
Higg Co Appoints VP Global Partnerships
Higg Co, the technology company behind the Higg Index platform, has appointed ex-Microsoft executive, Josh Henretig, as the company’s new vice president of global partnerships.
NFL Tops Sports Licensors Ranking
National Football League was the top global sports licensor and ranked 16th overall in License Global magazine’s list of top 150 global licensors.

Big Sur Marathon Foundation Suspends Operations
The Big Sur Marathon Foundation announced that it will suspend all race operations, effective September 30, and through the Monterey Bay Half Marathon race weekend that was set to take place in November 2021.

Under Armour To Open Outlet at Pittsford Plaza
Under Armour will soon be opening a store at Pittsford Plaza in Rochester, NY. The 7,017 square foot store will hold grand opening celebrations from August 28 to 30.

Wild Things Gear Sold To National Safety Apparel
Wild Things, the technical outdoor apparel and gear for the military and law enforcement, to National Safety Apparel, Inc. (NSA), the parent of DriFire.

Analyst: Nike Will No Longer Sell To These Nine Big Retailers
Susquehanna International Group said in a note Monday that proprietary checks confirm that Nike will be closing nine wholesale accounts: City Blue, VIM, EbLens, Belk, Dillard’s, Fred Meyer, Bob’s Stores, Boscov’s and Zappos.

SFIA Releases Single Sport + Fitness Reports
The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) released 89 single sport and fitness reports which cover sports and fitness activities ranging from basketball to barre. The individual reports provide year-over-year trends and breakdown of participation by demographic variables.

Ecologyst Secures Funding
Ecologyst, the Victoria B.C. outdoor apparel company founded as Sitka, has secured an investment of over $950,000 from The District, a Vancouver based media company. The partnership will also enable Ecologyst to tap into Districts’ monthly online viewership of over 2 billion impressions.

Lord & Taylor To Close Five More Locations
Lord & Taylor, which filed for bankruptcy on August 2, announced plans to close five more stores, bringing the total number of Lord & Taylor stores shutting down to 24. The closures will leave the department store chain with 14 locations.

FIS Cancels 2020/21 North American Ski Races
The International Ski Federation (FIS) has announced that the entirety of the 2020/21 men’s and women’s Alpine World Cup season will remain in Europe rather than moving to the U.S. and Canada, as usual, due to the impact of COVID-19.

Afterpay Rewards On-Time Payments With New Loyalty Program
Afterpay, the ‘buy now, pay later’ service, announced its new loyalty program, called Pulse, which incentivizes and rewards Afterpay customers who pay for their purchases on time.

Zalando Further Strengthens Senior Leadership Team
Zalando announced the strengthening of its senior leadership team, including a new SVP advertising, SVP product management and General Counsel.

Frasers Group Signs First Post-COVID-19 Flagship
Frasers Group, the parent of Sports Direct in the U.K., plans to open a “mega store” at Leicester’s Fosse Park.
Correction: WL Gore Article
An article that ran in Monday’s SGB Update, “WL Gore To Eliminate 120 Jobs At Scotland Fabric Plant” was inaccurate.

L.L.Bean Partners With Mastercard On Complimentary Outdoor Classes
L.L.Bean is partnering with Mastercard to offer complimentary outdoor classes through its Outdoor Discovery Program.