Tag Archives: retail

Harlem Globetrotters Open First-Ever Pop Up Retail Location As Part of American Dream Residency

The Harlem Globetrotters today announced the launch of their first-ever brick and mortar retail location, a pop up store at American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey to coincide with the organizations historic residency in the state-of-the art entertainment center. The store will officially open on Friday August 9, and will be open through the Globetrotters residency, which begin Friday August 16 and goes through August 25.

The store will showcase historic memorabilia and pictures featuring moments over the decades whilst offering fans the opportunity to purchase uniform replica collections and basketballs from both our past through to our present, a range of apparel items for kids & adults, accessories synonymous with the iconic brand as well as some special, limited edition items including autographed basketballs and other items. It will be located on the first floor adjacent to the court, which is being installed by American Dream’s hockey rink. In addition to the memorabilia and traditional items, the store will also showcase a limited edition tee shirt designed by their own Maxwell ‘Hops’ Pearce, a Globies veteran, world record holder and native of Tuckahoe, NY and SUNY-Purchase College.

“This retail location is another key move to expand the reach of the Globetrotters brand as we head towards our centennial in 2026,” said Keith Dawkins, President, Harlem Globetrotters and Herschend Entertainment Studios. “The first-ever residency of a sports organization continues to open new doors for us to engage with fans and widen the footprint of every aspect of our business, be it clinics and games, the first live broadcast in over 35 years (August 18 on Gray Television), or retail partnerships. We are setting a new standard for our business that will bring global opportunities well into the future.”

The Globetrotters will be playing daily during the residency as well as hosting clinics and other special events. One of the highlights of the stay will be the first broadcast in over 35 years, produced by Gray TV’s Raycom Sports, a national leader in sports production and syndication with deep roots in college basketball, football, and pro sports. That game will be broadcast live on Sunday night August 18 at 7:00 PM.

Lax.com Announces Acquisition Of Industry Competitor Universal Lacrosse

Lax.com, the leading lacrosse e-retailer and team dealer, today announced a substantial expansion of their scope in the marketplace, acquiring one of its chief competitors, Universal Lacrosse. The acquisition makes Lax.com the largest ecommerce (Lax.com and Universallacrosse.com) and team dealer dedicated strictly to the sport of lacrosse. Lax.com will also be acquiring Universal’s 10 retail stores.

“This move puts Lax.com in a great position to scale the business. The addition of John Flanagan and his team provides the added talent to launch Lax.com into an exciting new chapter” stated John Arrix, CEO of Lax.com. “As we unite these two companies, we are poised to harness the unparalleled expertise of our lacrosse team sales force, and we will raise the bar for customer service excellence in the industry. Our unwavering commitment to seamless relationships with our valued customers will drive a transformation of the Lax.com online platform, bolstered by synergies with Universallacrosse.com and our array of digital properties,” continued Arrix.

John Flanagan, CEO and Founder of Universal, stated, “We are excited for the future. The strategic positioning of Universal Lacrosse stores will remain instrumental in servicing vital lacrosse communities, strengthening Lax.com’s omnipresence from online to team to retail and ensuring that customers can engage with us on their own terms. This comprehensive approach underscores our dedication to meeting diverse consumer needs and preferences.”

Looking ahead to the remainder of 2024 and beyond, Lax.com’s growth trajectory will be guided by the collective efforts of the veteran teams, united under a shared vision of success. Together, the platform can capitalize on synergies, innovate relentlessly, and propel our combined group to new apexes of accomplishment within the lacrosse market. Universal’s 10 retails stores will continue under the Universal name. Lax.com and Universal will continue to run separate ecommerce platforms. Universal’s team sales division will move under Lax.com.

Additional details on the new combined business will be available in the coming weeks.