The 2021 Year In Review: M&A Accelerates Across Active Lifestyle Market

The pace of mergers & acquisitions picked up in 2021 after a pandemic-restrained year in 2020. Among the major brands and stores that found new owners were Beyond Yoga, DTLR Villa, Eddie Bauer, Hey Dude, Imperial Headwear, JackRabbit, Neptune Mountaineering, Osprey, Reebok, Spanx, Sportsman’s Guide, Sweaty Betty, TaylorMade, and WSS.

Below is the full list of M&A actions for 2021.

December 2021

• Helen of Troy, Ltd. announced the successful completion of its previously announced acquisition of Osprey Packs, Inc, for $414.7 million in cash, which includes the impact of a $5.3 million favorable customary closing net working capital adjustment. Read more
• GSM Outdoors acquired SOG Specialty Knives, the American knife and tool manufacturing company based in Lynnwood, WA. Read more
• Great Outdoors Group, owner of Bass Pro, Cabela’s, White River Marine Group, and Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings, Inc. called off their merger deal. Read more
• Paramount Apparel International, the parent of Imperial Headwear, was sold to CPC, LLC, a Kansas City, MO-based family office investment firm. Read more
• Alpargatas SA, the Brazilian owner of flip-flop sandal maker Havaianas, reached an agreement to buy as much as 49.9 percent of sustainable footwear brand Rothy’s, Inc. Rothy’s earned a valuation of $1 billion with the transaction. Read more
• Li & Fung Ltd. entered into a transaction for shipping giant Maersk to acquire its logistics business, LF Logistics Holdings Ltd. (LF Logistics) and its various entities, valuing the business at $3.6 billion on an enterprise value basis. Read more
• Crocs, Inc. announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Hey Dude, a privately-owned casual footwear brand, for $2.5 billion. Read more
• BikeExchange, the Australia-based marketplace, acquired Kitzuma, the Asheville, NC-based bike-shipping service that launched in December 2020. Read more
• Nike, Inc. announced the acquisition of RTFKT, a London-based crypto fashion brand. Read more
• Gildan Activewear, Inc. announced that, through one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, it had acquired 100 percent of the equity interests of Phoenix Sanford, LLC, the parent company of Frontier Yarns, for a total cash consideration of approximately $168 million. Read more
• Mustang Survival announced the acquisition of the Government & Commercial Marine business of Stearns. Read more
• Revo Brands, the parent company of Real Avid, added Outdoor Edge Cutlery to its family of consumer brands. Read more
• Gaia, Inc., the subscription video-streaming service, acquired Yoga International, a digital yoga service. The acquisition adds 4,000 hours of yoga content to Gaia’s library. Read more
• Fond du Lac, WI-based BCI Burke, a maker of commercial play equipment, was acquired by Bertram Capital. Read more
• Gympass announced its acquisition of Trainiac, a company that specializes in one-on-one online personal training. The business will become Trainiac by Gympass. Read more
• RP Designs, Inc., based in Atlanta, GA, announced it had acquired Ellsworth Cycling, LLC. Read more
• Camping World Holdings, Inc. announced an agreement to acquire the Lloyd Bridges Traveland RV dealerships in Chelsea, MI. Read more
• Vail Resorts, Inc. announced its agreement to purchase Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania from Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Inc. As a part of the acquisition, Vail Resort acquires Hidden Valley Resort and the operations of Laurel Mountain Ski Area. Read more
• Aqua-Leisure Recreation, LLC announced the acquisition of Denver, CO-based Airhead Sports Group. Read more
• Shoe Carnival, Inc. announced that it had acquired substantially all of the assets of privately-held, family-owned Shoe Station, Inc., which operates 21 stores in five Southeastern states. The Shoe Station assets were acquired for $67 million. Read more
• BSN Sports, a division of Varsity Brands, announced that it had acquired Winning Streak, Inc. based in Dupo, IL. Read more
• Clarus Corp. announced it had acquired Australian-based Maxtrax, a maker of Overlanding and off-road vehicle recovery and extraction tracks, for a combination of cash, stock and future consideration. Read more
• The Flagg Bicycle Group announced it had acquired women’s cycling company Terry Bicycles. Liz Robert will remain president, CEO and shareholder in the company, now named Terry Precision Cycling, and will continue to lead its existing staff at its facility in Burlington, VT. Read more
• European lifestyle retailer Snipes is expanding its presence in the U.S. by acquiring U.S. sneaker chain Jimmy Jazz. The acquisition will approximately triple Snipes door count in the United States, as the retailer’s store network grows from just over 100 stores to almost 270. Read more

