Mitchell Modell

When you think of corporate espionage and snooping, you probably think of big manufacturers — electronics, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, packaged food — trying to learn what the competition is working on. One industry that's unlikely to come to mind is retail sporting goods. However, a lawsuit recently filed by the folks at Dick's Sporting Goods accuses Mitchell Modell, CEO of Modell's Sporting Goods, of posing as a Dick's vice president to gain access to the company's secrets. Modell allegedly presented himself a senior vice president to employees at a Dick's store in Princeton, N.J., on Feb. 8.

Modell's Sporting Goods has deployed cutting-edge technology in its Times Square flagship to welcome Super Bowl XLVIII fans. The sporting goods retailer has installed a virtual image of CEO Mitchell Modell to personally greet shoppers. The image is provided via Tensator's Virtual Assistant digital signage solution, which creates the illusion of a real person. The virtual Modell provides suggestions on Super Bowl gear, shares information on apparel, footwear, sporting goods and licensed team products, informs shoppers about the store's loyalty program, how to sign up and even gives directions on where to find certain items. 

Tags: Online Retailing, Specialty Stores New York-based Modell's Sporting Goods used technology from MarketLive to create its new e-commerce site, according to a company press release. MarketLive created the custom-built site that went live in March to allow customers to shop for fan gear by their favorite sports team, player or by the various leagues including NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA and NASCAR. Modell's will continue to bring additional business units onto the site over the course of the year including athletic footwear, active apparel and sporting goods to mirror the retailer's in-store offerings, Mitchell Modell, CEO, said in