Licensing Expo’s Key Attendance Expands

Licensing Expo, held in Las Vegas from May 22 to 24, 2018, saw significant growth in key areas among its attendee base, including a 10 percent increase in retailers and 16 percent increase in first-time attendees.

May Retail Sales Up 5.6 Percent Over Last Year

May retail sales increased 0.7 percent seasonally adjusted over April and 5.6 percent unadjusted year-over-year as a growing economy prompted consumers to continue to spend, the National Retail Federation said Thursday. The numbers exclude automobiles, gasoline stations and restaurants.

American Medical Association Endorses Gun Control

The American Medical Association (AMA) endorsed a slate of gun control measures, including a ban on assault-type weapons. The nation’s leading organization of medical professionals described gun violence as a “public health crisis.”

Adidas, Nike Again Dominate World Cup

With FIFA World Cup 2018 starting in Russia, Adidas is sponsoring 12 of the 32 teams, a slight edge over Nike, at 10. Puma has four teams, New Balance has two and Umbro has one team, Peru.

Clarus Eyes Explosive Growth In Climbing Participation

Citing the rapid expansion globally in climbing gyms already and a huge boost expected by climbing becoming an Olympic sport for the 2020 games, John Walbrecht, president of Clarus Corp., the parent of Black Diamond (BD), sees the appeal of climbing expanding by leaps and bounds in the years ahead.

Swix Sport Group Changes Name to Brav

Swix Sport Group announced Wednesday that it’s changed its name to Brav—reflecting the group’s evolution into a house of brands with a total turnover of more NOK 1 billion. The market outside Norway now represents half of the company’s sales. Ferd, which bought Swix in 1978, remains the group’s parent company.

80BREAKR Golf App Now Available For Courses

Koerve Inc. is pleased to announce that 80BREAKR—the golf scorecard app enjoyed by golfers worldwide—is now being deployed by golf courses to supplement existing marketing and increase revenue. The app works on any course in the world.