Dive Brief:
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Any shopper who’s wanted to get advice about shoes or gear from an Olympian will get the opportunity at Dick’s Sporting Goods, thanks to an employment agreement the retailer has signed with Team USA.
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The retailer and the U.S. Olympic Committee signed a sponsorship agreement that includes giving jobs to athletes in training, providing sponsorships and equipment to U.S. Olympic athletes, and supporting Olympic Training Centers.
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The agreement, of which no financial details were released, will run through the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and is a revamp of a program the U.S. Olympic Committee had with Home Depot.
Dive Insight:
Home Depot quit a similar program in 2010, and U.S. Olympic teams have struggled since.
The jobs are very important for athletes in training, as is the support in the form of gear and training time. This agreement with Dick’s comes along just in time for Team USA, but looks like a nice fit for the sporting goods retailer as well. The Olympics provide opportunities for some of the best marketing money can buy, and the idea of providing jobs will likely appeal to many Americans.
"We really want to support the athletes who need it the most," said Dick’s chief marketing officer Lauren Hobart. "For every pro athlete out there, there are hundreds of amateurs and Olympic hopefuls who don't have all the equipment they need."