Sports & Fitness Industry Responds with Support During Coronavirus Outbreak
The coronavirus has caused an enormous amount of uncertainty for individuals all around the world. With schools closing, sports suspended, people required (or urged) to stay at home, businesses are taking a drastic hit. Leaders in the sports & fitness industry are having to adapt accordingly, and continue to push the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle, perhaps now more than ever. Some are offering initiatives, some are generously giving and others are offering services to get more people moving. So far, just in the past several weeks, many companies are helping Americans accommodate to the current climate and the situation their customers face.
ASICS
Asics has opened access to the Asics Studio at-home workout app to anyone free of charge as part of its response to COVID-19.
Badger Sport
Initial sales of its Badger Performance Activity Masks, shown above, have generated over $14,000 in net proceeds, all of which is being donated to the All Clear Foundation a 501c3 organization dedicated to improving the life expectancy and wellbeing of all First Responders.
Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops Founder Johnny Morris is personally donating one million FDA-approved ASTM Level 1 Procedure Face Masks to healthcare workers and first responders working on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis across the U.S.
Bauer
Bauer, the hockey equipment manufacturing company, has shifted its focus from equipment that serves players on the ice to materials such as masks and shields for medical professionals as the world fights the coronavirus pandemic.
Burton
Burton Snowboards announced that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company is donating 500,000 KN95 respirator masks to health care workers on the frontlines across the Northeast.
Diamond Kinetics
Diamond Kinetics, amidst the current pandemic, are launching ‘DK- Play at Home Initiative’. DK is encouraging social distancing recommendations and have adapted a technology allowing baseball/ softball players to practice at home just as effectively as they could with their team. This will be a free 3-month subscription, allowing any hitter or pitcher to hone their skills. Along with this, they are offering discounted prices to anyone that has been affected by COVID-19.
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Dick’s Sporting Goods is responding to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in western Pennsylvania. Dick’s has donated cots and blankets, as well as fanny packs for caregivers to carry essential personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves, face shields and hand sanitizer.
Dickies
Dickies, in partnership with its parent company, VF Corp., announced that it is further supporting the fight against COVID-19 in the U.S. by manufacturing 3.4 million FDA-compliant isolation gowns for hospitals and healthcare workers.
Emblem Athletic
The SFIA Start-Up Challenge finalist, Emblem Athletic, has transitioned manufacturing from apparel to masks. They have donated a shipment of 1,000 surgical masks this week, as they continue to manufacture more.
Fanatics
Fanatics Founder and Executive Chairman, Michael Rubin, launched the ALL IN Challenge, which aims to be the largest digital fundraising movement ever with a goal of raising tens of millions of dollars or more to feed those in need during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. Check out the one-in-a-lifetime opportunities you could win!
Fanatics & MLB
The Fanatics and MLB partnership is repurposing. Fanatics has halted jersey production efforts and is repurposing its manufacturing plant to immediately begin making masks and gowns. The masks and gowns will be made with the exact same jersey fabric that the players wear on the field.
Franklin Sports
Franklin Sports is producing large quantities of FDA approved, Level 1 ASTM Disposable Face Masks. Their goal is to distribute 1 million masks in the next 2 weeks to the front-line workers who need them most. Franklin Sports is matching every dollar raised up to $250,000 in order to reach their goal of 1 million masks. This amount plus every dollar that is raised over and above will be used 100% in our efforts to manufacture more masks.
G-Form
G-Form LLC, which makes personal protective gear for team sports athletes, outdoor enthusiasts and military/tactical personnel, announced that it has dedicated its North Smithfield, RI, manufacturing facility, Polyworks, to the production of ANSI/ISEA Z87 D3 personal protective equipment (PPE) face shields.
Gildan
Gildan has joined forces with various partners to produce non-medical face masks and isolation gowns in support of the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guardian Sports
Guardian Sports shifted gears and began manufacturing hand sanitizer for consumers, corporations, and first responders. Guardian has manufactured and distributed over 100,000 gallons in the past two weeks and is grateful for the opportunity to serve. Guardian also offers 50% discounts to all first responders.
Hanes
Hanes clothing company is retrofitting factories to make masks to combat the aggressive spread of novel coronavirus. The company confirmed it was pairing with the government to make masks for health care workers on the front line of fighting the disease.
Keen
Keen, an American footwear company, has pledged 100,000 pairs of shoes ($10,000,000) to the brave people fighting COVID-19 on the frontlines.
