Riddell Sports Group

Riddell Sports Group, Inc.
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustrySports equipment
Founded1927; 97 years ago (1927)
FounderJohn Tate Riddell
Headquarters
Rosemont, Illinois
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Dan Arment (CEO)
Products
OwnerBRG Sports
Websiteriddell.com

Riddell Sports Group is an American company specializing in sports equipment for American football. It was headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois.[1] In 2017, the company relocated to a new facility in adjacent Des Plaines, Illinois.[2][3]

The company was started by John Tate Riddell. He first invented the removable cleat, and then went on to invent the first ever plastic suspension helmet in 1939. In 2008, Dan Arment was appointed president of Riddell. Arment previously worked as executive vice-president and general manager of mass-market business for BRG Sports, Riddell's parent company, which is owned by private equity firm Fenway Partners.[4] Fenway acquired the company in 2003 from Lincolnshire Management.[5][6] In 2008, Riddell sued competitor Schutt Sports.[7] Two years later, Schutt filed a lawsuit, also for patent-infringement, against Riddell. Riddell won, leading to Schutt filing for bankruptcy.[8]

  1. ^ "About Us- Worldwide Locations-Rosemont, IL". Easton-Bell Sports. Archived from the original on 2014-06-20.
  2. ^ Ecker, Danny (2017-03-15). "Riddell moving headquarters". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  3. ^ "Riddell, Inc. | Morgan / Harbour Construction".
  4. ^ People on the Move
  5. ^ FENWAY PARTNERS BUYS SPORTS APPAREL MANUFACTURER. New York Times, July 8, 2003
  6. ^ Chief Executive at Riddell Sports Quits[permanent dead link]. New York Times, June 26, 2001
  7. ^ "Files Patent Infringement Action Against Schutt Sports". Riddell. 2008-12-10. Archived from the original on 2011-07-01. Retrieved 2012-09-24.
  8. ^ McCarty, Dawn (2010-09-07). "Schutt Sports Files Bankruptcy, Seeks Bar to Riddell Patent Suit Damages". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2012-07-21.