Dick’s Sporting Goods and are getting ready for the holiday season by bolstering its staff by over 11,000 seasonal employees this year.

The retailer noted that it will host its eighth-annual “National Signing Day” on Wednesday, Oct. 21, marking the start of its push for holiday hiring. Over 8,400 employees will be hired to support Dick’s Sporting Goods, Dick’s House of Sport, Public Lands and Going, Going, Gone! locations.

This number is down from last year’s hiring event, which sought to hire 9,600 seasonal employees.

At the company’s Foot Locker banner, approximately 2,900 teammates will join Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, WSS and Champs Sports store locations in North America this holiday season. This number is also down from last year’s hiring event, which sought to hire 4,750 seasonal employees.

What’s more, as in previous years, all Dick’s and U.S. Foot Locker stores and distribution centers will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26. All stores will reopen the following day on Black Friday.

The company noted that candidates interested in roles at Dick’s, Dick’s House of Sport, Going Going Gone! and Public Lands can visit dicks.com/jobs to search for openings. Candidates interested in opportunities at Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs Sports and WSS can apply online at careers.footlocker.com.

“Our stores truly come alive during the holidays, and seasonal teammates bring the passion and team spirit that make shopping with us so special,” Julie Lodge-Jarrett, executive vice president and chief people, purpose and transformation officer at Dick’s, said in a statement. “Whether it’s helping a parent pick out a first baseball glove or equipping a young athlete for the winter season, our store teams play a huge role in creating holiday memories.”

Michael Keinath, senior vice president and chief people officer at Foot Locker North America, added that “sneaker culture comes to life” inside the banner’s stores.

“We’re excited to welcome new teammates who are passionate about sport, sneakers and culture, enjoy connecting with customers and want to be part of an energetic team during the holiday season,” Keinath said.

The news comes one day after Foot Locker a new multi-year partnership with Madison Square Garden Sports Corp.

On Wednesday, the Dick’s Sporting Goods-owned company was named the official athletic footwear retailer of the New York Knicks ahead of the 2026-2027 NBA season.

As part of the new deal, Foot Locker will be showcased at all Knicks home games at Madison Square Garden throughout the season. This will be amplified by dedicated retail activation within the Knicks Team Store in Madison Square Garden’s Chase Square, featuring Knicks products during home games and open to the public.