Youth and High School Baseball players Nationwide to Participate in player development events with DICK’S Sporting Goods and Baseball Factory

February 19, 2013 (Pittsburgh, PA and Columbia, MD)  – DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS), the largest U.S. based full-line sporting goods retailer, is proud to announce a partnership with Baseball Factory, the top player development program in the nation.  

Since its initial start in 1948, as a fishing and camping supplies store, DICK’S Sporting Goods has had a strong tradition of supporting athletics in the community. DICK’S Sporting Goods commitment to youth sports continues with a new agreement with Baseball Factory.

DICK’S Sporting Goods will serve as the official sporting goods supplier for Baseball Factory.  The partnership will provide DICK’S Sporting Goods with access to over 600 events and 25,000 players within the Baseball Factory training and development system as well as Softball Factory, a division of Baseball Factory.

Baseball Factory will serve as the on-field instructional partner for the DICK’S Sporting Goods Baseball Training Experience, which will be held in 11 markets. The program will run February through April and will provide baseball players age 8-16 with accelerated training through fielding, hitting, throwing, pitching and agility stations.  

“DICK’S Sporting Goods is proud to partner with Baseball Factory, which is dedicated to the development of youth and high school baseball athletes,” said Lauren Hobart, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President for DICK’S Sporting Goods. “This partnership will allow us the platform to provide top-line sporting goods to many young athletes so they are comfortable with the quality of their equipment, and can focus on the game.”

“We are very excited to create this partnership with DICK’S Sporting Goods,” said Baseball Factory Senior VP of Marketing and Brand, Jason Budden. “Our players are always looking for the best products to advance their game.  As the nation’s clear sporting goods leader, DICK’S Sporting Goods will be able to provide our families with tremendous options to continue their on-field development.  DICK’S Sporting Goods’ commitment to the game matches the dedication and desire of Baseball Factory players.”

Together, DICK’S Sporting Goods and Baseball Factory will reach thousands of serious baseball and softball players through numerous grassroots efforts and provide families with educational baseball and softball content through videos, articles and coaching materials.

About DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc.
DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. is an authentic full-line sporting goods retailer offering a broad assortment of brand name sporting goods equipment, apparel and footwear in a specialty store environment. The Company also owns and operates Golf Galaxy, LLC, a golf specialty retailer. As of October 27, 2012, the Company operated 511 DICK'S Sporting Goods stores in 44 states, 81 Golf Galaxy stores in 30 states and eCommerce websites and catalog operations for DICK'S Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy. DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. news releases are available at www.dickssportinggoods.com/investors.  The Company’s website is not part of this release.

About Baseball Factory
Baseball Factory has developed programs to provide players with world-class instruction and life-changing experiences, which when combined, lead to future success both on and off the field. Baseball Factory holds over 600 events nationwide each year in 45 states and 150 cities.  We pride ourselves on giving families an unbiased assessment of where they stand against other players nationwide.  Baseball Factory events have featured more than 320 players who have played or are currently playing in the Majors and over 40,000 players have gone on to play at the college level. 98% of Division I, 70% of Division II and 60% of Division III programs have at least one Baseball Factory alumnus on their roster. Learn more at www.baseballfactory.com.

###