DICK’S — Green Laces & Fifth Ward Saints

The Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation was on a mission to save youth sports. They had terrifying research that within a few years, 27% of public high schools could be without funding for sports. Awareness of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation [Sports Matter] was also low.

They needed a symbol for getting the word out.

So we came up with the Sports Matter Green Laces. They were sold in every Dick’s store across the country, where $2 of every laces sold would go to saving youth sports. And they were recognized by Fast Company as one of their World Changing Ideas.

Fifth Ward Saints

To launch the green laces we shared the story of the Fifth Ward Saints, a youth football team in inner-city Houston that had had their football equipment stolen out of their team trailer. Without the funds to replace it, the team was essentially disbanded. But the determined coach, Carlos Honore, kept fighting because he knew what sports could do for kids. We followed Carlos and the remaining team members around for a week documenting their fight, and at the end surprised them with new gear [and GREEN LACES] and a donation to keep the Fifth Ward Saints going.

Directed by Ben Quinn

Cinematography by Ryley Brown

Edited by Jeff Ferruzzo

Created with Jeremy Straight & Andrew Loevenguth

Full documentary

And if you loved the short version, we created a 10-minute version for film festivals and screenings. Grab a tissue box, trust me.

We designed everything for the green laces. From the product to the packaging, even incorporating the ribbon shape into the Sports Matter wordmark.

NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats

We engaged NFL players Deandre Hopkins, Melvin Gordon, Derrick Henry, Earl Thomas, TJ Watt and others during the NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats games and designed custom cleats for some tauting our message. Others just wore the laces proudly.

And in social we continued our engagement with athletes and influencers from different sports sharing personal stories about what sports have meant to them in their lives.

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The back of the Green Laces packaging encouraged you to take a picture of your laces and share on social. Which people did en masse.

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Long live youth sports

Dick’s has since stopped selling the green laces. But their impact continues today as the Green Lace ribbon has become the symbol for the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation. It can be seen in product integrations in-store, commentators lapels during sports broadcasts, jersey integrations with the Pittsburgh Penguins, seminars about the impact of youth sports, etc.