Vail Resorts Inc. reported season-to-date total skier visits were down 7.8 percent compared to the prior year season-to-date period. Read more
Taurus announced that its board of directors has appointed Bret Vorhees as CEO of Taurus Holdings Inc., which encompasses Taurus USA, Rossi and Heritage Manufacturing product lines. Read more
Target reported same-store sales were up 1.4 percent for the holiday season, below the chain’s forecast of 3-to-4 percent growth and well below holiday 2018’s 5-to-7 percent comp performance. Read more
Reports said that World Athletics, track and field’s governing body, might ban from competition Nike’s Vaporfly shoes, which the world’s fastest marathoners—Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei—wore in their record-setting races. Read more
Gap Inc. announced that the company no longer intends to separate Old Navy into a standalone public company. The company also announced that Neil Fiske, president and CEO of the Gap brand, would leave the company. Read more
Emerald Expositions Events Inc., the parent of Surf Expo, Outdoor Retailer and other trade shows, announced that David Doft would become its CFO. Read more
Fanatics has formed a 10-year alliance with the University of Notre Dame to become the University’s primary apparel, headwear, and hard goods partner starting in January 2021. The Notre Dame athletics’ apparel partnership with Under Armour will remain unchanged. Read more
OIA, NRF, AAFA, and FDRA were among the trade associations that welcomed Thursday’s Senate passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Agreement. Read more
Holiday retail sales during 2019 grew 4.1 percent over the same period in 2018 to $730.2 billion, the National Retail Federation said Thursday. Read more
Outdoor Research, the Seattle-based manufacturer of outdoor apparel and gear, on Thursday, announced the hires of Andrew Osborn as creative director for marketing and brand, and Kat Schoewe as creative design director. Read more
Balanced Body, the specialist in Pilates equipment and education, announced the launch of its Integrated Movement Specialist Certificate program for movement professionals, including instructors, trainers, and coaches. Read more
HanesBrands on Thursday announced that the company had renewed its partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Transport program. Read more
Troy Barbell and Fitness, the maker of free weight and fitness accessories, appointed Robert Quast as its new VP of sales and marketing. Read more
REI Co-op will open a new store in Boca Raton, FL, in fall 2020. Read more
Payless ShoeSource announced that it has emerged from bankruptcy proceedings, appointed a new executive management team, and plans to re-open stores in the U.S. Read more
Michael Avenatti, the lawyer accused of extorting Nike for up to $25 million, was arrested Tuesday while appearing before the State Bar Court in Los Angeles. Read more
American Outdoor Brands Corp. said that James Debney had been replaced as president and CEO and as a director of the company, following the determination by the board of directors that he “engaged in conduct inconsistent with non-financial company policy.” Read more
Vans opened a new indoor park, Skate Space 198, in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, NY. Read more
Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. announced two senior executive appointments: Gregory Craig as executive VP and CFO, Canadian Tire Corp. and Mahes Wickramasinghe as president, Canadian Tire Financial Services and president and CEO, Canadian Tire Bank. Read more
Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings Inc. announced plans to open three new stores in Parker, CO, Brentwood, CA and Corona, CA this year. Read more
Studies and Observations Group (SOG) announced the retirement of Spencer Frazer, who founded the company in 1986. Read more
A number of retail and industry groups welcomed the signing of the Phase One trade deal between the U.S. and China. Read more
According to DestiMetrics’ monthly Market Briefing from Inntopia, generous snowfall and good slope conditions throughout most of the U.S. western resorts, along with less than ideal conditions in other regions, has helped to buoy lodging rates even as occupancy figures continue to slip. Read more
David Katz, most recently senior vice president of product management and design at Fanatics, has joined Afterpay. Read more
PGA Tour Superstore said it would open three stores this spring in East Hanover, NJ, Palm Beach Gardens, FL and Columbus, OH and is looking to open additional stores later this year. Read more
VF Corp. announced that Jim Pisani has decided to step down from his role as global brand president, Timberland. Read more
ISPO award winners for 2020 were selected and will be announced on January 26, on the first day of ISPO Munich 2020. Read more
Compass Diversified Holdings (CODI) announced Wednesday the promotions of Demetrios Dounis to partner and head of business development and Raj Dalal to principal effective January 1. Read more
Alterra Mountain Co. announced that it closed on the purchase of Sugarbush Resort in Vermont, bringing the company’s total year-round mountain destinations to 15 throughout North America. Read more
