Dick’s Sporting Goods goes to bat for its employees on abortion issue

Anyone who though the nation’s biggest sports store was going to sit out one of America’s most contentious moments doesn’t know Dick’s.

Dick’s Sporting Goods went to bat for its employees following Friday Supreme Court’s ruling to strike down abortion rights. The bold move knocked stock prices out of the ballpark.

“Dear teammates,” begins an open letter from company chairman Ed Stack and CEO Lauren Hobart. “You are the heart of our business, and we are committed to protecting your health and well-being.”

The Supreme Court announced Friday that it would reverse legislation that made abortion rights the law of the land nearly 50 years ago. The 6-3 ruling passes the issue of reproductive freedoms to each state, where in many places, abortions are expected to banned. The letter from Dick’s notes it isn’t immediately clear how that would effect its reported 50,000 employees nationwide, but vowed to provide its workers with “consistent and safe access” to benefits it provides.

“In response to today’s ruling, we are announcing that if the state you live in restricts access to abortion, Dick’s Sporting Goods will provide up to $4,000 in travel expense reimbursements to travel to the nearest location where that care is legally available,” the company said.

The offer is extended to any “teammate,” spouse or dependent enrolled in the nation’s largest sporting goods store’s health care plan.

Dick’s acknowledged some of its workers may not agree with the company’s decision, but described family health care services as a personal matter.

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Predictable, internet trolls lashed out on Twitter they wouldn’t be shopping at Dick’s. Those conservatives were reminded that right-wingers also vowed to boycott the store in 2019 when it stopped selling military-style weapons and required all firearm purchasers to be at least 21 years of age following a Parkland, Fla., school shooting

Others shoppers tweeted they would make a point of loading up on sporting goods at one of the 74-year-old store’s roughly 850 locations as soon as possible to show their support.

Wall Street sided with the latter group Friday afternoon as the company’s stock price shot up nearly 10% in midday trading.