Escalade sports

What Escalade sports does

Escalade Sports (legal name Escalade, Inc.) is a publicly traded sporting goods manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Evansville, Indiana, operating on NASDAQ under ticker ESCA. Founded in 1922, the company employs 501-1,000 people and designs, manufactures, and sells a diversified portfolio of sporting goods, fitness equipment, and indoor/outdoor recreation products under 19+ sub-brands spanning basketball hoops (Goalrilla, Silverback, Goaliath), pickleball (ONIX, a pioneer since 2005), table tennis (STIGA, under exclusive North American distribution rights), darts (Accudart, Arachnid, Unicorn, Prodigy), billiards (Mizerak, American Legend, Triumph, Atomic, American Heritage), archery (Bear Archery, Gold Tip Archery acquired September 2025), fitness (Lifeline Fitness, adidas licensing), water sports (RAVE Sports), outdoor games (Triumph, Victory Tailgate), playground equipment (Jack & June), and cornhole (American Cornhole League). Proprietary product technologies include Infinity Edge backboards, Stabili-Strength, Stabili-Frame base systems, Ergo Move wheel design, True Flight pickleball ball technology, and Carbon Fiber Power Frame with ThermoFused construction. The company is led by CEO Walt Glazer, with 65.2% institutional ownership and a dispersed public shareholder base.

Escalade Sports operates a multi-channel go-to-market strategy combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce through escaladesports.com and eight brand-specific storefronts (Goalrilla, ONIX, STIGA, Bear Archery, Lifeline Fitness, RAVE Sports, Victory Tailgate, Goalsetter), independent dealer networks for premium products requiring professional installation, and third-party retail partnerships. Marketing channels include content marketing via the company blog, SEO-optimized product pages, an affiliate program through Impact.com, and email newsletter promotions. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time hardware sales at price points ranging from entry-level (pool cues $14.99-$59.99, table tennis balls $3.99-$24.99) through mid-range (portable basketball hoops $589.95-$699.95, dartboards $109.99-$449.95) to premium professional-grade equipment (in-ground hoops up to $1,399.95, multi-game tables up to $2,099.99, pool tables up to $2,599.99), with licensing and brand royalties from the STIGA agreement and acquisition-driven revenue lines such as Gold Tip Archery.

Financially, the company reported Q1 2026 net sales of $55.8M (up 0.6% YoY) and Q2 2026 net sales of $57.7M (up 6% YoY), with Q1 2026 net income of $4.4M (+67.2% YoY), EBITDA of $7.1M (+44.1% YoY), gross margin of 30.7% (+408 bps), and EPS of $0.32 (+67.2%). Q2 2026 net income reached $9.4M ($0.68 per diluted share). Total debt stood at $16.7M with $57.9M of credit facility availability, indicating strong balance sheet liquidity. The primary customer segment is individual consumers and families for home recreational use, with secondary segments in professional/tournament players, athletic training facilities, and game room enthusiasts.

Name

Escalade sports

Legal name

Escalade, Inc.

Website

https://escaladesports.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Escalade Sports (Escalade, Inc., NASDAQ: ESCA) is a 100+ year-old US sporting goods manufacturer and distributor selling 19+ branded product lines spanning basketball, pickleball, table tennis, darts, billiards, archery, fitness, and outdoor recreation to individual consumers, families, and professional players via DTC e-commerce, dealer networks, and retail partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sporting Goods and Recreational Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers (4591)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Basketball Equipment Retail (CRAMAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pickleball Equipment & Accessories Retail (CRAMAFAB), Table Tennis (Ping Pong) Equipment Retail (CRAMAFAE), Team Sports Goals, Nets & Field Equipment Retail (CRAMAEAK), Team Sports Training Aids & Coaching Equipment Retail (CRAMAEAL)

Keywords

• Sporting goods manufacturing
• Outdoor recreation equipment
• Indoor game tables
• Basketball hoop systems
• Fitness and training equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Evansville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consumer Retail (E-commerce and Dealer Network): Escalade Sports generates the majority of revenue through direct-to-consumer sales of sporting goods, fitness equipment, and recreation products via its owned e-commerce platform (escaladesports.com) and independent dealer networks. Products include basketball hoops, table tennis tables and equipment, pickleball paddles and balls, dartboards, pool tables, outdoor games, and fitness equipment. This is primarily a one-time hardware purchase model for consumers.
2. Licensing and Brand Royalties: Escalade Sports earns licensing revenue through exclusive agreements such as the STIGA table tennis North American distribution rights. The company holds exclusive rights to produce and distribute STIGA-branded table tennis products across North America, which generates royalty income alongside product sales.
3. Acquisition-Driven Growth (Gold Tip Archery): The September 2025 acquisition of Gold Tip Archery contributed to revenue growth in 2026, with new archery products mentioned as a driver of Q2 2026 net sales increase. This represents organic revenue contribution from acquired product lines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Escalade Sports designs, manufactures, and distributes sporting goods, fitness, and indoor/outdoor recreational equipment across a multi-brand portfolio. The company sells basketball hoops, pickleball paddles and balls, table tennis tables, darts and dartboards, pool and billiards tables, indoor game tables (foosball, air hockey, shuffleboard, multi-game), outdoor games (cornhole, bocce), water sports equipment, playground playsets, archery gear, and fitness/training equipment under brands including Goalrilla, Silverback, ONIX, STIGA, Bear Archery, Accudart, Arachnid, Mizerak, American Legend, Triumph, Atomic, RAVE Sports, and Jack & June. Escalade holds exclusive North American rights to STIGA-branded table tennis products.

