Longstreth Sporting Goods Acquired by Private Equity Firm

CINCINNATI, OHIO (September 14, 2023) – Longstreth Sporting Goods has been acquired by private equity firm Roebling Capital Partners.

Longstreth, which bills itself as the most recognized field hockey brand in the United States, was founded in 1977 by Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Famer Barbara Longstreth (Class of 2018). Roebling Capital Partners is based out of Cincinnati, Ohio and said in a release the transaction adds to its extensive experience in the consumer products and e-commerce sectors. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Longstreth has one store in Spring City, Pennsylvania, which is about 35 miles northwest of Philadelphia, and a website, longstreth.com. Longstreth sold its lacrosse and sports team businesses to BSN SPORTS in February 2020 and enhanced its field hockey focus with the acquisition of field hockey equipment supplier CranBarry in February 2021. John Schaefer and David Dahle are co-owners of Longstreth.

“Dave and I were impressed with Andrew’s expertise in the Consumer Products sector, and we feel the entire Greenwich (Capital Group) team worked to understand Longstreth, our strong market and financial positions, and our future growth opportunities,” Schaefer said. “Greenwich was incredibly thorough in positioning us, and leveraged a full process to maximize our value with the right partner moving forward. We are confident we achieved our best outcome by working with Greenwich, and we enthusiastically endorse Andrew (managing director Dickow) and the entire Greenwich team.”

Barbara Longstreth was a field hockey and lacrosse player and coach who started Longstreth Sporting Goods by selling equipment from the trunk of her car. Longstreth Sporting Goods has emphasized having the best selection of equipment, performance apparel and footwear for the female athlete.

“From the moment we began this journey, our mission was crystal clear: to honor and elevate the foundation laid out by Barbara Longrstreth and continued by John and Dave,” Dickow said. “We needed a partner attuned to the aspirations of the shareholders and employees that aligned with Longstreth’s ethos. With Roebling Capital Partners, we found more than just a partner. We found a shared vision, a dedication to the mission, and a commitment to advancing the legacy of Longstreth with care and precision.”

Wes Goebel, Partner and Managing Director at Roebling Capital Partners, said, “We were incredibly impressed with the brand recognition that the Longstreth name holds in the field hockey market, John and David have done an exceptional job capitalizing on the legacy brand and propelling it to new heights since they acquired it. They are one of the most experienced management teams we’ve run across, and we’re extremely excited to get to work catalyzing long-term growth for Longstreth and the team.”