Life Fitness
Life Fitness, the global leader in commercial fitness equipment, announced today a new initiative to produce non-medical, reusable face coverings in its global manufacturing plants. The Life Fitness branded face coverings are available to purchase in packs of 25 on the company’s website. For every pack of 25 sold through June 18, 2020, Life Fitness will donate $1.00 per face covering to No Kid Hungry in the United States to help provide children with meals they need during school closures.
NBA & WNBA
The NBA and the WNBA are partnering with Fanatics to produce cloth face coverings with team logos on them to help communities impacted by the coronavirus. The decision to sell the team-branded products to help COVID-19 relief is the NBA’s latest effort to try and make a positive difference amid the pandemic. All league proceeds from the sales of the new face cloth coverings will benefit Feeding America in the United States and Second Harvest in Canada.
NBA
The NBA has launched its “NBA Together” campaign, an outreach initiative to support, engage, educate and inspire, in response to the global coronavirus pandemic situation. The NBA is also offering free access to NBA Game Pass streaming content from the 2019–20 season through April 22.
New Balance
New Balance has committed $2 million in non-profit grants in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support local, regional and global communities. The funds will be allocated to the following organizations: Global Giving, No Kid Hungry The Boston Resiliency Fund, Groundwork Lawrence, Good Shepherd Food Bank in Maine, the St. Louis Area Foodbank and many others. In addition, New Balance has donated more than $1 million worth of footwear to front line medical workers.
NFL
Amid COVID-19 and the suspension of the most sports, the NFL is offering free access to NFL Game Pass until May 31st so fans can relive some of the greatest moments in football. In addition, the NFL has partnered with the American Heart Association to provide programming for children and families to stay active while at home. In addition, the NFL has announced that the 2020 NFL Draft will serve as a three-day virtual fundraiser benefiting six charities — selected by the NFL Foundation — that are battling the spread of COVID-19 and delivering relief to millions in need.
Nike
Nike has donated $15 million to COVID-19 response efforts worldwide, as well as further supporting where Nike employees live and work by pushing for a two-to-one match for any donations to support COVID-19 responses on both a local and international scale. Nike has also pledged an additional $1.6 million to help local organizations meet immediate needs, such as food assistance and medical care. In addition, Nike is donating 30,000 pairs of Nike Air Zoom Pulse to health systems and hospitals across the country.
North Face
The North Face announced it will join in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic with the donation of $1 million in grants through its social advocacy platform, The Explore Fund, as well as the donation of 60,000 gloves to U.S. healthcare professionals and first responders.
Physical Activity Alliance
The Physical Activity Alliance has created an ever-growing list of all the free health and fitness resources available during this time. These resources range from free online, at-home workout programs provided by gyms, kids activity ideas and videos, athletic skills and training, and so much more.
PVH Corp
The PVH Foundation — PVH Corp.’s philanthropic fund specifically dedicated to nonprofit donations and volunteer programs — announced an additional $1 million, for a total commitment of more than $2 million, toward COVID-19 relief efforts. The additional donation will support frontline medical workers, the fight against food insecurity, supply chain and industry relief, and community resiliency.
SanMar
SanMar, the Seattle,WA-based apparel and accessories supplier, is part of a coalition of U.S. apparel companies working with the White House to build a supply chain to produce millions of much-needed face masks. These masks will be distributed by the federal government to support hospitals, health care workers and others battling the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Sports Engine
SportsEngine is providing must-see information and tips to keep children healthy and active amongst this pandemic, while following isolation rules that have been implemented. SportsEngine is also providing programs and applications to facilitate and encourage activity at home.
Under Armour
Under Armour has donated $1 million to Good Sports’ efforts in supplying youth leagues with sufficient equipment, footwear and apparel. This will be implemented after users join Under Armour’s 30-day fitness challenge on their MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun applications. In addition, Under Armour has also donated $1 million to Feeding America to help their efforts in supplying hunger relief to those affected by school closures and quarantine measures. In addition, to support the University of Maryland Medical System’s 28,000 health care providers and staff, Under Armour is manufacturing and assembling face masks, face shields and specially equipped fanny packs, and is also exploring fabricating hospital gowns for the statewide medical system.
USTA
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is set to commit more than $50 million in spending to support its sport’s ecosystem, over a multi-year, multi-phase plan response to the expected financial impact generated by the coronavirus pandemic.
In times like these, it’s increasingly important to stand together (not physically…) and combat the hardships the industry endures. The honorable actions of these companies speak volumes about the dedication and determination to beat this virus and return to normal life. We thank everyone who has committed time, effort and money to helping individuals, employees and medical workers right now; and we hope even more companies follow suit.
If your company has been involved with a program to help people during the COVID-19 crisis, please let us know, so we can add you to this continuously growing list.
Email: aschulman@sfia.org
