Underdog Sports & Fanfare

What Underdog Sports & Fanfare does

Underdog Sports & Fanfare is a privately held, independently owned brick-and-mortar sporting goods retailer founded in 2018 and headquartered at 2581 South MacArthur Blvd in Springfield, Illinois, with a second storefront at 4650 North Brandywine Drive in Peoria. The company buys, sells, and recycles new and used sporting goods, fan memorabilia, and games across multiple categories — baseball, softball, golf, disc golf, hockey, basketball, football, soccer, track & field, and volleyball — and carries licensed fan decor for more than 230 professional and college teams, including MLB, NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLS, and international soccer. Inventory depth is notable in disc golf, where over 8,000 new and used discs are stocked from manufacturers including Innova, Discraft, MVP, Axiom, Dynamic Discs, Latitude 64, and others. The company operates as a small independent retailer with 1–10 employees and no outside investors identified.

The revenue model combines new-goods retail sales, used-equipment resale, and a gear trade-in/buyback program in which customers exchange used equipment for gift cards or seasonal cash; Underdog then cleans, disinfects, and repairs items (bat regripping, skate sharpening) before reselling at discounted prices, creating a closed-loop equipment recycling cycle. Pricing is unit-based across varied price points (iron sets starting at $39.99), with team discounts available for bulk/youth programs and gift cards that do not expire. Distribution is exclusively through the two physical storefronts — no e-commerce channel exists, and customers must transact in person. Marketing is community-driven rather than digitally intensive: the company relies on Facebook and Twitter organic posts, a blog (archives 2018–2024), an email newsletter, local event sponsorship (Peoria Rivermen, Peoria Chiefs, Jr. Blues youth hockey), and recurring charitable partnerships with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region, Boys & Girls Club, Illinois Children's Care, and St. Jude's Hospital.

The business has no disclosed funding rounds, no e-commerce platform, no proprietary technology stack, and no AI/ML capability. Notable recent corporate developments include the soft-launch of the 'Unethical Hoops' branded board game (subsequently subject to a May 2024 cease-and-desist from NBA player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander demanding destruction of all copies, to which the company has not publicly responded). The company emphasizes a lean, community-rooted operating philosophy, with leadership including Joe Rusch (Chief of Sports), Paul Layton (Head Coach & Equipment Manager), and other named team members.

Name

Underdog Sports & Fanfare

Legal name

Underdog Sports & Fanfare

Website

https://underdog-sports.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Underdog Sports & Fanfare is a small independent retailer operating two brick-and-mortar stores in Central Illinois that buy, sell, and recycle new and used sporting goods, fan memorabilia, and games.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sporting Goods Retail

NAICS

Used Merchandise Retailers (4595), Sporting Goods Retailers (459110), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)

SIC

Retail-Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores (5940)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Line Sporting Goods Superstores (CRAMABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports Collectibles, Fan Gear & Licensed Merchandise Retail (CRAMABAO), Sports Memorabilia & Autographs Retail (CRALAGAI)

Keywords

• Used sporting goods
• Sports memorabilia retail
• Equipment recycling program
• Fan merchandise store
• Sporting goods resale

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales - New Goods: Sale of new sporting goods equipment, apparel, and accessories across multiple sports categories including baseball, softball, golf, disc golf, hockey, basketball, football, soccer, track & field, volleyball, and fan decor/memorabilia.
2. Retail Sales - Used Goods: Purchase and resale of quality used sporting equipment. Customers sell back gear, which is cleaned, disinfected, repaired, and resold at discounted prices. This creates a sustainable cycle and supports the local economy.
3. Gear Trade-In/Buyback Program: Customers can sell or trade their used sporting goods for gift cards or cash (seasonal). The company then refurbishes and resells the items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Underdog Sports & Fanfare operates two physical retail stores in Central Illinois (Springfield and Peoria) that buy, sell, and recycle new and used sporting goods, fan memorabilia, and games across categories including baseball, softball, golf, disc golf, hockey, basketball, football, soccer, track and field, volleyball, and licensed fan decor for over 230 professional and college teams. The company purchases used gear from customers, cleans, disinfects, and repairs the items, then resells them at discounted prices to support affordability and equipment recycling. Additional in-store services include bat regripping, skate sharpening, team discount programs, and a gear trade-in program that pays customers via gift cards or seasonal cash.

