Sports Authority's bigger outdoor presence?

Sports Authority has been slowly increasing their outdoor dept. size, but not quality or actual selection.  OE has selection and quality for most things, but their location and hours mean if I don't shop during my lunch hour I'm screwed.  The nearest Wal-Mart with a half-decent fishing section is Marysville.  Unless you are a fly-fisherman you are pretty much SOL when it comes to competing stores in the Seattle-Bellevue megapolis (at least within range of where I'm willing to drive for tackle.)   

GIJoe's got cheap on us and started selling alot of low quality "toys" and gear.   They also tried to go trendy by dropping the GI portion of the name, and it all went down from there.   

I think Hasbro might have had something to do with dropping the GI part of the name.

In Portland we have Fishermen's Marine and Outdoor which is our locally owned equivalent to Sportco.  But with only two locations (North Portland and Oregon City) they aren't as accessible as Joe's used to be.   We also have a Wholesale Sports (formally Sportsman's Wharehouse) in Clackamas which is okay.

Add Bi-Mart to the list. The fishing section is small, but usually well-stocked with some quality gear and good prices. Well worth the $5 one-time membership fee.

I think Hasbro might have had something to do with dropping the GI part of the name.

Never thought of that.  I wouldn't put it past a company to claim naming rights MANY MANY years after the fact.