EF Education First (EF), the world leader in international education, announced that experienced sport and fitness executive Mary Wittenberg has joined EF as president of EF Pro Cycling. Wittenberg will help position the team for future success and promote EF’s mission of opening the world through education by encouraging people to step outside of their comfort zones and explore the world.
Author: sportsoneauthor
NormaTec Partners With USA Nordic
USA Nordic announced a new partnership with NormaTec that includes a NormaTec recovery center at their new training facility.
RAVE Reviews Releases Ranking Of 10 Best Ski Towns In America
The top five are Bend, OR; Telluride, CO; Sandpoint, ID; Jackson Hole, WY; and Truckee, CA.
ACT Lab Earns Contract From National Highway Transportation Safety Administration
ACT Lab, the independent ISO 17025 accredited laboratory that conducts safety and compliance testing for the motorcycle, bike and outdoor industries, has earned a repeat 5-year contract from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Vans Sues Target Over Sneaker Design
Vans filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Target over its Old Skool sneaker design.

Spartan Race/24 Hour Fitness Float Heading To Rose Parade
24 Hour Fitness will be introducing a Spartan Race-themed float for Pasadena’s 130th Rose Parade.
Southeast Lodging Properties Booming This Winter Season
Aggregated data for lodging properties in nine Southeast destinations in five southeastern states are posting gains in occupancy and revenue for five of the six winter months – but the data is somewhat of an anomaly this year as the impact of Hurricane Michael along the Florida Panhandle has significantly shifted usage of units in the region, according to Inntopia.

Amazon Sees Record Holiday Sales
Amazon announced a “record-breaking holiday season” with athleisure cited as a “top trend” and Nike, Adidas, Carhartt and Champion landing on its top-sellers list.

2018 Year In Review: Most-Read SGB Executive Stories
SGB Executive covered an array of sporting goods, outdoors and active lifestyle stories in 2018, but clearly some topics resonated with readers more than others. Our list of the 25 most popular SGB Executive stories during the past 12 months ranges from channel upheaval to companies taking a stance on social issues to new executive appointments to brands’ financial success or sluggishness.

Mastercard: U.S. Retail Sales Grew 5.1 Percent This Holiday Season
According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, which provides insights into overall retail spending trends across all payment types, including cash and check, holiday sales increased 5.1 percent to more than $850 billion this year – the strongest growth in the last six years. Online shopping also saw large gains of 19.1 percent compared to 2017. The apparel category saw its strongest growth since 2010.
Mastercard: Online Shopping Shines Bright This Holiday Season
Consumers are on track to spend more online than ever before this holiday season, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse. U.S. e-commerce sales trotted off to a strong start just before Thanksgiving, and grew 18.3 percent year-over-year in the period from November 1 through December 19.

States Scramble To Keep National Parks Open
A number of parks are digging into their own treasuries to keep their federal properties, including national parks, open and maintained during the partial government shutdown, according to reports. The shutdown, which began on Saturday, affected national parks unevenly, some still accessible with bare-bones staffing levels, some operating with money from states or charitable groups and others locked off.
Cycling App Zwift Raises $120 Million In Funding
Zwift, a multiplayer online training and racing platform for cyclists and runners, announced $120 million in funding, reflecting its commitment both to growing its new running discipline and also to expanding into esports.
Mindbody To Be Acquired By San Francisco-Based PE Firm For $1.9 billion
Mindbody the software company that provides technology platforms for fitness and wellness studios, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Vista Equity Partners.
Boot Barn Acquires Naming Rights To Colorado Springs Music Venue
Boot Barn has acquired the naming rights to the Bourbon Brothers Presents, LLC, Colorado Springs’ mid-size live music venue and event center.