICK'S
stores nationwide and online at dicks.com starting February 1. A portion of sales of this special
collection up to a total donation of $500,000 will help The DICK'S Sporting Goods
Foundation to directly support under resourced Girls Running
Programs across the country.
"DICK'S Sporting Goods is committed to championing girls and
women in sports. We know that when young female athletes have
access to the proper equipment and can look up to other female
athletes, they are more likely to remain in a sports program and
gain the skills to help equip themselves to be future leaders,"
said Lauren Hobart,
President, DICK'S Sporting Goods and The DICK'S Sporting Goods
Foundation. "We intend to stay at the forefront of advocating for
female athletes and athletics."
These 2021 initiatives follow the Company's actions in 2020,
when The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation provided a $5 million grant to the U.S. Soccer Foundation's
United for Girls initiative, began a partnership with
USA Softball, expanded women's
offerings in-store and online and launched a marketing campaign
celebrating the power of the sports bra.
Additionally, DICK'S Sporting Goods has been named a Signature
Partner for the 2021 National Girls & Women's in Sports Day
powered by the Women's Sports Foundation. This year marks the
35th annual celebration. DICK'S Sporting Goods will be a
co-presenting sponsor of Girls Fest, a 90-minute virtual event
streamed on YouTube designed for girls from elementary to high
school level.
1. P. (2008). Go Out and Play: Youth Sports in
America. East Meadow, NY: Women's
Sports Foundation
2. The Influence of the Breast on Sport and Exercise
Participation in School Girls in the United Kingdom
About DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc.
Founded
in 1948, DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. is a leading omni-channel
sporting goods retailer offering an extensive assortment of
authentic, high-quality sports equipment, apparel, footwear and
accessories. As of October 31, 2020,
the Company operated 732 DICK'S Sporting Goods locations across
the United States, serving and
inspiring athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to achieve their
personal best through a blend of dedicated teammates, in-store
services and unique specialty shop-in-shops dedicated to Team
Sports, Athletic Apparel, Golf, Lodge/Outdoor, Fitness and
Footwear.
Headquartered in Pittsburgh,
PA, DICK'S also owns and operates Golf Galaxy and Field
& Stream specialty stores, as well as GameChanger, a youth
sports mobile app for scheduling, communications and live
scorekeeping. DICK'S offers its products through a dynamic
eCommerce platform that is integrated with its store network and
provides customers with the convenience and expertise of a 24-hour
storefront. For more information, visit the Investor Relations
page at dicks.com.
About The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation
The DICK'S
Sporting Goods Foundation is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit
corporation with a mission to inspire and enable sports
participation. It was created by DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. as a
private corporate foundation to support DICK'S charitable and
philanthropic activities.
Contact: DICK'S Sporting Goods –
press@dcsg.com
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