ESCONDIDO, Calif., April 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS), the largest U.S. based full-line sporting goods retailer, invites the community of Escondido to their three-day grand opening weekend. The celebration will begin with a ribbon cutting on Friday, April 8 at 8AM at the retailer's new location at The Promenade on 1200 Auto Parkway, Escondido, CA 92029 (760-233-2700). Special extended store hours will also be in effect for Friday (8AM-10PM), Saturday (8AM-10PM) and Sunday (9AM-8PM).  

Dick's Sporting Goods has a variety of special athlete appearances and give-a-ways scheduled to celebrate the grand opening festivities. On Friday, the first customers through the door will receive a free adidas t-shirt while supplies last. On Saturday, Dick's Sporting Goods will be having a Mystery Gift Card Giveaway, where unmarked gift cards will be handed out with varying denominations from $5 to one lucky $500 gift card (limit one per household and must be 18 years or older) plus San Diego Chargers G Kris Dielman will be onsite from 3pm-4pm.* Sunday's schedule will feature a free Reebok t-shirt while supplies last and special appearance by soccer great and Mission Skincare partner Mia Hamm from 1pm-3pm.*

"We are excited to open our newest store in the community of Escondido," said Dick's Sporting Goods Chief Marketing Officer Lauren Hobart. "We are extremely proud of our long standing tradition for having the best selection of sporting good products, as well as the highest level of customer service. The opening of a new store in Escondido will give Dick's Sporting Goods another opportunity to prove our commitment to serving our customers and their community."

The Escondido location will be the retailer's 16th store in the state of California and their 446th nationwide.

Throughout the weekend, customers can sign up for the $1,000 Scorecard Shopping Spree and also earn triple points all weekend by signing up for the ScoreCard® Rewards Program.  Additionally, there will be activities throughout the store, including product demonstrations by industry experts from Reebok, adidas and Gatorade among others.

Dick's Sporting Goods is proud to be an active member of the communities they serve through the efforts of Community Marketing and Youth Sports programs. Dick Stack, founder of Dick's Sporting Goods, believed that sports play a vital role in teaching our children fundamental values like a strong work ethic, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. Stack understood that supporting the organizations that make youth sports possible is the best way to promote those values. Today, that legacy continues. Dick's Sporting Goods shares the same enthusiasm for and commitment to youth sports in our communities. This year, through its Community Youth Sports Program, Dick's Sporting Goods will donate thousands of coach's equipment kits to youth sports organizations across select markets -- reaching over a million athletes. For more information about Dick's Sporting Goods Community Marketing and the programs they offer, please contact Mike Ewald at Mike.Ewald@dcsg.com or visit http://dickssportinggoods.sponsorport.com/.

*250 wristbands will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis for autographs (limit one per person) at the store and on the day of the event only.  Fans with a wristband must be in line to receive an autograph.

About Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc.

Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. is an authentic full-line sporting goods retailer offering a broad assortment of brand name sporting goods equipment, apparel and footwear in a specialty store environment. The Company also owns and operates Golf Galaxy, LLC, a multi-channel golf specialty retailer. As of April 4, 2011, the Company operated 447 Dick's Sporting Goods stores in 42 states, 81 Golf Galaxy stores in 30 states and e-commerce and catalog operations for both Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy.

SOURCE Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc.