Big 5 Sporting Goods

Last updated
Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation
Big 5 Sporting Goods
Company type Subsidiary of Worldwide Sports Group Holdings LLC
Industry
PredecessorUnited Merchandising Corp.
Founded1955;70 years ago (1955) as United Merchandising Corp.
FounderMaurie Liff
Harry Liff
Robert Miller
Headquarters
El Segundo, California
,
USA
Number of locations
410
Key people
Steven G. Miller (CEO)
Barry Emerson (Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer)
RevenueDecrease2.svgUS$795.4 million(2024) [1]
Decrease2.svgUS$−69.0 million (2024) [1]
Total assets Decrease2.svgUS$609.3 million (2024) [1]
Total equity Decrease2.svgUS$175.6 million (2024) [1]
OwnerWorldwide Sports Group Holdings LLC
Capitol Hill Group
Number of employees
7,600
≈2,100 full-time; ≈ 5,500 part-time [1]
Website big5sportinggoods.com
Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Glendale, California (2007) Big5Glendale.jpg
Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Glendale, California (2007)

Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation is a sporting goods retailer headquartered in El Segundo, California, with 410 stores in the Western United States. [2] Steven G. Miller is the chairman, president, and CEO.

Contents

History

Founded 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 as BGVF, was delisted from the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. [10]

Description

Big 5 stores are smaller than big-box competitors, with an average size of 12,000 square feet. The stores sell name-brand products and Big 5 products. [4]

Big 5 stores sell firearms, but face ever-stricter local regulations regarding the secure sale of firearms. [11]

References

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. 1 2 "Big 5 founder Robert W. Miller dies at age 85". Whittier Daily News. 2008-09-17. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
  5. ↑ Reed, Mack (1990-05-16). "Big 5 Fined $125,000 for False Advertising". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
  6. ↑ Vrana, Debora (1997-10-09). "Big 5 Founder to Buy Majority Stake in Firm". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
  7. ↑ "How Big 5 Sporting Goods is succeeding where other sporting goods stores have failed". Pasadena Star News. 2017-01-19. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
  8. ↑ "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.
  9. ↑ "Worldwide Golf Group LLC and Capitol Hill Group completed the acquisition of Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation". MarketScreener. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
  10. ↑ "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.
  11. ↑ "Council asks for new restrictions on gun sales and ownership". Santa Monica Daily Press. 2023-06-19. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
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