Case Study

Cascade Maverik is a manufacturer of lacrosse equipment. The company name is the result of the merger of Cascade Lacrosse and Maverick Lacrosse and the company is part of Peak Achievement Athletics, Inc. Cascade was founded in 1986 as a manufacturer of head protection equipment for male and female lacrosse athletes at all levels of the sport. The company's "passion to protect" is supported by leading edge research, design, testing, and manufacturing. Maverick was founded in 2005 as a manufacturer of heads, shafts, complete sticks, and protective gear. The founders and staff consist of many professional, college, and recreational lacrosse players who have created a company that is "powered by the player." Together, the two brands have helped Cascade Maverik become a market leader in the lacrosse hard goods market. Cascade Maverik is well-known for its knowledgeable sales representatives and the exceptional customer service they provide. The case discusses the sales management function at Cascade Maverick with Tim Ellsworth, global business director, and Debbie Errante, sales manager. In addition, the case follows Laura Edward, a territory sales representative on several sales calls to illustrate the activities related to the stages of the personal selling process.

The popularity of lacrosse continues to grow, and the annual US Lacrosse Participation Report indicates that there are now more than 829,000 lacrosse players in the United States. At the college level there are 380 schools sponsoring men's lacrosse, and 505 schools sponsoring women's lacrosse. At the professional level there are three men's leagues - Major League Lacrosse, the National Lacrosse League, and the Premier Lacrosse League. There are also two women's leagues - the Women's Professional Lacrosse League, and the United Women's Lacrosse League. The National Lacrosse League recently reported that the total ticket sales for one season now exceeds 1 million, and that 60 percent of ticket sales are to people who never played lacrosse. At the international level, the International Olympic Committee recently granted provisional recognition to the World Lacrosse organization. Employers are interested in Lacrosse players too. "We want to recruit great teammates," explains Asher Raphael, co-CEO of a 2500-employee firm in Philadelphia. "Of the 29 staffers in human resources, for example, 16 are former college athletes in either soccer, lacrosse or football" he says. Cascade Maverick has become the leader in NCAA Division 1 college lacrosse. The company recently renewed partnerships with Penn State, the University of Michigan, Villanova, and Fairfield University. Cascade helmets are used by 70% of Division 1 schools. "There is a reason why Cascade is trusted by more teams in NCAA D1 men's lacrosse and why Maverik has elevated itself to the #1brand in lacrosse equipment," says Kevin Simmons, Sports Marketing Manager at Cascade Maverik. The partnerships created by the salesforce and the customer service the sales representative provide are a big part of the reason!

Question

1. What factors are contributing to the growth of lacrosse and lacrosse equipment?

2. What are some of Cascade Maverik's success factors?