Champs Sports

Early years

Champs Sports was acquired in the 1980s by the Woolworth Corporation, then a specialty store division of the F. W. Woolworth Company. It, along with Foot Locker (which was owned by Woolworth and is now the name of the company that succeeded Woolworth), sold athletic merchandise, replacing the five and dime and department store concepts with the increasing specialty store concept.

21st Century

In 2000, after a decline in the market of sports apparel, Venator Group shuttered many of their stores, including 27 Champs Sports locations. This proved successful as high-end footwear grew in popularity. In May 2020, a Champs location in Tampa, Florida, was set on fire during the George Floyd protests.

Swag Magazine

With the first issue released on August 28, 2012, Swag Magazine is a quarterly online publication focused on showing sports fans a different side of athletes and celebrities. Champs Sports partnered with many companies, including Under Armour, Adidas, and Nike, giving fans an interesting look on sports. The magazine features athlete interviews, athletic gear, and interactive videos.

Nike Yardline

On September 8, 2012, Champs Sports and Nike launched Nike Yardline, a store specializing in NFL apparel. The first store opened in the Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, New Jersey. Champs Sports and Nike stated that they are looking to expand the concept in the future.

Between January 5–6, 2013, a Nike Yardline location was also opened in South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida during BCS weekend. The store displayed college football apparel featuring participating bowl teams, including Alabama Crimson Tide and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

On June 19, 2013, Champs Sports and Nike launched their second mall-based location in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. Promoting the grand opening was Minnesota Vikings's running back Adrian Peterson, who signed autographs and released a new shoe style.

Controversies

Dispute with Nike

In late 2002, Nike placed restrictions on stores that sold their products. These restrictions required stores, including Foot Locker and its subsidiaries, to sell less popular lines of merchandise alongside the high-end products. Knowing the sale of these products could negatively impact profits, Foot Locker refused to sell any Nike products unless they received better quality products. Both Nike and Foot Locker suffered from the lack of sales. A negotiated agreement ended the dispute in late 2003, and Nike products were re-admitted to the stores.