November  2021

• Fenix Outdoor announced it had sold its Brunton business to two yet undisclosed employees of Brunton Outdoor, Inc. in the U.S. Read more
• Rossignol sold Felt Bicycles to Pierer Mobility, the owners of KTM motorcycles. Read more
• Authentic Brands Group (ABG) shelved its planned IPO and instead announced it planned to sell a significant equity stake in its business to private equity firm CVC Capital, hedge fund HPS Investment Partners and a pool of existing stakeholders. The transaction values the company at $12.7 billion in enterprise value. Read more
• RV Retailer, LLC announced the acquisitions of Holland RV Center with three stores in Southern California and Folsom Lake RV in Northern California. This expands RVR’s presence in California to six stores and total store count to 81.  Read more
• eBay, Inc. agreed to acquire Sneaker Con Digital’s authentication business, a sneaker authenticator with operations in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and Germany. Read more
• S&S Activewear, based in Bolingbrook, IL, completed its acquisition of competitor TSC Apparel, the parent of Tultex. Read more
• Pierer Mobility Ag acquired Felt Bikes, entering the North American market. Read more
• Adventure Ready Brands announced the acquisition of LuminAID, maker of solar-powered lighting and charging solutions for outdoor and emergency use. The transaction closed on November 19. Read more
• StockX acquired the inventory management specialist, Scout. The sneaker resale platform’s first acquisition is expected to further streamline the selling experience on StockX and help customers grow and scale their operations. Read more
• TGA Premier Sports (TGA), the largest youth sports franchisor specializing in junior golf, was acquired by Youth Athletes United. Read more
• MacNeill Pride Group (MPG), designer and manufacturer of outdoor products and sporting goods, announced it had acquired Rightline Gear, an Asheville, NC-based outdoor and automotive gear designer. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Read more
• Custom Ink, the maker of custom apparel and accessories for companies, groups and organizations, announced the acquisition of Swag.com, a platform for corporate swag. Read more
• Fleet Feet, the largest franchisor of locally-owned and operated running stores, announced it had agreed to acquire JackRabbit, the second-largest running specialty retailer in the U.S., from affiliates of CriticalPoint Capital. Read more
• TaylorMade Golf has completed the acquisition of Korean-based Nassau Golf Co., Ltd. for an undisclosed amount. The deal represents TaylorMade’s third vertical integration in its golf ball business with the new entity called TM Golf Ball Korea, joining its other golf ball manufacturing facilities, TM Golf Ball South Carolina (U.S.) and TM Golf Ball Taiwan. Read more
• Coca-Cola acquired sports-drink maker BodyArmor, its largest brand acquisition. Read more
• Foot Locker, Inc. completed the acquisition of Atmos, a digitally-led retailer headquartered in Japan, for $360 million. Read more
• Galaxy Universal, LLC. agreed to acquire the And1, Avia, Gaiam, and SPRI brands as part of the bankruptcy proceedings of Sequential Brands Group, Inc. for approximately $330 million. Read more

