Dick’s Sporting Goods Expands Ad Reach Through Youth Sports Focus: What Shoppers Should Know

Dick’s Sporting Goods is making a bold move to transform how brands connect with customers by leaning heavily into youth sports marketing. The retailer’s advertising leadership recently outlined an ambitious strategy to attract consumer packaged goods brands, restaurant chains, and even automakers to advertise across its growing network of stores and digital platforms.

The Youth Sports Marketing Angle

David Young, the vice president of Dick’s Media, presented the retailer’s advertising opportunities to agencies and brand marketers at a major retail advertising conference in New York. His central message: youth sports families represent a powerful and underserved audience for advertisers looking to influence purchase decisions far beyond sporting goods.

Dick’s can reach approximately 70 million consumers across its portfolio, which includes Dick’s Sporting Goods stores, Golf Galaxy, Champs Sports, Foot Locker, and GameChanger, a youth sports streaming application. The GameChanger app alone connects with more than 9 million users annually through live streaming, scorekeeping, and team scheduling features. Beyond traditional retail spaces, Dick’s operates Dick’s House of Sports locations that function as entertainment destinations with climbing walls and batting cages, creating multiple touchpoints for advertisers.

Research conducted by Dick’s Media and eMarketer found that 63 percent of U.S. parents have children participating in youth sports, and 84 percent of those parents say sports participation influences their purchasing behavior across multiple categories. This statistic underscores why restaurant chains, consumer goods manufacturers, and vehicle dealerships might view youth sports families as valuable target audiences.

Why This Matters for Shoppers

Understanding how retailers position advertising can help shoppers navigate their own shopping experiences more effectively. As retailers upgrade their digital tools and advertising strategies, consumers benefit from more personalized offers and relevant promotions, though they should also remain aware of how their shopping patterns are being used for marketing purposes.

The youth sports market is experiencing measurable growth. Youth sports participation increased from 59 percent in 2021 to 65 percent in 2024, according to recent industry data. This expansion creates new marketing opportunities, as youth sports families make decisions about transportation, dining, and consumer products while managing their athletic commitments.

In-Store Advertising and New Formats

Dick’s offers brands multiple advertising channels within its physical and digital ecosystems. Digital screens and in-store audio systems provide traditional advertising space, while the retailer’s apps and streaming platforms offer additional exposure. The company has previously collaborated with athletic brands including Adidas, On, Under Armour, and Crocs, demonstrating its appeal to sports-focused advertisers.

Young emphasized the emotional connection sports creates, describing it as one of the few remaining aspects of culture that drives unified conversation and identity formation. He argued that youth sports uniquely influence decisions across categories: the number of cleats purchased, vehicle size and type, restaurant selection, and loyalty program participation. When parents manage their children’s sports schedules, they make numerous purchasing decisions that extend well beyond sporting goods alone.

The Broader Retail Advertising Trend

Dick’s approach reflects a larger shift within retail: major retail networks are increasingly monetizing customer data and foot traffic through targeted advertising. By positioning itself as a trusted authority for youth sports families, Dick’s is creating an advertising platform that appeals to brands seeking to reach emotionally invested consumers making deliberate purchase decisions.

The retailer’s multi-channel approach gives advertisers flexibility. A quick-service restaurant, for example, could run campaigns in Dick’s stores where parents shop, on the GameChanger app where youth athletes and families gather, and at Dick’s House of Sports locations where sports-centric entertainment occurs. This integrated strategy allows brands to reinforce messaging across multiple consumer touchpoints simultaneously.

For shoppers, this advertising expansion means increased promotional visibility, but also more curated offers tailored to family life and youth sports participation. As retailers invest in understanding their audiences, consumers should remain conscious of how their shopping habits inform the marketing messages they receive, while also appreciating that targeted advertising can surface relevant deals and products that align with their actual needs and interests.