Overview

• Foot Locker said Thursday it is concluding the nearly 45-year national high school championship series long staged in San Diego’s Balboa Park.
• Dick’s Sporting Goods agreed in May to acquire Foot Locker for $2.4 billion, and Forbes reports a subsequent balance-sheet review preceded the shutdown.
• The company had historically paid for regional qualifiers, short-notice airfare and premium hotel lodging for finalists, as well as race production and a free livestream.
• The event lost ground over the past decade as Nike Cross Nationals expanded with a team-focused model and drew more top athletes.
• Olympian Jorge Torres, working with Tracy Sundlun, is pursuing new underwriting to keep the championship and its regional qualifiers in Balboa Park, with no funding secured yet.