 October 2021

• Spanx, Inc. announced a definitive agreement for a majority investment from funds managed by Blackstone, the global investment business. The firm agreed to buy a majority stake in the women’s shapewear company at a valuation of $1.2 billion with founder Sara Blakely maintaining a significant equity stake in the business. Read more
• Platinum Equity said it planned to acquire Pelican Products, the supplier of protective cases, portable lighting systems and outdoor consumer products, from Behrman Capital. Read more
• BHG Ventures, a private investment firm in Southfield, MI, acquired Sportsman’s Guide and The Golf Warehouse. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Read more
• Sweden’s Dometic Group AB completed its acquisition of Igloo. Said Juan Vargues, president and CEO of Dometic, “This acquisition is in line with our strategy to position Dometic as a more consumer-driven, less cyclical company in the fast-growing outdoor business.” Read more
• Sentinel Capital Partners, a private equity firm, announced its acquisition of Controlled Products, a manufacturer and distributor of synthetic turf products for landscape, sports, commercial, and specialty applications. Read more
• Marucci Sports, LLC, a subsidiary of Compass Diversified Group, announced it had acquired Lizard Skins, LLC, a designer and seller of branded grip products, protective equipment, bags, and apparel for use in baseball, cycling, hockey, Esports, and lacrosse. Read more
• JD Sports Fashion, Plc announced it had acquired 80 percent of Cosmos Sport S.A. Based in Crete, Greece, Cosmos operates 57 stores in the country and three in Cyprus under a variety of retail banners and associated trading websites. Read more
• The Ironman Group announced the acquisition of the indoor virtual cycling app FulGaz as part of a plan to expand its connected fitness offerings. Read more
• GSM Outdoors completed the acquisition of Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits. GSM Outdoors said the acquisition represents the company’s first step into the fishing category. Read more
• Youth Enrichment Brands, a platform supporting youth activities, launched following the acquisition of i9 Sports. Youth Enrichment Brands also operates Nike Sports Camps and U.S. Baseball Academy, the “country’s largest network of youth baseball and softball camps.” Read more
• Fleet Feet announced it had successfully acquired specialty running retailer FITniche and its three locations in the Tampa, FL area. Read more
• Mindbody, headquartered in San Luis Obispo, CA, said it had entered into an agreement to acquire ClassPass, the fitness membership subscription service. Read more
• Poshmark, Inc. acquired Suede One, a platform that combines machine learning, computer vision and human review to virtually authenticate sneakers. Suede One said its employees would join the Poshmark organization. Read more
• Xponential Fitness, Inc. announced it had acquired Body Fit Training, an Australia-based fitness franchisor, for $44 million in cash on the balance sheet and debt from its existing senior secured loan facility. Read more
• Pear Sports announced the acquisition of Aaptiv, the workout app. Aligned with the acquisition, Life Fitness also added to its equity investment in Pear and will distribute Aaptiv through its sales and marketing partnership. Read more
• Slinger announced it had agreed to acquire PlaySight Interactive, Ltd., a provider of sports video technology, data capture, analytics, and automated video production. Read more
• House of Outdoors, based in Frisco, TX,  announced the acquisition of Mafia Outdoors, including its sub-brands—most notably, Bass Mafia, known for its tackle storage solutions. Read more
• Outdoor retailer and lifestyle brand Evo announced the acquisition of Whistler, BC-based Callaghan Country Wilderness Adventures, owner of the ski destination Journeyman Lodge. Read more
• 4×4 Capital, a New York-based investment platform, acquired the former Sports and Active Nutrition division of The Bountiful Company from KKR and Carlyle. Read more
• Gap, Inc. acquired the New York and Tel Aviv-based start-up Context-Based 4 Casting Ltd. (CB4). Read more
• Leupold & Stevens, Inc. acquired Anodize Solutions, effective immediately. Read more

September 2021

• Vista Outdoor, Inc. announced it successfully closed on the acquisition of Foresight Sports. Read more
• VF Corp announced it had sold Eagle Creek to Travis Campbell, the former president of emerging brands at VF Corp. The sale comes after VF in June 2021 had said it planned to cease operations of the travel accessories, luggage and daypack brand by fall 2021. Read more
• BaseballCloud, a manufacturer of the software that allows baseball and softball coaches and players to house and analyze data, announced a multi-million-dollar acquisition of optical tracking company Yakkertech. Read more
• Neptune Mountaineering, the outdoor retailer based in Boulder, CO, was purchased by the owners of Ute Mountaineer of Aspen, CO. Read more
• Slinger announced it had entered into an agreement to acquire Gameface.AI. Read more
• G-III Apparel Group, Ltd. announced an agreement to purchase European luxury fashion brand Sonia Rykiel. Read more
• Compass Diversified announced it had acquired Lugano Diamonds & Jewelry, Inc. for an enterprise value of $256 million. Read more
• Univerus announced its acquisition of Athlete Information Systems, a SAAS solution that enables sports organizations and institutions to manage the compliance, academic and medical information for athletes and coaches. Read more
• Impact Protection Specialist D3O said it had been acquired by Elysian Capital III, LP. Read more
• Foot Locker, Inc. announced it had completed its acquisition of Eurostar, Inc., the parent of the WSS chain, for $750 million in cash. Read more
• Alete Active Nutrition announced the acquisition of Bonk Breaker Nutrition. Read more
• Surge Outdoors announced its purchase of Barnett Crossbows. Surge Outdoor said it plans to maintain operational facilities in Florida, Louisiana, Utah, and Illinois where Barnett is headquartered. Read more
• Catch Co. announced that it had acquired Recur Outdoors, a Boston-based startup that “builds digitally-native vertical brands for the outdoor industry.” Read more
• Thor Industries, Inc. announced it had acquired Wichita, KS-based AirX Intermediate, Inc., a manufacturer of OEM and aftermarket RV parts and accessories, for $750 million. Read more
• Whoop announced the acquisition of Push, a Toronto-based sports technology startup, in a cash and stock transaction. Read more
• Solo Stove announced the acquisitions of Chubbies Shorts, Oru Kayak and Isle, creating a new house of brands, Solo Brands. Read more
• Southlake, TX Solo Stove acquired Chubbies Shorts, Oru Kayak and ISLE SUPs under its Solo Brands banner. Read more
• Nautilus, Inc. announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire VAY, a motion technology company. Read more

