Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation is a sporting goods retailer headquartered in El Segundo, California, with 410 stores in the Western United States.[2] Theodore Shin is the CEO as of January 2026.
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| Big 5 Sporting Goods | |
Company type | Subsidiary of Worldwide Sports Group Holdings LLC |
| Nasdaq: BGFV | |
| Industry |
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| Predecessor | United Merchandising Corp. |
| Founded | 1955 as United Merchandising Corp. |
| Founder | Maurie Liff Harry Liff Robert Miller |
| Headquarters | , |
Number of locations | 410 |
Key people | Theodore Shin (CEO) John Lucero (Chief Financial Officer) |
| Revenue |  US$795.4 million(2024)[1] |
| US$−69.0 million (2024)[1] | |
| Total assets | US$609.3 million (2024)[1] |
| Total equity | US$175.6 million (2024)[1] |
| Owner | Worldwide Sports Group Holdings LLC Capitol Hill Group |
Number of employees | 7,600 ≈2,100 full-time; ≈ 5,500 part-time [1] |
| Website | big5sportinggoods.com |
History
editFounded in September 1955 by Maurie Liff, Harry Liff and Robert Miller,[3] its name is derived from the first five Army surplus stores that were opened in California.[4] Sportswest and Sportsland were acquired in May 1988 from Pay 'n Save.
In 1990, the company was fined $125,000 for selling discounted brand-name shoes that were actually poorly manufactured by those brands to be distributed only in Big 5 stores. For example, some New Balance models sold in Big 5 stores used a cardboard heel cup instead of a plastic heel cup. The investigation started when long-distance runner Gary Tuttle reported the oddly poor quality of the name-brand shoes he had purchased at Big 5 stores.[5]
In 1997, Robert Miller and his son Steven G. Miller bought Big 5 back from Leonard Green & Partners, owners since 1992, by acquiring a majority stake. By then, the firm was making $400 million in revenue with 202 stores in 9 states.[6]
In 2016, the company posted net sales of $1.02 billion with 432 stores in 11 States.[7]
On June 29, 2025, Worldwide Golf Group and Capitol Hill Group reached an agreement valued at $33.6 million to acquire the company, with stockholders receiving $1.45 per share.[8] On October 2, 2025, the transaction had been completed and Big 5 became a private company and merged with Worldwide Sports Holdings LLC.[2][9] Big 5's common stock, which had traded under the ticker symbol BGFV, was delisted from the Nasdaq.[10]
Description
editBig 5 is one of the largest sporting good retailers in the western United States. The average store is typically smaller than big-box competitors, with an average size of 12,000 square feet, but enables locations in both large and small communities. The stores sell name-brand products and Big 5 products.[4]
Big 5 stores sells firearms in some locations, but face ever-stricter local regulations regarding the secure sale of firearms.[11]
References
edit
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 29 December 2024". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 14 March 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
- 1 2 "Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation Completes Merger with a Partnership Comprised of Worldwide Golf and Capitol Hill Group" (Press release). El Segundo, California and Bethesda, Maryland: Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation. Globe Newswire. 2 October 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
- ↑ Dow Jones Client Solutions (September 5, 2010). "Investor Relations Home". Big 5 Sporting Goods. Big 5 Sporting Goods, Inc. Archived from the original on 6 September 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
Big 5 is the leading sporting goods retailer in western United States, operating stores in 12 states.
- 1 2 "Big 5 founder Robert W. Miller dies at age 85". Whittier Daily News. 2008-09-17. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ↑ Reed, Mack (1990-05-16). "Big 5 Fined $125,000 for False Advertising". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ↑ Vrana, Debora (1997-10-09). "Big 5 Founder to Buy Majority Stake in Firm". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ↑ "How Big 5 Sporting Goods is succeeding where other sporting goods stores have failed". Pasadena Star News. 2017-01-19. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ↑ "Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation Enters Into Definitive Agreement to Be Acquired by a Partnership Comprised of Worldwide Golf and Capitol Hill Group" (Press release). El Segundo, California; Bethesda, Maryland: Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation. Globe Newswire. 30 June 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
- ↑ "Worldwide Golf Group LLC and Capitol Hill Group completed the acquisition of Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation". MarketScreener. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ↑ "Equity Corporate Actions Alert #2025-538: Information Regarding the Merger of Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation (BGFV)". Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. 2 October 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
- ↑ "Council asks for new restrictions on gun sales and ownership". Santa Monica Daily Press. 2023-06-19. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
External links
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