2018 was a tumultuous and transformative year in the active lifestyle, outdoor and sporting good industries, and SGB was there to cover every political action and channel disruption, retail rebound and corporate change, merger and acquisition.
Category: Footwear
Vans Custom Culture Competition Champions Youth Creativity For A Decade
Vans has invited public and private high school art students to participate in the 10th year of Vans Custom Culture. Vans Custom Culture was created to provide high school students a platform to showcase their creative abilities, while providing access to underfunded art programs.

Active Stocks Deliver Humdrum Performance In 2018
Rewarded for its turnaround progress, Crocs saw its shares catapult 105 percent in 2018, pacing a group of stocks in the active lifestyle industry. Overall, however, the industry’s stocks delivered a mixed performance. Among the stocks losing considerable ground were Hibbett Sports, Big 5, Camping World, Skechers, Newell Brands and Vista Outdoor.
Columbia Announces Closing in Buyout of China JV With Swire Resources
Columbia Sportswear Co. on Wednesday announced that effective January 2, 2019, it has closed its buyout of the remaining 40 percent interest in Columbia Sportswear Commercial (Shanghai) Co., the joint venture in China with Swire Resources Ltd., a subsidiary of Swire Pacific Ltd.
Report: New Balance In Talks Over Record Liverpool Deal
New Balance is in negotiations to extend its partnership with Liverpool in what could be a record kit deal, according to the Daily Mail, according to the Daily Mail.
The North Face Relocating Downtown Manhattan Store
The North Face is relocating its store at 139 Wooster Street in lower Manhattan to a larger location nearby at 584-588 Broadway.
Camping World Announces Executive Management Realignment
Camping World Holdings Inc. said Roger Nuttall had resigned from his position as president of the company’s dealership group and his responsibilities will be divided up between Marcus Lemonis, chairman and CEO, and four tenured Divisional RV presidents with extensive experience in the RV industry,
Clock Runs Out On PHIT As Congress Leaves Town
The acrimonious debate and paralysis around the government shutdown led to a major casualty: The Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act. PHIT was awaiting a final vote in the U.S. Senate, but fell victim to the dysfunction in D.C., despite passing the House with strong bipartisan support in July.

Dick’s Sporting Goods To End U.S. Olympic Sponsorship
Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc said it will not renew its United States Olympic Committee (USOC) sponsorship beyond 2018, according to various reports. The decisions comes as Team USA continues to deal with fallout from the sexual-abuse scandal surrounding former gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.
Sears Chairman Edward Lampert Makes Last-Minute Bid To Avert Liquidation
Sears won a reprieve from liquidating after its chairman, Eddie Lampert, submitted a $4.4 billion bid in an effort to purchase the retailer.
Sears To Close 80 More Sears And Kmart Doors By March
Sears Holdings, in bankruptcy proceedings since October, revealed 80 more Sears and Kmart stores it plans to close in late March 2019.
Golf Rounds Tumble In November
According to Golf Datatech, golf rounds played fell 18.8 percent in November. The steepest declines were seen in East North Central, WestNorth Central, New England and South Central.

Gone…Not Forgotten
Friends who left us in 2018 included Nike’s Sandy Bodecker (above), The North Face’s Ann Krcik and Jason Hairston, founder SITKA and KUIU.

MTV’s SnowGlobe Expands Sponsorship Program For 2018 Festival
MTV’s SnowGlobe Music Festival announced an expanded sponsorship program for the festival’s eighth installment on December 29-31, 2018, in South Lake Tahoe, CA. The annual three-day event welcomes more than 20,000 fans each day with a mix of musical performances, live action sports, and interactive art exhibitions.

2018 Year In Review: Movers And Shakers Give Industry New Look
The active lifestyle, outdoor and sporting goods industries saw plenty of executive appointments and promotions in 2018, with companies like Nike Inc. and VF Corp. among those that saw the most announcements throughout the year, including G. Scott Uzzell (pictured) being named president and CEO of Nike subsidiary Converse Inc.