August 2021

• Adidas reached a definitive agreement to sell Reebok to Authentic Brands Group for a total consideration of up to €2.1 billion, or about $2.5 billion. Read more
• Levi Strauss & Co. reached an agreement to acquire Beyond Yoga, the Los Angeles-based athleisure apparel brand. Read more
• Bauer Hockey announced it had acquired ProSharp AB based in Sweden. Founded in 1984, ProSharp equipment is used by the National Hockey League and national teams and professional clubs across Europe. Read more
• WHP Global acquired the global trademarks for the Italian sports brand Lotto. Lotto Sport Italia S.p.A. and its current leadership team, including CEO Andrea Tomat, will continue to operate the Lotto brand in the core markets of Italy, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Read more
• US Sports Camps, the official provider of Nike Sports Camps, announced the acquisition of U.S. Baseball Academy’s network of youth baseball camps and its sister company, U.S. Softball Academy, (collectively, USBA). Read more
• Gap, Inc. acquired Drapr, an e-commerce startup and online tech application where customers can create 3D Avatars and virtually try on clothing. Read more
• CCM Hockey announced the acquisition of its worldwide base layer license from its licensing partner Icon-Elite Group, Inc., effective September 1, 2021. Read more
• Pon Group acquired Mike’s Bikes, the Northern Californian twelve-store chain. Read more
• DRG Manufacturing announced the acquisition of Saltwater Arms, LLC. Read more
• The Ironman Group announced the acquisition of the multi-day cycling event series Haute Route and the Gravel Epic, a soon-to-launch multi-day gravel race event series. Julie Royer, CEO, Haute Route Group, joined its leadership team as senior director, Road Cycling. Read more
• Trevco announced its acquisition of of Los Angeles-based women’s fashion brand, Sub Urban Riot. Read more
• BSN Sports, a division of Varsity Brands, announced it had acquired Jim Ludtka Sporting Goods based in Depew, NY. Read more
• Froggs Toggs acquired Alabama-based hunting and fishing gear company Insight Outdoors. Read more
• Wolverine World Wide, Inc. announced it had acquired Sweaty Betty, the U.K.-based women’s fitness and lifestyle brand. The all-cash transaction is valued at approximately $410 million. Read more
• Windsong Global, LLC and Hilco Brands, LLC announced that they had made a majority investment in Earth Shoes. Read more

July 2021

• OvareVentures announced the acquisition of Pulse Boot Lab and Ski Company based in Revelstoke, British Columbia. Read more
• New Balance sold PF Flyers to Kassia Davis, the daughter of New Balance chairman and majority owner Jim Davis. She partnered with Pensole’s founder, D’Wayne Edwards, to relaunch the sneaker brand in fall 2021. Read more
• Compass Diversified announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to sell its majority-owned subsidiary, Liberty Safe Holding Corporation, the parent company of Liberty Safe and Security Products, Inc., to an affiliate of Monomoy Capital Partners. The sales price was $147.5 million. Read more
• Intersport International Corp. agreed to sell 100 percent of The Athlete’s Foot retail & e-commerce network to Arklyz Group AG, owner of Intersocks. Read more
• Vega, the plant-based protein powder brand, was acquired by WM Partners, a private-equity firm based in Aventura, FL. Read more
• Hyperice announced the acquisition of Core, a company known for its meditation training device and app. Read more
• ThredUp Inc. announced the initial phase of its international expansion by entering into a definitive agreement to acquire Remix Global AD.  Located in Sofia, Bulgaria, Remix Global AD is part of the Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses Industry. Read more
• IFit announced the acquisition of 29029, the creator of endurance hiking events. Read more
• JD Sports announced a multi-million dollar investment in the UK, Yorkshire-based athleisure retailer Gym King, taking a “significant” minority stake in the company. Read more
• Winnebago Industries, Inc. announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Barletta Pontoon Boats for an initial consideration of $255 million in cash and newly issued Winnebago Industries shares. Read more
• MacNeill Pride Group acquired Klymit. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The deal builds on MPG’s acquisition of GCI Outdoor and ORCA. Read more
• Kitman Labs acquired Presagia Sports, an athlete electronic health records platform that serves more than 110 NCAA athletic departments, youth sports programs and sports clinics. Read more
• BSN Sports, a division of Varsity Brands, announced it had acquired Sportline Team Sports based in Arvada, CO. Read more
• Bally’s Corp. announced the acquisition of the Association of Volleyball Professionals and host of the longest-running domestic beach volleyball tour in the United States. Read more
• Empire Portfolio Group announced it had acquired four Orangetheory Fitness studios in Fairfield, Norwalk, Westport, and Shelton, CT. With these acquisitions, it now has more than 40 studios in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. Read more
• Asobi Ventures, Inc., the family investment vehicle of Victor Luis, announced it had acquired a majority share in Gruppo Srl, the parent company of Italian bicycle manufacturer Cinelli, and tube manufacturer Columbus. Read more
• Skylotec, based in Neuwied, Germany, acquired Climbing Technology, a European manufacturer of carabiners. Read more
• Camping World Holdings, Inc. announced a land acquisition agreement for TC’s RV dealership in St. Albans City, VT. This location will be the retailer’s first facility in Vermont. Read more
• EssilorLuxottica, the parent of Oakley, Ray-Ban and Sunglass Hut, closed on its acquisition of GrandVision in accordance with the terms and conditions of the agreements signed on July 30, 2019. Read more
• Clarus Corp. completed the acquisition of Australia-based Rhino-Rack Pty, Ltd. The company also amended and upsized its existing senior credit line. Read more

