NB Development Group broke ground Tuesday on The Track at New Balance at Boston Landing (pictured), a multi-sport athletic complex that will offer sports facilities, as well as a concert venue with The Bowery Presents and a New Balance Athletics Sports Research Lab.

Vail Resorts Inc. announced Friday that the company has closed on its acquisition of the ski field leases and related infrastructure at Falls Creek Alpine Resort and Hotham Alpine Resort in Victoria, Australia.

FBI background checks, as adjusted by the NSSF, were down 12.4 percent in March to 1.31 million compared to the February 2018 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1.5 million.

About 60,000 massage balls from Vivitar are being recalled due to burn hazard. The item was sold exclusively at Target.

Nike signed Naomi Osaka to an endorsement deal. Adidas had been expected to renew its deal with the two-time Grand Slam winner and current top-ranked female tennis player.

Western Spirit Cycling—founders and promoters of Outerbike, the consumer-focused experience for testing, reviewing and riding the newest bikes and cycling gear—on Thursday announced the appointment of former Dakine CEO Ken Meidell as Outerbike’s first CEO.

Light & Motion, a U.S. manufacturer of performance self-contained lighting, has added two new team members—Daniel Delehanty and Tom Brady—to its leadership team, heading up the management of its worldwide sales and marketing efforts.

Wilson Sporting Goods Co. announced Thursday it has entered into an exclusive supplier agreement with Factory Athletics, which provides youth and high school athletes with instruction, skill development and guidance through the college recruiting process.

Schuylkill Valley Sports announced the addition of Doug Eastman to its Team & Group Sales division in the Stroudsburg, PA area.

Coros Wearables signed on as the official GPS watch and maps sponsor of the Lake Sonoma 50.

Longstreth Sporting Goods announced Jana Withrow will be returning as director of field hockey.

Adidas and Beyoncé have announced a multi-layered partnership that will see the star singer become a creative partner for the brand and develop new signature footwear and apparel. The partnership will also see the re-launch of her Ivy Park brand as Ivy Park with Adidas.

Saf-Gard Safety Shoe Company, the supplier of safety shoe footwear, recently completed the purchase of Michigan Industrial Shoe, and Great Lakes Industrial Shoe.

Brunswick Corporation promoted Christopher Drees, president – marine parts and accessories, to president – Mercury Marine. Drees succeeds John Pfeifer, who has chosen to leave Brunswick to pursue opportunities outside the company.

L.L.Bean in partnership with The Trust for Public Land, announced the recipients of the first L.L.Bean Community Fund Award, supporting projects in 2019. Projects in Cleveland, Chicago and Boston will each receive $50,000 grants for public park and green space enhancement.

In an expanded effort to grow the games of baseball and softball around the world, Little League International and Major League Baseball have announced an expansion to their official partnership with the creation of a Joint Sponsorship Agreement.

Puma announced a long-term partnership with Formula 1 to become the exclusive merchandise retail partner from the start of the 2019 season.

Fitness franchise Anytime Fitness will soon open its first gym in Germany. A European-based master franchising team plans to open a corporate gym later this year, while simultaneously seeking franchisees to open additional gyms beginning in 2020.

Gold’s Gym has promoted Craig Sherwood to chief development officer.

Fitness industry professionals from nearly 80 countries were in San Diego, CA, for IHRSA 2019, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association’s 38th Annual International Convention & Trade Show, held March 13-16.

George Washington University and Adidas entered a five-year partnership in which the Portland, OR-based company will be the official athletic footwear, apparel and accessory brand of the Colonials through the 2024 season.

Huck Adventures, an outdoor app startup on a mission to connect outdoor enthusiasts, announced it is currently raising $1 million in seed funding.

Keen Inc. on Wednesday announced winners of its 2019 Critical Coastlines award, a new initiative of the Keen Effect Grant Program.

Based on post-event comments from attendees at the 2018 show, this year’s installment of The Running Event will be condensed to three days from four, event officials announced Wednesday. TRE will be held Dec. 3-5 in Austin TX.

The number of runners registering for organized races in the U.S. was down slightly in 2018, continuing a five-year gradual drawback of mass participation in recreational road racing, according to Running USA.

REI Co-op is opening its first location in Vermont this fall with a store in Williston.

Hype Sports Innovation said Uli Becker, ex-president of Reebok, and Bernd Wahler, former president of VfB Stuttgart who also served as Adidas CMO, have joined the firm. Hype Sport also said it is launching a $75 million sports tech fund.

Store closures as part of J.C. Penney‘s turnaround plan will keep the pressure on US real estate investment trusts (REITs) and commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) to mitigate their exposure to associated risks, Moody’s Investors Service said in a new report.

