Academy does deal with Cardinals

Despite not having any stores in or near St. Louis, Academy Sports + Outdoors has inked a multi-year brand building deal with the Cardinals that is sure to have fans of the popular hometown baseball team scratching their heads.

Sporting goods retailers regularly affiliate themselves with professional sports teams or athletic pursuits that align with targeted shopper segments. What makes the Academy deal with the Cardinals unique, if not somewhat odd, is the retailer’s lack of a physical presence in St. Louis. The retailer’s closest store to the city is a two hour drive south in the town of Cape Girardeau. The next closest stores are about three and half hours away, to the west in Springfield, Mo., or to the east in Owensboro, Ky.

"We are excited to form a new partnership with one of baseball's most successful teams," said John Hunewill, Academy Sports + Outdoors' vice president of brand marketing. "Our organizations reach many of the same people throughout the region, and this partnership will further strengthen our commitment to the fans and customers we serve."

Aspects of the sponsorship agreement include a t-shirt toss at every game, branded Autograph Nights, Cardinals Kids Clinics, the Cardinals Care 6K Run and the Cardinals Caravan.

"We're thrilled to introduce Cardinals fans and their families to Academy Sports + Outdoors and their wide selection of fan gear, team sports, outdoor and recreation products," said Thane vanBreusegen, the Cardinals vice president of sales, marketing and stadium entertainment.

Academy operates 193 stores, the majority of which are concentrated in the south and Southeast, which suggests the Cardinals sponsorship is an exercise in brand building in advance of entry into the market.