June 2021

• Authentic Brands Group reached an agreement to acquire PVH Corp.’s Heritage Brands business, which includes the Izod, Van Heusen, Arrow, and Geoffrey Beene brand trademarks. The cash purchase price for the transaction is approximately $220 million. Read more
• WM Partners, a private equity firm based in Aventura, FL, agreed to acquire Vega, a Canadian provider of plant-based protein powder products, from food and beverage conglomerate Danone. Read more
• Superfeet said Westward Partners assumed majority ownership of the insole company. Superfeet transitions from being 100 percent employee-owned. Read more
• White River Marine Group, the fishing boat builder owned by Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, acquired Hatteras Yachts and announced a major investment in the brand. Read more
• Hybrid Apparel completed its acquisition of Air Waves, a print-on-demand provider serving e-commerce and wholesale busuinesses. Read more
• The Beachbody Company Group, LLC announced its completion of a three-way business combination with Myx Fitness Holdings, LLC and Forest Road Acquisition Corp. effective June 25, 2021. Read more
• Slinger announced its acquisition of Foundation Tennis, a developer of tennis software applications covering tennis club and facility administration and encompassing functional user and CRM experiences. Read more
• Pelican International, Inc. acquired Advanced Elements, Inc. through its wholly-owned subsidiary Confluence Outdoors, Inc. The acquisition broadens Pelican’s portfolio in the paddlesports category that includes Pelican, Wilderness Systems, Perception, Dagger, Mad River Canoe, Harmony Gear, and Boardworks. Read more
• Renfro Brands, the sock manufacturer, announced new ownership with the private holding company, The Renco Group, Inc. Renfro’s brand portfolio includes Fruit of the Loom, Dr. Scholl’s, Merrell, Copper Defense, Smartwool, Hot Sox, and K. Bell. Read more
• Delta Apparel, Inc. announced it had acquired Dallas, TX-based technology company, Autoscale.ai, to further leverage its existing proprietary automated product workflow from design to fulfillment. Read more
• Self Esteem Brands, the parent company of Anytime Fitness, The Bar Method, Basecamp Fitness, and Waxing the City,  acquired Stronger U Nutrition, a digital, personalized nutrition-based health coaching service brand, for an undisclosed amount. Read more
• Weyco Group, Inc. announced it had acquired substantially all of the operating assets and certain liabilities of Forsake, Inc., a distributor of outdoor footwear. Forsake joins Bogs in forming Weyco Group’s outdoor division, headquartered in Portland, OR. Read more
• Maven announced it had acquired The Spun, a digital and social sports brand. Read more
• Etsy, Inc. signed a definitive agreement to acquire Depop, a privately-held marketplace for fashion for $1.625 billion. Depop will continue to be headquartered in London and operate as a standalone marketplace run by its existing leadership team. Read more
• Authentic Brands Group and SPARC Group completed the acquisition of Eddie Bauer. Read more
• Mustang Survival announced the acquisition of the Ocean Rodeo Dry Wear business. The dry wear solutions for action watersports and commercial marine merged into Mustang Survival’s Recreation and Professional dry wear assortment. Read more

