Sports Authority

Avoid this place… like the plague… like an open wound from an infested ill person… like day avoids night… like water and oil.
I am a soccer coach. Many of my parents will give me gift cards towards the end of the year so I end up going there for general gear and equipment. For example — I bought a shade canopy — two of them — on separate occasions. Within an hour both were broken. They would not return them. They told me I had to send them to the manufacturer.
With another gift card I went in to buy a pop up bench for my players to sit on. Knowing they are a pain (Sports Authority that is) I bought a warranty as well. Low and behold the bench broke. On comes the run around. I call the warranty place tells me to call the store — the store tells me to call the warranty place. I still have a broken bench — its now been 3 months.
If you buy online from Sports Authority, you cannot return in the store.
Most recently, I was looking to go buy a spin bike and when I got on the spin bikes that they were demonstrating — as did my ten year old son who was right by my side — and I was immediately scolded and told «you can’t ride the bikes.» Good luck Sports Authority — I hate you SOB’s.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND SCHEELS IN SANDY!!! SUCH A GREAT PLACE WITH A NORDSTROM’S RETURN POLICY!!!

I’m glad to have Sports Authority in the District, it has a good selection of merchandise and is handy for when you need something half decent you can’t get from less specialized stores, for those things, these stores are a gem. It’s also a fun store to just browse around.
They do have a great selection of products, but like most of these chain sports places they are basing their reputation on the big brands, but also trying to cater to the impulse buyer with cheaper items to get people into the store. There is nothing wrong with that, it’s just business — but I do advise doing your research and shopping around, for many items you can usually find the same thing cheaper elsewhere.
With that said, I’d always advise a quick stroll around the store (for the exercise of course) to see what they have on sale or clearance, that’s how you really win here.
This particular store is well laid out, and staff is helpful with asking if you need help finding something. However, they way under-​staff the checkout line, and even staff hanging around when there’s 3 or 4 people in line for a few minutes just walk off to other parts of the store rather than open up one of the other 3 registers open, even when there’s not other customers in the store besides the line.