For more than three decades, Cactus Sports has been a hub for Sun Devil fans looking to show their ASU pride. The independently owned store is located on Mill Avenue in Tempe, just steps away from the main campus and Mountain America Stadium.

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The store has built its identity around ASU sports and culture, catering to generations of alumni, faculty, fans and students.

Owner Troy Scoma, an ASU alum, has been in the retail business for most of his life. Originally from Peoria, Illinois, he started working at his father’s baseball card store at 15 years old.

When Scoma transferred to ASU as a junior, he joined his brother in the owning and operating of Cactus Sports.

“I basically said, ‘Hey, I don’t have a grown-up job yet, I will totally help you get this store off the ground’,” Scoma said. “‘I’m a huge ASU nut, so why wouldn’t I want to do that?’”

The store has evolved with ASU and Sun Devil Athletics. From sharing the stadium with the Arizona Cardinals to navigating current downtown Tempe construction, Cactus Sports has seen its share of struggles.

“Mill Avenue and the downtown Tempe area decided we need to give this place a makeover,” Scoma said. “COVID put about 12 to 13 businesses out of business in two years. After ASU graduation last May, the construction put 12 to 13 businesses out of business that summer alone. We have faced an insane amount of challenges, but we’re still pushing through it all.”

Cactus Sports is one of the many businesses in a crowded market, competing with not just other local businesses but the ASU bookstore and even online retailers like Fanatics.

To stand out from the competition, Scoma leans on creativity and encyclopedic knowledge of ASU sports and history to curate unique merchandise that reflects the past and present of the university.

“I’m not just, ‘Oh, I’m alumni but I don’t really follow sports’,” Scoma said. “I did leave and move away for about two years…but when I came back in 1995 I’ve missed three home games. You’re talking to a business owner who is so involved and ingrained in all the different major sports that are going to affect our business, which is football, basketball, hockey, baseball, some of the lady sports as well.”

As far as niche, retro and overall one-of-a-kind merchandise goes, Cactus Sports has it.

“So many designs in our store have these retro designs and are part of a collection called the ‘Vault Collection’,” Scoma said. “A lot of these designs got introduced into the vault because of our story. That standing Sparky with his arms crossed…I bought a plastic coffee mug that was co-branded with Burger King on eBay, I brought that logo to licensing and said, ‘We need to have that on apparel and other logos.’ I’m just not your average store owner.”

For employees like Megan Duncan, an ASU student, working at Cactus Sports allows her to see the excitement of games, big events and the energy of ASU fandom up close.

“Everyone who works here is really passionate,” Duncan said. “Everyone who comes in is just really excited to be back. Especially homecoming, because all the alumni from generations and generations are coming back and it’s really cool to talk to them and see what they’ve experienced throughout the years and how ASU has changed.”

Cactus Sports has an impact beyond apparel, it’s a part of the larger Sun Devil ecosystem that is affected by Sun Devil Athletics.

“When Sun Devil Athletics thrives, everyone benefits — local businesses, community partners, alumni and fans alike,” Sun Devil Athletics Director Graham Rossini said per ASU News. “That’s why we work every day to build the support necessary to further invest in our coaches and student-athletes, strengthening our athletics brand, the university and the Valley as a whole.”

While the store can’t compete dollar-for-dollar with large corporations, its local roots and personal touch keep fans and athletes coming back. Cactus Sports has worked with former Sun Devil Cam Skataboo twice for a selection of signed merchandise that flew off the shelves.

The blend of ASU spirit, history and community is what makes Cactus Sports so special. Scoma’s passion combined with the energy of fans and employees alike is what ensures that Sun Devil pride will remain alive on Mill Avenue for decades to come