May 2021

• KPS Capital Partners, LP announced it had signed a definitive agreement to sell its portfolio company, TaylorMade Golf Company, Inc. to Centroid Investment Partners, a Seoul, Korea-based private equity firm. Read more
• Nuun, the hydration supplement brand, entered into an agreement to be acquired by Nestlé Health Science. Read more
• Grand Trunk acquired Alite Designs, the company behind the Monarch camp chair. In 2022, Alite products will be available under the Grand Trunk label. Read more
• Vista Outdoor, Inc. announced the acquisition of e-bike brand QuietKat and hunt-inspired female apparel brand Venor. Read more
• Naxicap Partners, a European private equity firm, reached an agreement to acquire Stromer, the Swiss e-bike brand. Read more
• Oxygen Plus, based in Minneapolis, MN, completed the acquisition of California-based recreational oxygen company, O2 Naked Air. Read more
• Colt Holding Company, LLC announced that CZG Group had successfully closed its acquisition of 100 percent of the equity interest in Colt, the parent company of the U.S. firearms manufacturer, Colt’s Manufacturing Company, LLC and its Canadian subsidiary, Colt Canada Corporation. Read more
• AOG, based in Lakeville, MN, acquired Stealth Project Suppressors. Read more
• Dometic entered into an agreement to acquire Front Runner Vehicle Outfitters. Read more
• JD Sports acquired Oi Polloi, a men’s fashion boutique located in Manchester, England. Read more
• Gainline Capital Partners announced it had formed Galaxy Universal, LLC., which owns and licenses footwear brands. Read more
• RV Retailer, LLC announced the acquisition of Marlin Ingram RV, a Tiffin dealership located in Alabama. Read more
• Camping World Holdings, Inc. announced the expansion of its business presence in the Minnesota market with an agreement to acquire Hilmerson RV in Little Falls, MN. Read more
• MarineMax purchased Cruisers Yachts of Oconto, WI, which builds boats from 33 feet to 60 feet. Read more
• MacNeill Pride Group acquired GCI Outdoor the designer of portable outdoor recreation equipment. Read more
• Signa Sports United announced a binding agreement to acquire Tennis Express, an online tennis retailer in the U.S. Read more
• An affiliate of investment holding company Ames Watson acquired the Annapolis, MD-based surf chain, South Moon Under. Ames Watson acquired the Lids hat chain two years ago. Read more

April 2021

• Sequential Brands Group, Inc. announced it had closed on the sale of its Heelys brand to BBC International for $11 million in cash proceeds. Read more
• Inner Armour Sports Nutrition was sold to a new ownership team that includes six-time UFC champion Randy Couture. Read more
• Pure Fishing, Inc. announced the close of its purchase of Plano Synergy Holdings, Inc. As part of the closing, the company also announced it had closed the sale of Plano Synergy’s archery and hunting accessories brands to GSM Outdoors. Read more
• L Catterton announced it had completed the previously announced acquisition of Birkenstock. In conjunction with the closing, Birkenstock formed and appointed six members to the company’s Supervisory Board. Read more
• Swiss holding company Conzzeta announced it had reached an agreement to sell Mammut to financial investor Telemos Capital. Read more
• Unilever announced it had signed an agreement to acquire Onnit, a maker of wellness supplements based in Austin, TX. Read more
• Camping World Holdings, Inc. announced the acquisition of Nomad Reservations, the online campground reservation and management system marketed as CampgroundBooking.com. Read more
• P. Acquisition Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of R.P. Lumber Co., Inc., announced its acquisition of the assets of  Stock+Field. In January, Stock+Field filed for bankruptcy and had intended to close all of its stores. Read more
• Xponential Fitness announced the acquisition of Rumble, a boutique boxing concept. Rumble joins the other eight brands under the Xponential Fitness umbrella, including Pure Barre, Club Pilates, CycleBar, YogaSix, StretchLab, Row House, AKT, and Stride. Read more
• Therabody, the parent of Theragun, acquired PowerDot, a smart muscle stimulator. Read more
• L Catterton, the private equity firm, announced it had entered into a definitive agreement under which it acquired a controlling interest in West Marine from Monomoy Capital Partners. Read more
• Leupold & Stevens, Inc. announced the sale of its Redfield hunting scope brand to Academy Sports + Outdoors. Read more
• G-Form announced that Eldridge had acquired the brand. The transaction provides capital to scale the growth of its proprietary SmartFlex impact protection technology. Read more
• ABC Fitness Solutions, LLC announced it had acquired Fitness BI. Read more
• Markwort Sporting Goods Company announced its acquisition of the second generation Xelerator Fastpitch Softball Trainer from Ken Roudybush. Read more
• Peloton announced it had officially closed on the acquisition of Precor, one of the largest global commercial fitness equipment providers with a significant U.S. manufacturing presence. Read more

