History
The company's roots can be traced back to the 1960s when it was first established as "Neil's Sporting Goods." Initially catering to small league and school athletic teams, the business experienced significant growth in the following decades, leading Neil to develop a chain of nine sporting goods stores by the 1980s.
As time went on, Neil's Sport Shops diversified into various divisions, including retail, team sales, concessions, and military products. In 1984, Neil made the decision to sell his company to the W.C. Bradley Company in Columbus, GA, while continuing to be involved as an officer. Subsequently, the different divisions of Neil's Sport Shops were sold to other buyers, including Neil's brother Bill, who acquired the concession business and successfully managed concession sales for numerous schools within the Southeastern Conference.
Having recognized the potential in the concession sales and the retail side of sporting goods, Neil saw an opportunity to import products for his stores. This led him to venture into importing sporting goods apparel and selling them to various colleges. In 1986, Neil established "The Game" with the financial support of the W.C. Bradley Company, aiming to provide headwear designs specifically for colleges nationwide. The venture quickly gained momentum with the help of Neil's younger brother Phil, who had contacts with other salesmen across the country, helping to establish a national sales force for The Game.
In no time, The Game expanded beyond the college market and started catering to professional sports programs such as Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, and the National Basketball Association.
As time passed, Neil's contract as President of The Game ended in 1992, and he chose not to renew it. The management of The Game was then taken over by the W.C. Bradley Company, and the company was later acquired by Russell Athletic in 1993.
However, Neil's passion for the business didn't wane, and he found new opportunities through friend Bill Jordan, the founder of Realtree Outdoor Products, and Tommy Allison, the cousin and business manager of NASCAR driver Davey Allison. Together, they recognized the potential in upgrading licensed merchandise sold at NASCAR races. Thus, in January 1993, Neil formed "A-Star Promotions" to design, manage, and sell merchandise for the Davey Allison / Texaco Havoline racing team. This venture proved successful until Davey's tragic death in a helicopter accident at Talladega Superspeedway. Despite this setback, the experience led to the birth of "Kudzu," a company co-founded by Neil, Tommy Allison, Neil's brother Phil, and Neil's son Jeff. Kudzu specialized in designing, importing, and selling headwear and jackets to NASCAR teams, similar to what The Game had done for college and professional sports.
Between 1993 and 1998, several pivotal events shaped the landscape of the business. The W.C. Bradley Company sold The Game to Russell Athletic, while NASCAR experienced tremendous growth with new racetracks, well-known drivers, and extensive national television coverage. Kudzu's business expanded significantly, collaborating with major corporate sponsors on their apparel programs.
In 1998, Russell Athletic approached Neil with an offer to sell back The Game. By October of that year, the deal was finalized, and The Game returned to its original ownership. Since then, Neil, Tommy, Phil, Jeff, and the W.C. Bradley Company have worked diligently to restore the brand's prominence in the college markets.
In 2008, The Game made another significant stride by securing a contract with the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball to provide caps for all eight of its teams' game and batting practice
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