Mr. Newsome added, “Based upon the strong growth in earnings and comparable store sales in the quarter, we believe fiscal 2006 will be another record year for Hibbett. Footwear and team equipment are posting very positive trends because of exceptional product, presentation and customer service. With the anniversary of the decline in licensed apparel in the second quarter, we expect apparel to begin contributing to our overall performance in the second half of the year along with continued year-over-year improvement in gross and operating margins from very efficient logistics and store operations.”

Stock Repurchase

In August 2004, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $30.0 million of the Company’s common stock. In November 2004, the Board of Directors increased this maximum authorization to $40.0 million. During the first quarter, the Company repurchased 16,000 shares bringing the total shares repurchased to 861,400 shares for a total expenditure of approximately $19.5 million.

Investor Conference Call and Simulcast

Hibbett Sporting Goods, Inc. will conduct a conference call at 10:00 a.m. EDT on May 20, 2005, to discuss the first quarter results. The number to call for this interactive teleconference is (913) 981-5532. A replay of the conference call will be available until May 27^th, by dialing (719) 457-0820 and entering the passcode, 8147118.

The Company will also provide an online Web simulcast and rebroadcast of its fiscal 2006-first quarter conference call. The live broadcast of Hibbett’s quarterly conference will be available online at www.streetevents.com and www.earnings.com on May 20, 2005, beginning at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The online replay will follow shortly after the call and continue through June 3, 2005.

Hibbett Sporting Goods, Inc. operates sporting goods stores in small to mid-sized markets, predominantly in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. The Company’s primary store format is Hibbett Sports, a 5,000-square-foot store located in enclosed malls and dominant strip centers.

A WARNING ABOUT FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: Certain matters discussed in this press release are “forward looking statements” as that term is used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements address future events, developments or results and typically use words such as believe, anticipate, expect, intend, plan, forecast, guidance, outlook or estimate. For example, our forward looking statements include statements regarding company growth, store opening plans, product performance, operating efficiencies, sales (including comparable store sales) and earnings expectations. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including economic conditions, industry trends, merchandise trends, vendor relationships, customer demand and competition. For a complete description of these factors, as well as others which could affect our business, you should carefully review the “Risk Factors,” “Business” and “MD&A” sections in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on April 14, 2005 as amended on Form 10-K/A on April 19, 2005 and our most recent prospectus supplement filed May 2, 2003. In addition, our estimates of annual earnings for fiscal 2006 do not reflect the impact of Financial Accounting Standard 123(R) regarding share-based payments. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the future events, developments or results described by our forward looking statements in this document could turn out to be materially and adversely different from those we discuss or imply. We are not obligated to release publicly any revisions to any forward looking statements contained in this press release to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this report and you should not expect us to do so.