Product overview

Underdog Sports & Fanfare is a physical retail store operating in Central Illinois (Peoria and Springfield locations) that sells new and used sporting goods and memorabilia. The company operates as a single retail brand with multiple product categories including baseball/softball, golf, disc golf, hockey, basketball, football, soccer, track & field, volleyball, and pro/college fanfare merchandise. The company also buys and sells used equipment, recycles gear, and supports local charitable causes. The company has created branded products like the 'Unethical Hoops' board game, but has faced legal challenges related to unauthorized use of athlete likenesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Baseball & Softball Equipment New and used baseball and softball gear for T-ball through collegiate levels, including bats, cleats, gloves, helmets, catcher's gear, bags, balls, nets, training accessories, coaching equipment, umpire gear, and team discounts on pant/sock/belt/helmet combos. Targeted at youth athletes, parents, and organized baseball/softball teams in Central Illinois.
• Golf Equipment New and used golf gear including clubs, bags, balls, carts, gloves, and accessories from brands such as Callaway, Cleveland, Mizuno, Nicklaus, Nike, Odyssey, TaylorMade, Titleist, Tour Edge, Warrior, Wilson/Staff, with iron sets starting at $39.99, regrip and shaft services offered. Targeted at golfers of all skill levels, including value-driven buyers of used equipment.
• Disc Golf Equipment Over 8,000 new and used discs from brands including AGL, Axiom, Black Zombie, DGA, Discraft, Discmania, Doomsday, Dynamic Discs, Infinite, Innova, Latitude 64, Legacy, Lonestar, Mint, MVP, Prodigy, Reptilian, Streamline, Thought Space, Westside, and Yikun, plus bags, carts, apparel, and accessories (used and glow). Targeted at disc golf players from beginner to professional levels.
• Hockey & Figure Skating Equipment New and used hockey equipment including skates, gloves, helmets, pads, sticks, goals, and figure skating gear from brands including Bauer, CCM, Easton, Warrior, and Franklin. Targeted at youth and adult hockey players, figure skaters, and hockey programs in Central Illinois.
• Basketball Equipment New and used basketball gear including basketballs and shoes for men, women, and junior players. Targeted at individual basketball players and youth basketball programs.
• Football Equipment New and used football gear including cleats, pants, jerseys, gloves, undershirts, footballs, arm pads, and training equipment for 7-on-7, 11-on-11, and flag football. Targeted at youth football leagues, school programs, and recreational flag football players.
• Soccer Equipment New and used soccer gear including cleats, indoor shoes, and goalie gloves. Targeted at youth and adult soccer players across club and recreational play.
• Track & Field Equipment New and used track and field gear including spikes, discus, shot puts, training equipment, hurdles, poles, and speed training gear from brands including Adidas, ASICS, Nike, Mizuno, and New Balance. Targeted at school and collegiate track and field programs and individual athletes.
• Volleyball Equipment New and used volleyball gear including balls, knee pads, shoes, nets, scorebooks, whistles, and training aids from brands including Wilson, Franklin, Mizuno, and Champro. Targeted at school and club volleyball programs and recreational players.
• Pro & College Fanfare/Memorabilia Licensed fan decor and memorabilia including signed balls, photos, framed items, drinkware, and decorative items for over 230 professional and college teams across MLB, NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLS, and International Soccer. Targeted at sports fans, memorabilia collectors, and gift purchasers seeking team-themed merchandise.
• Unethical Hoops Board Game A board game parody created by Underdog Sports featuring a player character resembling NBA player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to mock his foul-drawing style of play. Targeted at basketball fans and collectors of novel sports-themed games.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Ongoing charitable partnership supporting BBBS fundraising events including Bowl for Kids Sake and Springfield Boat Races. Underdog staffs booths, runs games, and supports parking. BBBS 2018 event raised over $35,000 funding 50 mentoring matches. Partnership supports kids in Sangamon, Christian, Logan, Macoupin, and Montgomery Counties.
• Peoria RivermenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnderdog Sports sponsors the 'Fan of the Game' promotion for the Peoria Rivermen, a professional hockey team. This is a marketing partnership providing visibility and fan engagement opportunities.
• Peoria ChiefsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnderdog Sports sponsors the 'Underdog of the Game' promotion for the Peoria Chiefs minor league baseball team. Marketing visibility partnership at home games.
• Jr. Blues Youth HockeyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnderdog Sports sponsors the 'Team of the Game' program for Jr. Blues youth hockey organization, providing marketing visibility in exchange for community engagement.
• Illinois Children's CareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable partnership supporting the Illinois Children's Care organization, which provides medical assistance, equipment, and support to physically challenged children in Illinois. Underdog donates monthly to support their causes.
• Boys & Girls ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly charitable donations support the local Boys & Girls Club. The company also accepts gear donations that are converted to support youth charitable causes, keeping equipment out of landfills.
• St. Jude's HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly charitable donations to St. Jude's Hospital as part of the company's community support program.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/underdogsmg
• Facebookfacebook.com/UNDERDOGsportsPeoria
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/underdogsports

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Underdog Sports & Fanfare