NSGA’s and Sporting Goods Industry Veteran Tom Doyle Passes Away
Tom Doyle died on April 22 at the age of 86. He worked at the NSGA for 39 years and was the association’s vice president of Information and Research when he retired in the fall of 2010. He was also president of the National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA) from the time it was founded in 1987 until 2010.
Nike, Inc. Sued Over NFT Investor Losses Incurred After Closure of RTFKT Unit
The company is now being sued by purchasers of NFTs (non-funglible tokens) that originated with Nike’s December 2021 acquisition of the RTFKT, a virtual sneaker design company and studio for NFTs.
Cotopaxi Signs New Canadian Market Distributor
Montreal-based In-Sport Fashions Inc. is said to bring 35 years of experience representing premium outdoor and lifestyle brands across Canada.
Vuori Continues UK Expansion; Opens Third Store on King’s Road
Andy Lawrence, SVP of International at Vuori, said, “Opening this store represents a key milestone in Vuori’s expansion in the UK and across Europe, allowing us to deepen our connection with customers and the market.”
WFSGI Adds New Faces to Board to Replace Outgoing Members
The new WFSGI Board has added Anne Larilahti, VP of Sustainability, Amer Sports; Mitchell Tsai, CEO, Apache Footwear; Todd Smith, President and CEO, SFIA; and Stefan Rummel, CEO, Messe Muenchen, the producer of the ISPO and Outdoor Munich Expos.
Hudson’s Bay to Close Balance of Hudson’s Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue Locations
The Hudson’s Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue stores in Canada are expected to operate until no later than June 15, 2025; however, some may close earlier. The company will close 9 Saks Off 5th stores on Sunday, April 27.
Ambercycle and Huilong in New Strategic Cooperation Partnership
The collaboration is expected to focus on scaling textile-to-textile (T2T) closed-loop recycling systems, establishing innovative solutions across the industry’s value chain.
Grassroots Expects 5.9 Percent Growth in Spring Connect Buyer Attendance
Grassroots indicated that the 148 retail businesses and 147 exhibitors are essentially flat versus last year’s Spring Connect Show, but individual buyers increased 5.9 percent year-over-year to 391 buyers.
EXEC: Adidas Brand Posts 17 Percent Sales Gain in Q1 Excluding FX Shifts
Excluding Yeezy sales in the prior year, currency-neutral revenues for the Adidas brand increased 17 percent y/y for the quarter, driven by double-digit y/y growth across all markets and channels.
Josh Allen Invests in The Cashmere Fund
The Buffalo Bills QB and 2025 NFL MVP is the newest investor in The Cashmere Fund, and partnering with the Fund’s subadviser, Cashmere LLC, a next-generation venture fund making startup investing more accessible.
Jay Apparel Group Expands into Central America
JAG said it would focus on men’s woven sport shirts and other core products in Honduras and other key regional hubs, leveraging the benefits of U.S. trade programs, including the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR).
Nike Promotes Jennifer Hartley to Chief Strategy Officer, ELT
Jennifer Hartley, a 14-year company veteran also joins Nike’s Executive Leadership Team. CFO Matt Friend said that Hartley will work to “develop, drive and deliver Nike’s strategic agenda.”
EXEC: Wall Street Reacts to Tariff News but Port Traffic Decline May Reflect a Sad Reality
The Dow and the S&P 500 both bounced on April 22 after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trump’s primary negotiator on tariff deals, said that he believes the Administration’s ongoing tariff war with China will de-escalate soon because the rift is not sustainable.
S&S Activewear Appoints Three Senior Leaders to Strengthen Commercial Team
The distributor of apparel and accessories in North America, has appointed Jim Sturgell as senior vice president of sales, Nick Blannin as senior vice president of merchandising and Bill Topf as senior vice president of commercial strategy and operations.
Report: Consumers Willing to Spend More for Brands if Prices Increase
A recent report from UserTesting, a provider of human insights for the enterprise, reveals that brand loyalty isn’t just holding steady in 2025, it’s becoming a safe haven for consumers navigating higher prices and watching their wallets.