Product overview

Escalade Sports is a US-based sporting goods manufacturer headquartered in Evansville, Indiana, established in 1922. The company designs, manufactures, and sells a diversified portfolio of sporting goods, fitness, and indoor/outdoor recreation equipment under multiple sub-brands. The product portfolio spans basketball hoops (Goalrilla, Silverback, Goaliath brands), pickleball equipment (ONIX), table tennis (STIGA - exclusive North American rights), darts (Accudart, Arachnid, Unicorn), billiards/pool tables (Mizerak, American Legend, Atomic), indoor games (foosball, air hockey, shuffleboard, multi-game tables), outdoor games (cornhole, bocce, disc games), water sports (RAVE Sports), playground equipment (Jack & June), archery (Bear Archery, Gold Tip), and fitness/training equipment. The company distributes products through owned e-commerce sites and a network of retail partners, positioning itself as a 'family of brands' serving recreational to professional athletes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Goalrilla: Premium basketball hoops brand offering in-ground, portable, and wall-mounted hoops with professional-grade features
• ONIX Pickleball
• STIGA
• Bear Archery
• Lifeline Fitness
• Victory Tailgate
• RAVE Sports
• American Heritage
• American Legend
• Silverback
• Goaliath
• Accudart
• Arachnid
• Triumph
• Mizerak
• Atomic
• Jack & June
• Unicorn
• Onix

Products and services

• In-Ground Basketball Hoops

Quantifiable outcome

• Q2 2026 net sales increased 6% year-over-year to $57.7 million
• +5 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Gold Tip ArcherycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Gold Tip Archery, acquired by Escalade in September 2025, represents a significant strategic acquisition expanding the company's product portfolio into archery equipment. The acquisition contributed to Q2 2026 revenue growth of 6% year-over-year, with new archery products cited as a key driver of performance alongside improved gross margins. Gold Tip Archery operates as part of Escalade's family of brands.
• STIGAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSTIGA, a Swedish company specializing in table tennis equipment since 1944, has granted Escalade Sports exclusive rights to produce and distribute STIGA-branded table tennis products across North America. This partnership enables Escalade to offer STIGA's professional-grade table tennis tables, rackets, balls, and accessories through its e-commerce platforms, leveraging STIGA's brand heritage of 'building world champions since 1944.'

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Wilson Sporting Goods: Amer Sports-owned multi-sport equipment maker (basketballs, tennis, baseball, pickleball via合资 ventures) serving both consumer and team sports; comparable to Escalade's broad multi-brand sporting goods strategy and dealer/retail distribution.
• Spalding: Iconic basketball equipment brand (balls, hoops, backboards) under OLX, directly comparable to Escalade's Silverback/Goalrilla/Goaliath basketball hoop portfolio and consumer sporting goods retail.
• Dick's Sporting Goods: Largest U.S. sporting goods retailer carrying Escalade's portfolio among many brands; comparable as a major retail channel for basketball, pickleball, fitness, and outdoor recreation equipment.
• Academy Sports + Outdoors: Multi-category sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer carrying basketball, water sports, fitness, and game room equipment; comparable as a major brick-and-mortar channel for Escalade's product range.
• Head Sports: Global racquet sports brand (tennis, squash, paddle) and winter sports equipment; overlaps with Escalade's STIGA table tennis and broader racquet sport positioning with comparable licensing/brand-led strategy.

Direct peers

• Brunswick Corporation: Diversified recreation leader in billiards (Brunswick Billiards), bowling, marine, and fitness; directly comparable to Escalade's American Legend/Mizerak billiards brand and multi-category recreation strategy (Brunswick Billiards is also a key Escalade brand).
• JOOLA: Table tennis and pickleball equipment brand with strong U.S. presence and pro-tournament credibility; directly comparable to Escalade's STIGA (table tennis) and ONIX (pickleball) brands in racquet/paddle sports retail.
• Selkirk Sport: Premium pickleball paddle brand with strong tournament presence; directly competes with ONIX Pickleball in the high-end paddle segment and is one of the most cited picks against Escalade in the pickleball category.
• Nautilus, Inc. Home fitness equipment maker (Bowflex, Schwinn) with comparable retail and direct-to-consumer go-to-market in fitness/strength equipment; comparable to Escalade's Lifeline Fitness and adidas-licensed fitness categories.
• Lifetime Products: Maker of Lifetime basketball hoops, kayaks, and outdoor products; directly competes with Goalrilla/Silverback/Goaliath basketball hoops and shares the home/backyard recreation consumer with Escalade.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/escalade-sports

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Escalade sports