SGB Executive Sports & Fitness
EXEC: Sports Direct Inks Retail Agreement to Expand in Australia and New Zealand
Accent Group plans to build a large Sports Direct business in Australia with an initial rollout of at least 50 Sports Direct stores plus online targeted over the first six years.
UPDATED: NFL and NFLPA Helmet Lab Testing Results by Brand and Model
Notably, the NFL said the lab testing results are supported by recent on-field data — players who wore top-performing helmets had a substantially lower rate of concussions than players wearing lesser-performing helmets.
EXEC: Intersport International Will See Prodigal Son Tom Foley Return as CEO in July 2025
Tom Foley most recently served as CEO at Go Sport where led a chain of stores and a network of international franchises. Foley’s background also includes a stint as general manager for Intersport UK and Ireland, a role he served in for six years until 2017.
EXEC: Fila and Anta Brands Carry a HSD China Retail Growth Trend into First Quarter
Retail sales for the Fila brand in the 2025 first quarter in the China market again increased in the high-single digits year-over-year, consistent with the growth trend in the 2024 fourth quarter.
EXEC: Yue Yuen’s Pou Sheng China Retail Unit Declines Again in March
Yue Yuen’s Pou Sheng China retail business and the YY Sports retail brand posted another down month in March 2025 but the decline did moderate month-over-month from a deep decline in February.
EXEC: Trump Admin Hits “Pause” on Most Higher Tariffs; Bumps China to 125 Percent
U.S. President Donald Trump either reminded the markets that he authored “The Art of the Deal” or awoke Wednesday to the reality that the U.S. bond and stock markets were going to drag down his legacy. Either way, there is broad relief coming.
EXEC: Trump Threatens to Push China Tariffs to 104 Percent Total
At issue was what Trump said was an effort to strike a trade deal with China that would be fair to both sides. China’s latest move on Friday to assess a 34 percent retaliatory tariff apparently lit the fuse as Trump threatened to add another 50 percent to the total tariff.
EXEC: Spanish Fitness Club GOfit Expanding to Italy with Technogym Partner
After success in Spain, where GOfit has been using the Technogym Ecosystem, the group will start collaborating exclusively with the Italy-based Technogym in that country, with its first gym opening in Turin at the end of summer 2025.
EXEC: Puma SE Names New CEO and Chair of Management Board; Freundt to Exit
Puma SE’s Supervisory Board has appointed Arthur Hoeld as chairman of the Management Board and CEO of Puma SE, effective July 1, 2025. Due to differing views on strategy execution, Arne Freundt, CEO of Puma SE, and the Supervisory Board have mutually agreed that he will step down as CEO on April 11, 2025.
EXEC: Decathlon’s 2024 Profit Falls as Sales Rise; New CEO Appointed
Javier López has been appointed as chief executive officer, replacing Barbara Martin Coppola who has served in the CEO role since March 2022.
EXEC: Trump Tariffs Hit Active Lifestyle Stocks Hard; Vietnam Hit a Big Surprise
At issue for many in the active lifestyle market, including sporting goods, footwear, apparel, and outdoor, is the impact on goods sourced in Vietnam after many companies invested considerable time and capital in moving production there from China.
EXEC: Intersport Posts Tepid 2024 Omni-Channel Sales Growth to €14.0 Bn
Despite a challenging business landscape, Intersport saw particularly positive 2024 growth in its French, Italian and Swiss markets, as well as an upward trend in several specific categories, including Sportstyle, Football and Running.
EXEC: On Holdings to Transition Leadership as Co-CEO Marc Mauer Plans Exit
The company is transitioning to a single CEO structure, with current Co-CEO and CFO Martin Hoffmann assuming the role of CEO. The company has also appointed four key senior leaders to further strengthen the existing team.
EXEC: EY M&A Outlook Signals Cautious U.S. Deal Market
EY expects U.S. deal volume will rise 10 percent in 2025, building on a robust 13 percent advance in 2024, driven by sustained economic activity, decreasing interest rates, pent-up demand & reduced valuation gaps.
EXEC: Sports Direct to Expand South Asia Presence with Map Active
This latest strategic partnership between Sports Direct parent Frasers Group and MAP Active will expand the sporting goods retailer further into Indonesia, with entry into India, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
