Sports Authority closing for good! All 450 stores!

[JMCB]

So its official. Sports Authority couldnt restructure, so they are closing all 450 stores and liquidating merchandise. So anyone wanting a good deal, just wait a little bit and you will start to see some really good deals online!

[Anonymous]

I knew some stores had closed, but when I went into the one near me last month, it felt really empty. I asked the manager if they were closing and she assured me they were just waiting on new product. I had a feeling she was wrong...

It's too bad really. I've depended on their awesome clearance for cheap gym clothes for as long as I can remember! Crossfit just destroys my clothes with some amount of regularity.

[Anonymous]

Do you happen to have a public reference for this statement?

My understanding is the following per an e-mail from Sports Authority:

"As we communicated in early March when we entered Chapter 11, we are closing or selling approximately 140 of our 450 stores.

We continue to move forward with this process, which we expect will be completed by the end of June."

* Thanks in advance  :-)

[thom02099]

There have been conflicting stories on this.  Forbes says that all 450 are closing.  CNN, however, said otherwise: 

CNN Story/Sports Authority Closing

I was in a very busy local Sports Authority and overheard a conversation a manager was having with a customer, in which he stated "we are not going anywhere...we are going to be here for a long time".  There were absolutely no signs that this store was having any sort of sale, no unusual mark downs, no signs indicating it.  Now, take this with a grain of salt, but according to the CNN article, there are only 3 stores closing in Colorado, as announced in this article.  

Of course, this could certainly change.  But seems like this would support what the previous poster stated, regarding the email received from Sports Authority.  

ETA:  Fortune Article/More Up To Date

Fortune reporting more up-to-date info, from 4 days ago.  So...this local Sports Authority manager was probably a bit optimistic about his future.  

[Cory]

I've read an article, don't have the information about now that they have filled for Chapter 7 and will be closing 150 out of 450 stores. Additionally, an email was sent to me with this information.

[Anonymous]

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@Cory wrote:

I've read an article, don't have the information about now that they have filled for Chapter 7 and will be closing 150 out of 450 stores. Additionally, an email was sent to me with this information.

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This is what I read also... 

[thom02099]

Well, it looks like it's now officially...official.  

Sports Authority Closing

Although this report doesn't indicate it, a local Denver TV station (Sports Authority HQ is in Englewood, a suburb), stated that sales would begin before the end of May and would run through June, when all stores would likely close. 

[Anonymous]

Sports Authority, in planning to close all of its stores,is set to launch its going-out-of-business sales this week, according to court documents.

In shutting down, the 463-store chain becomes the latest casualty among rivals for the sporting-good business. It follows the recently announced closure of the Sport Chalet chain, based on the West Coast. While sporting goods and athletic wear sales are growing, traditional retailers like the two chains have been hurt by competition from online.

Sports Authority's final sales are expected to start by Friday and finish by the end of August, the documents state.

15 hrs ago..............

[Anonymous]

UPDATE  e-mail just received from CEO

May 25, 2016

Dear Customers,

Sports Authority and its predecessor companies have been serving the sporting goods needs of our customers since 1919. It is with great sadness that we are intending to close all of our stores by the end of August.

We will be holding store closing sales at all of our locations that will allow you to take advantage of big discounts on great brands.

On behalf of the entire Sports Authority team, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to our customers for their years of loyalty. It has been a pleasure to serve you and your family.

Sincerely,


Michael Foss
Chief Executive Officer

Upcoming deadlines for taking advantage of our customer programs:

• LOYALTY PROGRAM: Customers’ outstanding rewards will expire on May 25, 2016, at which time the League program will terminate.
• CREDIT CARDS: The Sports Authority credit card can be used to make purchases through May 25, 2016, at which time it will no longer be accepted as a valid form of payment.
• WARRANTIES: Existing warranties for merchandise purchased at a Sports Authority store or on SportsAuthority.com remain in effect, and Asurion will continue covering all products purchased under our extended service plans without change or interruption. For more information, please visit www.asurion.com/ecp, or call toll-free at 1-866-882-8512.
• EXCHANGES/RETURNS: You can continue to make exchanges or returns at Sports Authority stores through June 25, 2016.
• GIFT CARDS: Gift cards will be honored through June 28, 2016; however we are no longer selling new gift cards.

[Anonymous]

I got this email earlier today too and it really irked me to see that rewards are expiring on the day they send the email. Thanks for the 10 hours notice! I don't live very close to my nearest location so I wasn't going to drive 45 minutes away to redeem my 17 bucks.