Rally House To Open K-State Official Team Stores
Rally House agreed to become the official team store for Kansas State. The retailer has several stores in the state of Kansas.

Report: Online Prices Fall 2.6 Percent in June, a 36-Month Low
Adobe reported in its Digital Price Index (DPI)* that online prices in June 2023 fell 2.6 percent year-over-year (YoY), the most significant decrease since May 2020, when prices fell 1.5 percent YoY.

NRF: Back-To-School Shopping Expected to Reach Record Levels
Back-to-school spending is expected to climb 12.4 percent while back-to-college shopping will increase about 27 percent this year as both tiers reach recording spending levels, according to the annual survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.

Diddy Launches Online Marketplace for Black Entrepreneurs
Sean “Diddy” Combs launched Empower Global (EG), an e-commerce platform for selling products created and sold by Black entrepreneurs.
Authentic Brands Group Names Chief Financial Officer
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) named Kevin Wills as chief financial officer. Wills is based in the company’s New York headquarters and reports to Founder, Chairman and CEO Jamie Salter.

Fanatics to Enter Sports Collectibles Events Business
Fanatics has partnered with IMG, the sports, events and talent management company, to launch Fanatics Events, a platform that will recreate the Comic-Con experience for sports collectibles.

Amazon Sees ‘Biggest Ever’ Prime Day
U.S. online sales rose 6.1 percent to $12.7 billion during Amazon’s Prime Day two-day sales from July 11- 12, according to Adobe Analytics, which measures transactions at U.S. retail sites. Amazon called the first 24 hours of Prime Day the “single largest sales day in company history,” but did not disclose total sales.

Deloitte: BTS Spending Expected to Decline as Inflation Takes its Toll
Deloitte’s 2023 back-to-school survey found that spending for K-12 students is expected to decrease 10 percent to $597 per student. Deloitte also found that after 18 months of inflation, higher prices weigh on K-12 families preparing for the upcoming school year.

Target Names New Chief Marketing Officer
Target promoted Lisa Roath to chief marketing officer, overseeing core marketing functions, including creative, guest marketing strategy, retail brand experience, social media, paid media and marketing strategies, and operations.
Zumiez, Inc. Appoints Foot Locker, Inc. Vet to Board
Zumiez, Inc. appointed Guy M. Harkless to its Board of Directors to serve as an independent Class II director for a term expiring at the company’s 2025 annual meeting of shareholders. Harkless will also serve on Zumiez Audit Committee.
Western Glove Works Hires Denim Vet to Lead Silver Jeans, Jag Jeans
Canada-based Western Glove Works, the parent company to Silver Jeans Co. and Jag Jeans, hired Suzanne Silverstein as CEO of both companies, taking the reins from former CEO and Founder Michael Silver, who joined the newly formed advisory board of directors.

ORR Launches Hub for Growing Outdoor Workforce
The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable launched an Outdoor Workforce Hub on its website, developed with support from The VF Foundation, for employers, educators, those interested in joining the outdoor recreation industry, and those looking to expand their careers.

Rip Curl, Oboz Parent Reiterates NZ$1.1 Billion Sales Outlook for Fiscal Year
KMD Brands, the parent company of Rip Curl, Oboz and Kathmandu brands, reported it is on track to deliver a record A$1.1 billion in full-year sales, despite softening consumer sentiment in the fiscal fourth quarter.

TMC Ltd Names Director Business Development Europe
TMC, Ltd., owner of the Nuyarn and Herculan technologies and innovators in the performance yarn and fabric space, hired Timo Pape as director of business development in Europe.
Kyrie Irving Inks Five-Year Shoe Deal with Anta
Anta signed Dallas Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving to a new shoe deal running five years. The agreement comes after Irving and Nike ended their partnership last December.