The SPORT SAQ story really began In the winter of 1992.  While living in Phoenix, Arizona, company Co-founder Curtis Medlen was awaken in the middle of the night from a dream and immediately grabbed a pencil nearby and a piece of paper and wrote down the words... “Basketball Bag”.  And, as they say, the rest is history.

For years the only bags available for many sports participants, including basketball players, were 'duffel' bags.  Then in 1993, SPORT SAQ changed all of that when it created (patented) the World's First 'Basketball Bag' a.k.a. the HOOP SAQ®.

The HOOP SAQ® which can be converted into Back Pack (see here) includes revolutionary features such as, the first-ever; Ball Compartment, Shoe Compartment and insulated Drink (Bottle) Holder on a bag.

The design was so innovative that it was granted a United States design patent on October 31, 1995.  And it was from this point that a revolution in the athletic bag industry began... From 'duffle bags' to 'sport-specific bags'.

Today, SPORT SAQ - enjoying its 13th year in business - is still the leader in designing, manufacturing and marketing sport-specific athletic bags...

If you play, you'll know!™

Whether you're looking for a bag for yourself, your team, or your entire organization, we have one designed specifically for you!

 

 

Company Timeline:

 

1992 – Inspired by his passion for the game of basketball, and his admiration for Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'neal.  Curtis thinks of a name for the new product, names such as, the (Charles) "BARKLEY BAG" and the "SHAQ SAQ" - for potential signature series models.  Curtis, seeing a future potential licensing/marketing opportunity, registers the names 'THE BARKLEY BAG' and 'SHAQ SAQ' in the state of Arizona the next day with the hopes of someday approaching these players with the opportunity

 

 

1993 – Curtis moves back to Spokane, Washington and fashions the first proto-type on his mother’s sewing machine - inventing the “Ball Compartment”, “Sport Drink/Bottle Holders” and "Back Pack Conversion System" on athletic bags– After discounting The Barkley Bag, Shaq-Saq and 'THE HOOPSTER' as the products' name, he settles on HOOP SAQ®

 

 

1994 – In January, Curtis successfully pitches his mother and company Co-founder, Lola Emter, and step-father Lloyd, for investment capital to launch company to manufacture and market his new invention. In April, Courtside Products, Inc. is incorporated and begins operations

 

The first order for 500 HOOP SAQ bags was ordered from Argo products, a small local sewing company owned by Gail Roberts who for several years was a quality control inspector for Jan Sport. Our cost per bag at that point was over $26.00 each. Gail told us she was not able to the supply the quantities we were requesting.  She told us to try contacting Multi-Fab another local, much larger, manufacturing company

 

Company sees additional market opportunities and further solidifies its role as pioneer of sport-specific athletic bags by introducing the first “Soccer Bag” and “Volleyball Bag” in the industry a.k.a. the SOCCER SAQ and SPIKE SAQ

 

We initially placed an order with Multi-Fab for 5,000 bags 50% HOOP SAQ'S and 50% SOCCER SAQ. Our cost at that point was $26.50 per bag

 

The company sets up its first office at 23 S. Pines Road in basement of Lola's Spokane Valley Antique Mall

 

Company conducts patent search, and finds nothing similar, the company applies for patent protection for the bags' innovative design with help from local intellectual property law firm Wells, St. John & Roberts

 

On June 11th Curtis completed the initial test-market for the HOOP SAQ at Central Valley High School, Spokane Valley, WA at a girls East vs. West All-Star Game.  It was a SUCCESS – the company sells 38 bags (out of 48 bags brought to event) at a retail price of $69.99

 

Second test-market on June 29^th & 30^th at Spokane Hoop Fest, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, is also successful – once again proving the concept as a viable consumer product, selling more than 140 bags at event special price of $59.99, company donates 10% of sales to Hoop Fest for charities

 

Local ABC-affiliate KXLY channel 4 television personality Rick Lukens does feature story on Curtis and the new company, soon after other members of area press contact company for additional articles, stories

 

Company places first national print ad for HOOP SAQ in SLAM basketball magazine, a newly created publication reaching hundreds of thousands of basketball players in the U.S. and company receives over 2,000 calls within first three weeks immediately following issue hitting the shelves

 

Company attends first tradeshow, the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) show in Chicago, booth display does not show up, company uses friend dressed up as Michael Jordan, in full uniform and toting HOOP SAQ and 6’ table for product demonstrations, many stop to check the bags out, several smaller retailers place orders

 

 

1995 – Company coins the phrase “sport-specific bag” and adopts it as its core business and marketing strategy

 

Lola, also passionate about sports and an entrepreneur with many years of business management experience, steps in as President to help run the growing company

 

Company moves to larger facility while seeking additional start-up capital and  raises additional equity funds to help during this early developmental stage

 

Company adopts SPORT SAQ as brand name, as well as SAQ being a synonym for bag it is an acronym that stands for: Style, Attitude and Quality

 

Recognizing the need for a smaller youth-sized soccer bag, the Company introduces SOCCER SAQ JR, a scaled down version of its popular SOCCER SAQ model, for younger players (age 11 and under).  Immediately, young players and their “soccer moms” fall in love with it

