Playing to your audience

Dick’s Sporting Goods, set to open to the public on Friday at The Pinnacle mixed-use development in Bristol, Tenn., is giving a sneak preview to the area’s lacrosse players in preopening events.

According to developers, the store is the only one in the Tri-Cities to carry equipment for lacrosse — the fastest growing sport in the country.

Mark Bodo with the Northeast Tennessee Sports Association said in a news release that nearly 200 youth play lacrosse on teams in Bristol, Kingsport, Johnson City and Greeneville, and the number is growing.

They are invited to a ribbon-cutting event with shopping time at the store on Tuesday, May 19 at 4:30 p.m.

“We are thrilled that there is finally a store here in the Tri-Cities to offer equipment for our players,” says Bodo. “Dick’s Sporting Goods is a sponsor of our league, and I think they’ve seen the interest in the sport grow here. We have plans for more teams to join our league next year from Elizabethton, Morristown and even Sevier County.”

The lacrosse selection at the store will include sticks, stick heads, helmets, pads, balls and goals. While just recently growing in popularity in the South, lacrosse is actually one of the country’s oldest sports, evolving from a similar game played by Native Americans.

In addition to lacrosse gear, the new location will offer Nike and Under Armour shops, athletic and outdoor apparel and footwear and the latest gear for team sports, fitness, camping, hunting and fishing.

The Pinnacle is a 250-acre, open-air, mixed-use development located at Exit 74 off Interstate 81 and Highway 11W in Bristol. It expects to draw shoppers from the region, which includes Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Southeastern Kentucky.