March 2021

• Clayton, Dubilier & Rice closed its previously announced acquisition of Bolingbrook, IL-based S&S Activewear, a distributor of imprintable apparel and accessories. Read more
• Callaway Golf Company and Topgolf International, Inc. announced that the companies completed their previously announced merger. Chip Brewer continues to lead the combined companies as president and chief executive officer. Dolf Berle continues to lead the Topgolf business through a transition period. Read more
• Camping World Holdings, Inc. announced that an agreement had been signed to acquire a multi-location Hilltop RV Superstore with dealerships in Escanaba and Ishpeming, MI. Read more
• k.a. Brands, based in San Francisco, CA, announced the acquisition of Culture Kings, the Australian streetwear brand. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Read more
• Camping World Holdings, Inc. announced an agreement to acquire the Trailer City RV dealership in Fairmont, WV. The acquisition agreement is the company’s first location in West Virginia. Read more
• RYU Apparel, Inc. entered into an agreement to acquire Kosan Travel Company, Ltd., a British Columbia-based travel apparel and accessories maker. Read more
• Swag Golf announced it had acquired Ecktron Performance, the maker of golf headcover manufacturing and embroidery.  Read more
• BSN Sports announced it had acquired Dillard’s Sporting Goods based in Anderson, SC. Read more
• Peloton acquired three start-ups with expertise in wearable devices, artificial intelligence, digital voice assistants, and interactive workout mats, according to a report from Bloomberg. Read more
• Sportradar entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Synergy Sports. Read more
• JD Sports Fashion Plc said it completed its acquisition of DTLR Villa, LLC. Read more
• Snap, the parent of Snapchat, announced it had acquired Berlin-based start-up Fit Analytics. Read more
• RoadRunner Holdings, LLC has added JoJé Bar to its portfolio of athlete-focused active nutrition brands. Company founder and current CEO Jess Cerra becomes VP, product and community development for RoadRunner. Read more
• Rocky Brands, Inc. announced it had completed its previously announced acquisition of the performance and lifestyle footwear business of Honeywell International, Inc., including The Original Muck Boot Company and XtraTuf footwear brands for $230 million. Read more
• Berlin-based Signa Sports United announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Midwest Sports, the Ohio-based online tennis retailer. Read more
• JD Sports said it entered into an agreement to acquire a 60 percent stake in Polish sports fashion business Marketing Investment Group with 410 stores across nine countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Read more
• BSN Sports announced it had acquired Sports Plus, based in Tullahoma, TN. Its owner, Joe Barstad, joined the company. Read more
• Camping World Holdings, Inc. agreed to acquire Nielson RV. The agreement includes two RV Dealership locations, one in St. George, UT and a second in Hurricane, UT. Read more
• Cool Clubs acquired the custom club fitting firm Hot Stix based in Arizona. Read more
• Trigon Sports International, Inc. announced the acquisition of Practice Partner, Inc. located in Wilmington, NC, effective March 1, 2021. The merged businesses will continue operating in Memphis, TN. Read more
• Camping World Holdings, Inc. announced an agreement to acquire EZ Living RV in Braidwood, IL. Read more
• Tailwind Capital closed on its acquisition of the International Sports Sciences Association, the eLearning platform for the fitness and wellness industry. Read more
• Camping World Holdings, Inc. announced that an agreement had been signed to acquire Triple A RV Center in Medford, OR. The acquisition was anticipated to close in March 2020. Read more

February 2021

• The SRAM Group announced it had acquired the Time Sport pedal business from Rossignol, which has now disposed of the brand entirely. Read more
• Clubessential Holdings announced the acquisition of ForeUP, a provider of public golf club management software. The acquisition expands its presence to public golf clubs and courses. Read more
• Camping World Holdings, Inc. said it planned to acquire Lee’s Family Trailer in Windham, ME. The acquisition is anticipated to close in April 2021 and would be the company’s first location in Maine. Read more
• BSN Sports announced it had acquired Shively Sporting Goods based in Louisville, KY. Shively is liquidating its longtime storefront. Read more
• Rather Outdoors announced it had acquired Zebco Brands, the Tulsa, OK-based manufacturer of fishing rods, reels and accessories. Read more
• Camping World Holdings, Inc. announced that an agreement had been signed to acquire the two dealership locations of Flagg RV in Uxbridge, MA and West Boylston, MA, and additional land in Griswold, CT for a planned future location. Read more
• Camping World Holdings, Inc. announced the acquisition of two locations in the Northeast—Hamburg, PA and Albany, NY—established through the acquisition of Boat-N-RV Superstore. Read more
• Apex Global Brands, Inc. said it entered into a merger agreement with Galaxy Universal, LLC. Apex’s brands include Hi-Tec, Magnum, 50 Peaks, Interceptor, Cherokee, Tony Hawk, Point Cove, Carole Little Everyday California, and Sideout. Read more
• Ceska Zbrojovka Group said it signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100 percent of the outstanding equity interest in Colt Holding Company, LLC, the parent company of U.S. firearms manufacturer, Colt’s Manufacturing Company, LLC as well as its Canadian subsidiary, Colt Canada Corp. Read more
• Nike, Inc. said it acquired Datalogue, a data integration platform start-up based in New York, to enable its consumer-led digital transformation. Read more
• Vapor Trail acquired Stokerized Solid Aiming Solutions, Inc. Vapor Trail purchased the company on February 2, 2021. Read more
• ClubReady, the provider of studio fitness and wellness club management software and services, announced the acquisition of iKizmet, a data analytics provider in the fitness industry. Read more
• Just Over The Top, the French casual outerwear brand, announced that L Catterton, the PE firm, had acquired a controlling interest in the company. The Gourdikian family, which founded and managed the company, continues to hold a significant equity interest in the business. Read more