Sea to Summit, the adventure equipment brand headquartered in Perth, Western Australia, announced Wednesday the acquisition of the company’s long-time North American distribution partner. Read more
New Era Cap Co. will celebrate its 100th Anniversary with special collections, new global partnerships and an exhibition at the Buffalo History Museum. Read more
Adidas announced the start of the third tranche of its current multi-year share buyback program initially announced in March 2018 and intends to repurchase its own shares worth up to €1.0 billion in 2020. Read more
The Nike Foundation made a $5 million contribution to help build an athletic facility at the planned Obama Presidential Center on the south side of Chicago. Read more
Springfield Armory announced its partnership with the national firearms distributor MGE Wholesale. Read more
K-Swiss announced it has signed tennis players Ajla Tomljanovic and Cameron Norrie to endorsement deals. Read more
World Surf League (WSL) on Tuesday announced that CEO Sophie Goldschmidt would be stepping down from her post and that Erik Logan, WSL’s president of content, media and studios, had been named as CEO, effective this week. Read more
Crescent Moon Snowshoes was acquired by family-owned Dunn-Rite Products. Read more
The American Sportfishing Association stressed the importance of passing several top priorities regarding forage fish and reducing mortality rates among reef fish during Tuesday’s hearing in the U.S. House Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife. Read more
Wolverine, a division of World Wide Inc., on Tuesday announced that the company had signed a multi-year, multi-category licensing partnership with glove manufacturer Olympia Sports. Read more
The Big Gear Show appointed Kenji Haroutunian to be its outdoor show director. Read more
HanesBrands announced Tuesday that the company’s current chief accounting officer and controller, M. Scott Lewis will serve as its interim CFO, effective January 9. Read more
Active Ride Shop, the skate shop based in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, has been taken over by its lender, GemCap. Read more
Zumiez raised its fourth-quarter guidance after reporting comparable sales increased 6.8 percent for the nine-week period ended January 4. Read more
Honey Stinger, the sports nutrition brand, has appointed Scott Larson as the company’s senior brand manager. Read more
Stage Stores reported same-store sales rose 1.4 percent for the nine-week period ended January 4 but came in below expectations. Read more
Cabela’s is shuttering its Fort Oglethorpe, GA and Bristol, VA locations and consolidating those stores with nearby and expanding Bass Pro Shops in Chattanooga, TN and Bristol, TN, respectively, according to the company. Read more
Philips has accused Fitbit, Garmin, and several other competitors, of stealing its wearable tech and the U.S. International Trade Commission has agreed to investigate the charge. Read more
Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. on Monday reported sales results for the fiscal 2019 fourth quarter and full-year ended December 29, 2019, and also lowered its earnings guidance for the fiscal fourth quarter. Read more
Dick’s Sporting Goods abruptly closed its location in Orem, UT. The store opened in 2012. Read more
MacNeill Pride Group, a designer and manufacturer of sporting goods and related products, has acquired Outdoor Recreation Company of America, a supplier of coolers, drinkware and other outdoor accessories. Read more
L.L. Bean Inc. has requested a $10 million tax break from its hometown of Freeport, ME., as part of a planned headquarters expansion. Read more
Tilly’s Inc. said it expects same-store sales to decline by 2-to-3 percent in the fourth quarter and earnings per diluted share to come in below guidance. Read more
Genesco Inc. announced that comparable sales, including both stores and direct sales, increased 2 percent for the quarter-to-date period ended January 9, 2020. Read more
Crocs Inc. raised its revenue guidance for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2019. Read more
Delta Apparel said it expects sales to decline 6.7 percent in the first quarter ended December 28, 2019. Read more
Lululemon Athletica Inc. lifted its guidance for the fourth quarter due to strong holiday sales. Read more
Fanatics Inc. promoted Gina Sprenger to as the company’s first chief strategic retail officer. Read more
Gart Capital Partners, a private equity investment partnership located in Denver, CO, has acquired California-based Work World. Read more
Nike and the Chinese Athletics Association signed a long-term partnership extension through to 2033. Read more
JD Sports said that against a backdrop of widely reported retail challenges in the Group’s core UK market, it is encouraged to report positive like-for-like trends in the Group’s global Sports Fashion fascias, particularly overseas. Read more
AKU, the Italian footwear brand, announced that Canice Harte would join the company as VP sales & marketing, U.S. Read more
Photo courtesy Breckenridge Ski Resort, Breckenridge, CO
