LIDS Sports Group and Bleacher Report Team Up in Retail Agreement

INDIANAPOLIS, April 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Indianapolis-based specialty retailer and team dealer LIDS Sports Group announced today that is has reached an exclusive agreement with Bleacher Report, one of the fastest-growing sites on the Internet and the Web's fourth largest sports media destination with more than 25 million monthly unique users, to include a launch of the official Bleacher Report Store site in connection with BleacherReport.com. 

Through the agreement, LIDS Sports Group will independently develop, host, maintain and be responsible for the retail operations of the Bleacher Report Store.  A specific "Shop" link will appear on the Bleacher Report website, as well as the mobile app, to drive fan followers to the new online Bleacher Report Store.

"LIDS Sports Group is the industry leader in sports retail and we are thrilled to be in business with them," said Brian Grey, CEO of Bleacher Report. "As a leader in online media, this partnership makes perfect sense. Our new online shop will enhance the overall experience for our users by giving them the opportunity to easily find the content and licensed apparel of their favorite teams -- all on one site."

"As we are both in the business of connecting sports fans with the teams they support and follow, this partnership is definitely a win," said Ken Kocher, LIDS Sports Group president.  "Just as Bleacher Report is trying to revolutionize the way sports fans get their information, LIDS Sports Group's efforts are focused on revolutionizing the way those individuals get team merchandise, to truly set ourselves apart from others as the premier retail destination for sports fans."

The product selection will consist of officially licensed Bleacher Report merchandise as well as additional officially licensed college and professional league merchandise, which is in line with LIDS Sports Group's retail divisions.  In addition, LIDS Sports Group will have the ability to design and create licensed Bleacher Report branded merchandise, through a limited worldwide license agreement, to be sold exclusively through the Bleacher Report Store.

Specific terms of this agreement have not been disclosed.

ABOUT LIDS SPORTS GROUP
LIDS Sports Group, operating within Hat World, Inc., is comprised of the LIDS retail headwear stores, the LIDS Locker Room specialty fan retail chain, the LIDS Clubhouse retail stores, the LIDS Team Sports wholesale team sports business, and the Internet businesses www.lids.com, www.lidslockerroom.com, www.lidsclubhouse.com, www.lidsteamsports.com and www.lids.ca. Operating out of Indianapolis, Indiana, the retail businesses make up more than 1,000 mall-based, airport, street level and factory outlet locations nationwide, and in Canada and Puerto Rico. LIDS retail stores offer officially licensed and branded collegiate teams, major professional sports teams, as well as other specialty fashion categories in the latest styles and colors. LIDS Locker Room is a mall-based retailer of sports headwear, apparel, accessories, and novelties which also operates under the Sports Fan-Attic and Sports Avenue retail concepts. Most LIDS and LIDS Locker Room stores also offer custom embroidery capability. LIDS Clubhouse operates team-specific professional sports and university athletics retail stores and e-commerce websites. LIDS Team Sports is a full-service team uniform and apparel dealer, custom screen printer, embroidery and sporting goods distributor. Hat World, Inc. is a subsidiary of Genesco Inc.

ABOUT BLEACHER REPORT
Bleacher Report (B/R) is the Web's leading publisher of original and entertaining sports content and is one of the fastest growing sports media Web sites in the U.S. Since launching in 2008, B/R's Web site has grown to an audience of more than 25 million monthly unique visitors. The company's distinguished editorial team leads more than 1,000 Featured Columnists and 6,000 contributors, and directs Bleacher Report's unique data-driven approach to creating and programming content. The result is first-rate sports commentary that gives B/R's audience the stories they want to read in real-time around the teams and topics they are most passionate about. B/R's editorial content is also syndicated to a number of national and regional publishing partners including USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Philly.com, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle and Seattle PI. In addition, more than 1.5 million users have subscribed to B/R's sport-and-team-specific email newsletters, which provide a demand driven mix of content that engages a broad array of sports fans.

To learn more about Bleacher Report, visit http://bleacherreport.com/about  

SOURCE LIDS Sports Group