January 2021

• On January 25, 2021, kayak, surf and SUP company Hobie Cat Co. was sold to a private equity group consisting of executives from Detroit industrial auction company Maynards Industries. Read more
• Platinum Equity announced it had acquired a controlling stake in the apparel company Mad Engine from affiliates of the company’s current ownership group, which had owned the business since 2011. Read more
• Hyperice announced the acquisition of RecoverX, a San Diego-based technology company specializing in intelligent thermal technologies. Read more
• United Legwear & Apparel Co.acquired TicTacToe, a manufacturer of infant, toddler and children’s legwear, accessories and apparel. Read more
• United Legwear & Apparel Co. acquired the Pro Player brand from Perry Ellis International, Inc. The company has been the fan apparel brand’s master licensee in recent years. Read more
• ReCircled, LLC announced the acquisition of Circlarity, LLC, a digital sustainability intelligence technology company.  Read more
• Blackbird Products Group, LLC, the parent company of Mammoth Coolers and Mammoth PPE Products, announced it had acquired American Buffalo Knife and Tool. Read more
• GSM Outdoors announced the acquisition of Truglo, a provider of accessory items for archery, crossbow and firearms. Read more
• Viva China Holdings acquired control of the U.K.-based footwear brand Clarks for £51 million ($62 million). Read more
• Global licensing specialists Brand Machine Group acquired U.S. outdoor brand Penfield. Read more
• American Pacific Group announced that together with Joe Falsetti of Dana Holdings, LLC, it had formed Yukon Wellness Holdings, LLC. Yukon Wellness also announced it had acquired Eu Natural, a provider of vitamin and mineral nutritional supplement products. Read more
• Buffalo Groupe, LLC expanded its research capabilities with the acquisition of Longitudes Group. Read more
• Google said it had completed its acquisition of Fitbit after securing regulatory approvals. Fitbit’s CEO James Park and Rick Osterloh, Google’s SVP, devices & services, issued separate statements committing to data privacy and security protections. Read more
• Sellmark Corporation announced the acquisition of BulletSafe, a provider of body armor to civilians and law enforcement. Read more
• BSN Sports acquired Best Sports, Inc., based in Rogers, AR. Read more
• Sporting Goods Research Network, Inc., doing business as SBRnet, was acquired by Neil Schwartz and Mark Sullivan from the estate of Dick Lipsey. Read more
• RV Retailer LLC, based in Fort Lauderdale, FL, announced the addition of 14 dealerships with the acquisitions of Family RV Group and Northgate RV. Read more
• Seawall Capital, LLC announced that it had acquired Kent Water SportsHoldings, LLC and its related entities for an undisclosed amount. Read more
• BoxUnion, a California-based fitness boxing brand, announced it had acquired Title Boxing Club, a fitness studio with 166 clubs across the United States, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Read more
• Malibu Boats, Inc. announced it had closed on the acquisition of Maverick Boat Group, Inc. Read more
• Emerald Holding, Inc. announced it had completed the acquisition of PlumRiver, LLC, a provider of software-as-a-service technology through its Elastic Suite solution. Read more
• Frasers Group, the parent of Sports Direct, acquired U.K.-based fashion retailer Psyche stores and online business for an undisclosed amount. Read more
• Troon, the golf management company, announced it had acquired Indigo Golf Partners, formerly known as Billy Casper Golf. Read more
• Garmin International and Garmin Services, units of Garmin Ltd., announced the acquisition of substantially all the assets of GEOS Worldwide Limited and its subsidiaries. Read more
• The Dubai-based family holding company, Gulf Marketing Group acquired Royal Sporting House one of the largest multi-brand sports retailers in Southeast Asia. Read more
• Affiliates of CriticalPoint Capital, LLC announced it had completed the merger of the recently acquired Shoes.com business with its existing platform Running Specialty Group, operator of the JackRabbit, Olympia Sports and Clever Training footwear and athletic specialty retailers. Read more