<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-03-036961
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031218
<FILING-DATE>20031219
<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>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>DANHAKL JOHN G
<CIK>0001162644
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-49850
<FILM-NUMBER>031066363
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O LEONARD GREEN & PARTNERS LP
<STREET2>SUITE 2000
<CITY>LOS ANGELES
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>90025
<PHONE>3109540444
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O LEONARD GREEN & PARTNERS LP
<STREET2>SUITE 2000
<CITY>LOS ANGELES
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>90025
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd26366.xml
<DESCRIPTION>BIG 5 SHOE EXERCISE - DIRECTOR
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-18</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001156388</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BGFV</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001162644</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DANHAKL JOHN G</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11111 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 2000</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>780000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>18.12</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>191073</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Green Equity Investors, L.P.</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12344</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Green Equity Investors, L.P. ("GEI") is the direct owner of 191,073 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share of the Issuer (the "Shares").  Leonard Green &amp; Partners, L.P. ("LGP") is the management company of GEI.  John G. Danhakl is a director of the Issuer and a managing partner of LGP.  Mr. Danhakl directly (whether through ownership or position) or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, may be deemed for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, to be the indirect beneficial owner of the Shares owned by GEI. Mr. Danhakl disclaims beneficial ownership of the Shares owned by GEI, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that Mr. Danhakl is the beneficial owner of such securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purposes.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>John G. Danhakl</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-18</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



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