Nike's hockey division will hire an entirely new sales force
to market the company's ice and in-line skates due to arrive in
retail outlets next year, according to SPORTING GOODS BUSINESS.
The new effort will be independent of Nike's apparel and footwear
reps, as well as subsidiary Canstar. Pierre Boivin, GM of Nike's
hockey division and CEO of Canstar, said it would not make sense
to thrust an entire new category on Nike's existing sales force
and that combining forces with Canstar was not a possibility.
Boivin: "The intention is to truly be two brands" (Andy
Bernstein, SPORTING GOODS BUSINESS, 3/96 issue).
MORE NIKE NEWS: Distribution of Nike's NFL Pro Line
merchandise will be "limited" to just over two dozen chains next
season, most of which will receive only enough product to satisfy
local markets where Nike is outfitting NFL teams. According to
SPORTING GOOD BUSINESS, Foot Locker and FootAction will be among
the few with enough merchandise to go national (SPORTING GOODS
BUSINESS, 3/96)....Nike's total revenue hit a record $1.49B last
quarter, up 38% from the same quarter last year (Portland
OREGONIAN, 3/15).
