By Press Release

November 23, 1999

--Comp Store Sales Increase 3.0%--

DENVER, Nov. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Gart Sports Company (Nasdaq: GRTS) today announced results for its third quarter and nine months ended October 30, 1999.

Total sales for the third quarter of 1999 increased 9.0% to $155.5 million compared with $142.6 million in the prior year's third quarter. Comparable store sales for the Company during the quarter increased 3.0%.

For the third quarter ended October 30, 1999, the Company reported a net loss of $2.5 million, or $0.33 per share compared to a net loss of $6.0 million, or $0.78 per share during the prior year's third quarter.

Doug Morton, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gart Sports, stated, "We are very pleased with our third quarter financial results, which reflect an 80% improvement versus our operating loss in last year's quarter. Our solid comparable store sales gain of 3.0% was driven by strong top-line performances in apparel, snowboard/ski, exercise, ball sports, indoor games and bike categories as well as by improved sales from our recently remodeled stores. The combination of strong sales, improved gross margin rates and reduced expenses, gives us what we believe to be, the leanest operating model in our segment of the industry. Our inventory position going into the important fourth quarter is strong and clean, with inventory down 3.4% on a per square foot basis versus last year."

Total sales for the first nine months of fiscal 1999 increased 2.8% to $480.0 million compared with $466.9 million for the same period in the prior year. Comparable store sales for the Company during the first nine months of fiscal 1999 decreased 1.6%. The net loss for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 30, 1999 was $2.1 million or $0.28 per share compared to a net loss of $6.5 million or $0.85 per share for the same period in the prior year.

Gart Sports is the second largest full-line sporting goods retailer in the U.S. and the leading full-line sporting goods retailer in the Rocky Mountain region. The Company offers a comprehensive high-quality assortment of brand name sporting apparel and equipment at competitive prices, and operates 128 stores in 16 states under the Gart Sports and Sportmart names.