More than 71.5 million consumers utilized U.S. health clubs in 2018, a record high since IHRSA began tracking health club utilization in 1987. The number of individual members totaled 62.5 million, up 2.6 percent from 60.9 million in 2017.

US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sport organization in the United States, announced a complete redesign of its brand.

Trust Performance, the specialist in bike suspension technology, announced the rollout of its industry purchase program to give cycling and outdoor industry employees exclusive discounts on Trust Performance products.

Liv Cycling, the women’s cycling brand, unveiled Liv Forward, its global brand campaign dedicated to the momentum and connection experienced through the shared joys of cycling.

La Sportiva announced the hiring of Ascension Sales to represent the brand in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico.

A diverse assortment of 22 companies are hosting fundraisers and online promotions during the month of April to benefit The Conservation Alliance in the fifth annual “We Keep It Wild” campaign.

Salomon welcomed two new hires to its brand marketing leadership team in the United States, Becky Marcelliano and Erin Cooper, bolstering its commitment to the run and outdoor categories.

Amer Sports Corp. is borrowing €1.2 billion (US$1.4 billion) via an “intercompany facilities agreement” from Mascot Bidco Oy, the consortium of investors led by Chinese-based Anta Sports that is acquiring Amer.

Arc’teryx continues to expand in China with the opening of a new brand store in Guangzhou.

Reebok launched its first loyalty program, Unlocked, featuring both experiential and product-based benefits.

Luna Bar, part of Clif Bar & Company, is giving each of the 23 women named to the 2019 U.S. women’s national soccer team $31,250, comprising the difference between the women’s and men’s World Cup roster bonus.

Garmin Ltd. announced that it has completed the acquisition of Tacx Onroerend en Roerend Goed B.V., a privately-held Dutch company that designs and manufactures indoor bike trainers, tools and accessories, as well as indoor training software and applications.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Topsports, a leading sports retailer in China, together with Nike Inc., the official on-court apparel provider of the NBA, announced the opening of the largest NBA Store in China and the league’s largest store outside North America. The new retail space is in Beijing.

Samsonite International S.A. reported that sales for High Sierra were flat in 2018 while sales for Gregory grew 12 percent.

Gildan Activewear Inc. announced that its board of directors has approved the appointment of Donald C. Berg as chairman of the board effective May 2.

Macy’s Inc. on Monday announced that Dennis Mullahy has been named chief supply chain officer of the Macy’s brand, effective April 8.

Compass Diversified Holdings on Monday announced the promotion of Pat Maciariello to COO of the company’s manager, Compass Group Management LLC, effective March 31

Winter sports specialty retailer Christy Sports LLC on Monday announced the opening of its newest signature store at 817 Highway 6 in Dillon, CO.

The Rockport Co. LLC—parent of the Rockport, Aravon and Dunham brands—and Reef Lifestyle LLC on Monday announced they had entered into definitive agreements to transition their Canadian businesses to a distributor model with Canadian footwear distributor Trend Marketing.

Pack company Mystery Ranch has hired Luke Mayfield as the company’s fire program manager.

Walther has appointed David Barnes to the position of law enforcement channel manager.

The American Sportfishing Association’s (ASA) new inland fisheries policy manager is Chad Tokowicz.

Cycling brand 100% has signed Highway Two Distribution to distribute its sunglasses, helmets, gloves, riding gear, protection and apparel to U.S. bicycle dealers.

U.S. retail sales unexpectedly fell in February. The drop could partly reflect delays in processing tax refunds in the middle of the month as well as cold and wet weather but the report heightened concerns that the U.S. economy is slowing.

VF Corp. on Monday announced the public filing of a Form 10 Registration Statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the previously announced separation of VF’s Jeanswear organization into an independent, publicly traded company, Kontoor Brands.

Marika, the women’s activewear brand, announced the opening of its first branded retail store at the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Minor League Baseball (MiLB) announced the creation of the largest retail program in Minor League Baseball history. The “Grilling All-Stars” program merges MiLB with local retailers and brands associated with a summer grill-out.

RYU Apparel Inc., the fitness apparel specialist based in Vancouver, announced that it has closed a final tranche of the non-brokered private placement financing of up to 80 million units at a price of $0.075 per unit for gross proceeds of up to $6 million.

Umbro signed a multi-year extension with Everton, the Liverpool soccer team that competes in the Premier League.

JCPenney announced plans to close 27 stores this year. The closures include 18 full-time department stores and nine home and furniture shops.

Puma announced a new long-term partnership with Valencia CF, one of Spain’s most successful soccer teams.

Photo courtesy New Balance