NSSF Endorses Federal Excise Tax

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has been leading a broad coalition of sportsmen and conservation groups, including the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, National Rifle Association and Ducks Unlimited, in an effort to reform the fed

Data Suggests Black Friday Not a Big Win

‘It is darkest before the dawn’ seems to be an appropriate reminder as November proved to be an especially pitiable month at retail. Though several retailers claimed success following Black Friday, those gains were not enough to offset an otherwise dismal

PacSun, Zumiez Comps Fall, The Buckle Remains Strong

Pacific Sunwear of California reported that total PacSun sales for fiscal month of November declined 8% to $101 million versus total sales of $110.2 million in the year ago period. PacSun same-store sales decreased 10% during the same period.

Puma Acquires Stake in Dobotex

Puma AG will take a majority stake in Dutch company Dobotex as of January 1, 2009. In a brief statement, the company, based in Herzogenaurach, Germany, did not indicate the size of the stake or the terms of the deal…

Reebok, AstroTurf Partner Up on Performance Study

Reebok has partnered with GeneralSports Venue, the exclusive U.S. licensee of the AstroTurf brand of synthetic sports turf products, to study the interaction between athletic footwear and field surfaces for athletes…

Adidas Buys Sensor Company

Physic Ventures announced that adidas International, Inc. has acquired Textronics, Inc. a developer of wearable sensors for use in fitness monitoring…

Daiwa Seiko Acquires Fourteen Golf

Daiwa Seiko Inc has acquired the entire share capital of Japanese golf club manufacturer, Fourteen Golf Inc. Best known for its wedges and hybrids, Fourteen Golf has been designing clubs for major manufacturers such as Titleist and Wilson for nearly 30 y

Bally Total Fitness Files for Chapter 11

Bally Total Fitness Corporation filed for voluntary Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Bally intends to use the Chapter 11 process to significantly reduce debt from its balance sheet while

Is This Really Christmas Spirit?

When SportsOneSource reported in late October that adidas planned to cut costs by implementing a hiring freeze and scrubbing plans for year-end parties, the brain trust at Sole Technologies, manufacturers of Etnies, Emerica and eS footwear, among other br

Flip Skateboards Shifts Distribution Partner

Flip Skateboards, Inc. has finalized a buy-out deal from a long term distribution agreement with Blitz Distribution, Inc. Effective immediately, the company has relocated the sales and distribution of its brand to NHS, Inc., in Santa Cruz, CA…

Billabong Cuts EPS Forecast on Weakening U.S. Sales

Billabong International Limited nearly halved its guidance on EPS growth for fiscal 2008-09 from 12% to 16% EPS growth down to 6% to 10% due to further deterioration in consumer sales, primarily in the U.S. The revised guidance implies full year sales gro

Long Beach Port Delays and Lowers New Container Fee

The Port of Long Beach has announced it will delay until at least July 1, 2009 a fee on 20-foot equivalent containers that was set to go into effect Jan. 1, 2009. Additionally, the port will lower the fee from $15 to $6. The Port of Los Angeles is expecte

Zumiez Comps Fall 15% in November

Zumiez Inc. reported a 15% decline in November comps on a day when mainly only discount/mass retailers managed to see comps improve as consumers seek out values and deals. Last year, Zumiez’s comps increased 5.6%. The company's total net sales for th