Alli Sports Announces Merger

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA (April 30, 2026) – Alli Sports announced the merger of four of the industries’ top team dealers as Baker’s Sports (Jacksonville, Florida), Johnson-Lambe Co (Raleigh, North Carolina), First Team Sports Center (Greenville, South Carolina) and Midwest Sporting Goods (Tulsa, Oklahoma) have entered into a merger agreement and will unite under the Alli Sports umbrella.

This new and unique industry power will continue to be team dealer owned and team dealer operated under the leadership of Josh Baker (CEO) and Rhett Johnson (COO). To the consumer, each company will maintain their individual identities and outstanding local service.

“Alli Sports will remain a proud partner of the Sports Inc., buying Group and thank Travis Elam and Max Pearson for their valued support,” the Alli news release said.

Alli Sports is currently wrapping up their Kick Off Summit this week in Jacksonville, Florida.

“The formation of Alli Sports represents a defining moment in our industry. By bringing together Baker’s Sports, Johnson-Lambe Co, First Team Sports and Midwest Sporting Goods, we have created an organization with the operational depth geographic reach, and market relationships to deliver at a level none of us could achieve independently,” Baker said.

“Each of these companies has earned a strong relationship over many years – with customers, with vendor partners, and within their respective markets. Alli Sports is the natural evolution of that work. We are not starting over. We are scaling up, with the infrastructure, the talent and the strategic alignment to compete and win at the highest level.

“Our commitment to our customers remains unchanged: exceptional service, strong partnerships, and the expertise they have come to expect. What changes is our capacity to deliver on that commitment – consistently, across every market we serve. We are confident in what this organization will become, and we are ready to get to work.”

Johnson-Lambe opened in 1935 under the leadership of Rochelle (Red) Johnson and Francis (Sheep) Lambe.

“Alli Sports has brought together the best: Baker’s Sports, Johnson-Lambe Co, First Team Sports and Midwest Sporting Goods,” Rhett Johnson said. “The right time, the right people, the right partners. Doing it the right way, doing it our way. My grandfather said, ‘Providence will always look after us’ and I believe he and my dad are looking down proud today. The Alli foundation is set, now we build.”

Midwest Sporting Goods has been a fixture in Oklahoma for a half-century under the leadership of John Lassiter.

“In 1976, my wife Monta and I had a dream and $69 left over from our income tax return. That was the beginning of Midwest Sporting Goods. Our goal at the time was simple. We wanted to make enough money to send our two daughters to a private Christian school. That dream led to a business we could have never imagined,” Lassiter said. “Nearly 50 years later, I still believe what we believed from the start. Take care of your coaches, your schools, and your communities, and the rest will follow. That’s what has carried us across five states, and it’s what has made the relationships with our customers and vendor partners the most meaningful part of this work.

“That’s what makes today so special. Joining Baker’s Sports, Johnson-Lambe, and First Team Sports under the Alli Sports umbrella isn’t just a business decision. It’s a decision to entrust what Monta and I built to a group of people I genuinely respect, who share the same values and the same commitment to the customer. Under the leadership of Josh Baker and Rhett Johnson, with our continued partnership in Sports Inc, I believe Alli Sports will set a new standard for what team-dealer-owned service can look like at scale.

“To everyone who has supported Midwest across five states and five decades, thank you. This is a proud day for our family, and an exciting one for our industry.”

First Team Sports started in business in 1994 and is owned by Mike Miros.

“We here at First Team Sports are excited to be part of this merger,” Miros said. “This growth will not only enhance our competitive edge but also bring better technology and wider services to our customers. It presents a unique opportunity to accelerate our shared vision, expand our capabilities, and create a stronger future alongside like-minded leaders of our industry.”

Baker’s Sports, First Team Sports, Johnson-Lambe and Midwest Sporting Goods are members of NSGA.