DICK'S Sporting Goods Showcases the Power of Sport in New "Sports Change Lives" Campaign

March 9, 2023

The campaign, based on the principles on which the company was founded, includes a 90-second brand anthem, a new partnership with the NCAA and a multimillion-dollar grant program from The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation in honor of the company's 75th Anniversary

PITTSBURGH, March 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, DICK'S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) launched its largest brand campaign to-date – "Sports Change Lives" – to celebrate the principles on which the company was founded.

"Since DICK'S was founded 75 years ago, we have believed sports have the power to change lives. Whether it's the friendships made in youth soccer, a coach who became a mentor, or a morning run that puts everything into perspective, the impacts of these experiences are what this campaign is all about," said Ed Plummer, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at DICK'S Sporting Goods. "Our 75th anniversary is a great opportunity to focus even more of our efforts on the communities and youth sports programs where we can make a lasting impact."

The major components of "Sports Change Lives" are:

  • A new marketing campaign that highlights – through a new 90-second brand anthem – the positive impact sports participation has on individuals' character, friendships, physical and mental health, academic achievement, and more broadly the ability of sport to bring together and inspire communities and the next generation of athletes. There will also be a second expression of the campaign featuring nine sport-specific 15-second spots. The marketing and media elements of the "Sports Change Lives" campaign were developed by Arts & Letters Creative Co in their first work for DICK'S.
  • Becoming the official sporting goods retail partner of the NCAA® and all 90 of its Men's and Women's Championships. The partnership will include exclusive category sponsorship rights to select fan events during the Men's and Women's Final Four® Games, access to exclusive NCAA championship event licensed merchandise and media investments during the Men's and Women's March Madness® tournaments, courtside signage, exclusive content production using historical footage and access to multiple college championships. 
  • A new program, "75for75 Sports Matter Grant Program," which will provide 75 Sports Matter grants from The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation of $75,000 each to selected youth sports programs around the country that are truly changing lives through sport on and off the field. "75for75" will distribute more than $5.6 million in 2023.
  • A renewed $1.5M partnership between The DICK'S Foundation and Good Sports to provide 20 of the most under-resourced communities across the country with $75,000 worth of youth sports equipment in 2023.
  • A new $1.5M partnership between The DICK'S Foundation and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to launch the Game On-Community Places to Play Initiative, which will help to create or renovate up to 20 multi-use youth sport spaces in underserved communities.

DICK'S Sporting Goods was founded in 1948 in Binghamton, New York, by 18-year-old Dick Stack, who started his business with $300 from his grandmother's cookie jar. He also believed in the power of sport and giving back to his community and organized an effort to expand the local little league from four teams to 16 so that more kids could play. Dick's son, Ed Stack, and his siblings bought the company from their father when it was comprised of two small stores. The legacy of fostering opportunities for young people to compete was continued by Ed Stack, the company's current Executive Chairman, and remains an integral part of DICK'S culture today.

Since 2014, when the company started tracking its giving, DICK'S and The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation have committed more than $170 million to support young athletes. The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation has set a goal to help give two million kids the chance to play by 2024.

Category: Company

About DICK'S Sporting Goods
DICK'S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) creates confidence and excitement by inspiring, supporting and personally equipping all athletes to achieve their dreams. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, the leading omnichannel retailer serves athletes and outdoor enthusiasts in more than 850 DICK'S Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Public Lands, Going Going Gone! and Warehouse Sale stores, online, and through the DICK'S mobile app. DICK'S also owns and operates DICK'S House of Sport and Golf Galaxy Performance Center, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile app for scheduling, communications, live scorekeeping and video streaming.

Driven by its belief that sports have the power to change lives, DICK'S has been a longtime champion for youth sports and, together with its Foundation, has donated millions of dollars to support under-resourced teams and athletes through the Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about DICK'S business, corporate giving, sustainability efforts and employment opportunities can be found on dicks.com, investors.dicks.com, sportsmatter.org, dickssportinggoods.jobs and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation
The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to inspire and enable sports participation. It was created by DICK'S Sporting Goods as a private corporate foundation to support DICK'S charitable and philanthropic activities. Driven by its belief that sports have the power to change lives, The DICK'S Foundation champions youth sports and provides grants and support to under-resourced teams and athletes through its Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about The DICK'S Foundation can be found on sportsmatter.org.

Contact: DICK'S Sporting Goods – press@dcsg.com

 

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