USA: Global Sports And Toysrus.Com To Offer Youth Sports Website

Toysrus.com (www.toysrus.com), the children's products e-tailer, announced last week that it has signed an agreement with Global Sports, Inc (Nasdaq:GSPT) to develop a new youth sporting goods e-commerce site called Sportsrus.com. Slated to launch this Autumn on Toysrus.com, Sportsrus.com allows the company to target the youth sports market which is reputed to take in 20 million children in the US.Sportsrus.com will feature a variety of apparel, footwear, games, and equipment, and sports-related information for parents of children ages three to 12. The site will include easy-to-navigate links, shop by age searches, a broad selection of nearly 1,000 brands, safety content, sizing charts and expert recommendations. "Our goal is to diversify the 'R' Us franchise to become a one-stop kid and family destination on the Internet. By tapping into Global Sports' experience in the online sporting goods category, we can quickly capitalize on their strength while expanding the Toysrus.com product offerings," said John Barbour, CEO, Toysrus.com.As part of the agreement, Global Sports will develop and host the day-to-day technical management of the site, including product fulfilment and customer service support. Merchandising of the products will be coordinated in conjunction with the Toysrus.com buying teams. "The idea of a specific online sporting goods store targeted to kids is a valuable concept. Sportsrus.com represents a way to grow the overall sporting goods market through an entirely new channel," stated Michael G. Rubin, chairman and CEO, Global Sports.