<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001216338-03-000003
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030612
<FILING-DATE>20030613
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>SCHLAUCH THOMAS J
<CIK>0001216338
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-49850
<FILM-NUMBER>03743514
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS CORP
<STREET2>2525 EAST EL SEGUNDO BLVD
<CITY>EL SEGUNDO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>90245
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS CORP
<CIK>0001156388
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5940
<IRS-NUMBER>954388794
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2525 EAST EL SEGUNDO BOULEVARD
<CITY>EL SEGUNDO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>90245-4632
<PHONE>3102977706
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2525 EAST EL SEGUNDO BOULEVARD
<CITY>EL SEGUNDO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>90245-4632
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>BIG 5 HOLDINGS CORP
<DATE-CHANGED>20010802
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
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<ownershipDocument>
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    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-12</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001156388</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BGFV</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001216338</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SCHLAUCH THOMAS J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
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id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>13.20</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>186300</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $.01</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-12</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>13.10</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>184300</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $.01</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-12</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>500</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>13.06</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>183800</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $.01</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-12</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4500</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>13.4156</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>179300</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Each of the sales reported on this Form 4 was executed pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>GARY S. MEADE, ATTORNEY-IN-FACT</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-13</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SUBMISSION>
