Starter CEO David Beckerman is the featured interview
in the current issue of SPORTING GOODS BUSINESS. Beckerman
said his company is "now in the process of adjusting and
finding our own particular niche. Many, I think, are going
to be surprised, ultimately, with the decisions we make,
since we're so identified either with a sport or sports
category. We have a responsibility to our shareholders and
to our employees. And, very simply, if we can't make money
at having a property -- whether it be a license or a
category -- we will walk away from it." Beckerman, on ways
to improve Starter's financial situation: "We're either
going to have to get bigger or we've got to get smaller. We
can't stay in between. And I have no problem with either."
When asked if growing bigger would be through an
acquisition, Beckerman said, "Absolutely." Looking ahead,
Beckerman said that Starter will do between $30M and $40M in
sales this year and that it will continue to look into
rolling out its own shoe line. The company will also
continue its legal action against Converse over the right to
use the "S" and star (Cory Bronson, SGB, 8/24 issue).
