Dave Young, vice president of retail media at Dick’s Sporting Goods, sees the company’s stores as a vital link between traditional advertising and real-world brand experiences.
“What we’re doing that’s unique at Dick’s through Dick’s Media,” Young said in this interview with Beet.TV contributor David Kaplan, “is taking what’s already a best-in-class shopping experience and creating a media-driven layer within that environment.”
This approach gives brands a new way to tell their stories inside the physical store, not by simply placing digital screens, but by integrating creative storytelling directly into the shopping journey.
Elevating the athlete experience
Young said the company’s focus remains on its “athletes,” the term Dick’s uses for customers.
“Marketing within the store isn’t new,” he said. “Shopper marketing has been a thing for nearly 100 years. The difference is how we raise the bar on storytelling.”
Through the Dick’s Media Network (DMN), the company is digitizing and personalizing store environments. For instance, when a shopper picks up a pair of basketball shoes, nearby creative displays adjust in real time to showcase stories or videos tied to that product. The result is an emotionally resonant, interactive experience that deepens both engagement and brand connection.
Measuring engagement beyond traditional metrics
The DMN initiative also introduces new ways to measure effectiveness. Using RFID and radar technologies, Dick’s can now assess how long customers dwell in certain areas and how often products are picked up. These metrics inform both merchandising decisions and creative strategy.
“We can observe how our athletes interact with these assets,” Young said. “That helps us refine how advertisers use the space, and what types of creative best drive engagement.”
Creating a unified narrative across media channels
Young described in-store media as the “connection point to a tactile sale,” linking brand storytelling across every touchpoint.
“It should all be one story,” he said. Whether consumers encounter a brand on social media, in broadcast advertising, or through a sponsored product, the goal is consistency.
But the in-store environment adds something unique: a chance to interact directly with the product.
“That’s what excites me,” Young said. “It lets us flex creative in real time and create something truly differentiated.”
Expanding into non-endemic categories
While Dick’s Media Network naturally serves core vendor partners such as Nike, Adidas and Under Armour, the retailer is also opening its doors to non-endemic advertisers in categories like travel, entertainment, and quick-service restaurants.
“There’s still a connection,” Young said. “We all want to participate in sports and culture.”
By encouraging advertisers to align their messaging with that culture, Dick’s aims to broaden the definition of what sports engagement means, and to make its stores a hub for storytelling that celebrates the athletic spirit.
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