About Sponsor:

Founded in 1995, Hat World, Inc. is comprised of more than 850 mall-based, airport, street level and factory outlet stores nationwide, and in Canada and Puerto Rico, operating primarily under the LIDS retail brand. The Indianapolis-based company is recognized as a specialty retail leader of officially licensed and branded athletic fashion headwear. Hat World also operates smaller retail brands HAT WORLD, HAT SHACK, LIDS LOCKER ROOM and HEAD QUARTERS. Stores offer a vast assortment of officially-licensed and branded professional and college sports teams, as well as other specialty fashion categories all in the latest styles and colors. The majority of stores also offer custom embroidery capability, and others carry licensed apparel. The company serves the core sports fan and fashion-conscious, trend-savvy mid-teen to mid-20s customer. Hat World also sells products and promotes its stores through the Internet site lids.com. In addition, licensed LIDS stores operate from premier street locations and kiosks within major department stores in Hong Kong and China. Hat World also owns Impact Sports Inc. out of Madison, Wisconsin, and Great Plains Sports of St. Paul, Minnesota. Both companies are team uniform, apparel and equipment dealers, custom screen printers and embroidery operators. Hat World is a subsidiary of Genesco Inc.