 

United States Patent & Trademark Office issues design patent D363,600 on October 31^st for the bag

 

Company successfully petitions NSGA for creation/addition of the “Basketball Bag” category in the sporting goods industry (within their Product Reference Index), the following year company is listed as sole supplier in the newly created category

 

Company is approached by Pepsi and goes to Pepsi headquarters and closes first ‘custom order’ for 2,500 Pepsi/NCAA emblazoned HOOP SAQ® bags to be used in a national NCAA promotion with their bottlers/retailers – which was a great success as we were told later by Pepsi contact

 

A large footwear and apparel company says that they “want the bag” sends letter of intent to “negotiate and conclude an agreement for a 3-year global marketing and distribution package" for the patented HOOP SAQ® and SOCCER SAQ®, but because of a few key issues, SPORT SAQ decides not to accept offer and continues on with its own plans

 

 

1996 – Company attends the Sporting Goods Manufacturers’ Association (SGMA) Super Show in Atlanta the company stops large group of high level executives for national chain and gives 2-minute sales pitch on lobby floor, HOOP SAQ® and SOCCER SAQ® bags then go into 15 store test and obtains 61% sell-through in 60 day test period

 

The company begins a relationship with Charles Kindt who is partnered with a Korean manufacturer, producing bags in China. Our cost per bag at that time is substantially lowered from the domestic (US) manufacturing cost, allowing for a stronger gross margin

 

 

1997 –The Company begins producing the bags in El Salvador…the cost of the bags at that point are fairly close to Korean manufacturer. The manufacture elects to cease production in El Salvador and moves his operation to China. We once again began having the bags made in China

 

 

1998 – Currently working on this time frame…

 

 

1999 – Company begins relationship with online retail partner Ebags.com, a leading bag retailer on the Internet, first order ships on June 29^th

 

 

2000 – Company signs a three year license agreement with USA VOLLEYBALL  designating the SPIKE SAQ as the official USA Volleyball bag.

 

Company begins selling bags to the Universal athletic stores.

 

Company begins selling bags to Fred Meyer department stores.

 

Company begins a relationship with West Indies promotion. Selling them bags through 2003

 

 

2001 – Company supplies bags for Eastern Illinois University.  Currently working on additional history for this time frame…

 

 

2002 – Company successfully introduces the BAQ SAQ, a multi-sport backpack; local Northwest sport camp successfully tests the market and sells more than 3,700 during 5 weeks of summer camps - they initially only expected to sell less than 1,000 as they had only sold 500-600 duffel type bags in past years

 

Company signs agreement with RAZOR USA, LLC becoming their “Official” scooter bag licensee/marketing partner, begins development of two initial products; one for skateboards/scooters and one general back pack - the RAZOR Back Pack is given to all RAZOR reps as their new briefcase, AND the bag makes it into the new Bad News Bear's movie starring Billy Bob Thornton

 

Company moves into to new larger corporate headquarters which is located in Spokane Valley, WA

 

Ebags announces that SPORT SAQ has successfully passed product quality and excellence in customer service tests and will be included in new program they will be launching later in year with Amazon.com

 

Company begins supplying bags for (Cheryl Swoopes) Swish Basketball Camp

 

 

2003 – Company begins selling bags to HOOPSTUFF in the UK

 

Company begins selling bags to Global Sports Interactive (GSI) and the websites they manage i.e. sportsauthority.com , dickssportinggoods.com, modells.com and others

 

Company sells HOOP SAQS to the Rice University Men's Basketball program

 

Company re-signs a three year agreement with USA Volleyball - maintaining Official Bag of USA Volleyball status

 

 

2004 – Company obtains CLC licensing for Gonzaga University and begins selling GU HOOP SAQ through select retailers

 

 

2005 – Company gets hoodwinked by local consultant/con man Keith Robertson and his associates in Nevada, namely Michael Paloma, and SPORT SAQ is taken public and then ripped off!  Company was guaranteed $1M in equity expansion capital and receives a paltry $75k.

 

NOTE: Paloma and associates are later sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $7.7M to several companies they defrauded - BUT ONLY HAVE TO START PAYING AFTER THEY GET OUT OF PRISON!

 

 

2006 – The company continues to struggle with lack of expansion capital.  The product speaks for itself. Most  sales are from returning customers and referrals. 

 

2007 – Company obtains additional licenses from the CLC for Washing State University and University of Washington.  Company begins to see sales slump due to economic downturn.

 

2008 – Company makes it through another tough year - goodbye old public shell hello new private corporate restructuring.  Company begins to cut expenses and increases sales, shows a profit for first time in several years.

 

2009 – Company is poised for additional growth in 2009 as it celebrates its 15th anniversary.  After selling the public shell, company changes its corporate name from Courtside Products, Inc. to SPORT SAQ USA.  Thanks to all the SPORT SAQ fans in the world - Company has now sold more than 200,000 sport-specific bags worldwide!

 

SPORT SAQ has become the standard by which all other bags are compared and is currently the #1 consumer-rated brand online in the "Sport & Duffels" category.