Amer Sees Winter Sports Weakness Drag Q4, 2007 Results

Amer Sports reported a 14.5% decrease in fourth quarter sales to €497.1 million ($720.0 mm) from €581.6 million ($750.0 mm) for the year-ago period. For the full year, net sales decreased 7.8% to €1.65 billion ($2.26 bn) from €1.79 billion ($2.25 bn) last

Adidas Partners with US Youth Soccer

The United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) and adidas formally announced an extension of its marketing partnership that initially began in 1989. In this extension that will run through 2010, with option years that could extend the relati

Sports Direct Partners with China’s ITAT

Sports Direct International PLC, the UK sporting goods conglomerate, announced a strategic relationship with China's ITAT Group to move into the rapidly expanding Chinese retail market before the Beijing Olympics in August. Sports Direct will invest

Saucony Names Veterans to Sales and Marketing Posts

Saucony, Inc. named two veterans to senior positions in sales and marketing. The performance running brand appointed Mary (Creedon) O’Brien to the role of vice president of marketing and promoted Pete Calichman to vice president of national accounts…

Burton Acquires Alien Workshop and Habitat

Burton has acquired DNA Distribution, which includes skateboarding brands Alien Workshop, Habitat and Reflex. DNA Distribution will continue to operate in Dayton, Ohio and CEO and Co-Founder Chris Carter will continue to oversee the DNA brands, which incl

Bakers Footwear Gets Funding

Bakers Footwear Group issued 350,000 shares of common stock and entered into a $7.5 million subordinated secured term loan with Private Equity Management Group (PEMG) and an entity affiliated with PEMG. Bakers received net proceeds of about $6.7 million a

Centerstone Software Processed $1.2Bn in Orders in 2007

CenterStone Technology’s e-commerce solutions, Escape and iVendix, processed more than $1.2 billion in wholesale transactions in 2007. The number of companies actively using iVendix grew 53 percent to 9,725 over 2006. iVendix processed 144,002 orders, an

Spyder Acquires Cloudveil

Spyder Active Sports, Inc said it acquired Cloudveil Mountain Works, Inc. Under the agreement, Cloudveil will remain a separate brand entity and operate as a wholly owned, independent division of Spyder Active Sports. Cloudveil’s founders, President Brian

CadenceTV Launched for Group Workouts

Cadence Cycling and Multisport Centers launched CadenceTV, an interactive video platform that allows cyclists to train and participate in live group workouts from a remote location. CadenceTV will stream live video of Cadence's two-time daily indoor

Saucony Names VP of Marketing

Saucony named Mary (Creedon) O’Brien to the role of vice president of marketing and promoted Pete Calichman to vice president of national accounts. Both O’Brien and Calichman are veterans of Saucony, having launched their sports marketing careers with th

Icon Eyewear Licenses Avia and AND1 Brands

Icon Eyewear will produce and distribute sunglasses under the AND1 and Avia brands under a licensing agreement with American Sporting Goods. Icon will create AND1 sunglasses designed for the fashion forward, urban man. The Avia brand eyewear will feature

Terramar Targets Base Layer Sales in Canada

Terramar is expanding its base layer sales to Canada with a new Canadian sales initiative. Sam Rubinfeld is heading up the Canadian sales team. A veteran of the sports industry, Rubinfeld spent the last 13 years as division manager of the knitwear divisi

Under Armour Gears Up for Future in Footwear…

Not much has changed in the two weeks since Wall Street punished Under Armour, Inc. for its guidance that 2008 first half profits would sink due to increased marketing spending to support the launch of its performance trainers, but perhaps the market is w

The SportsOneSource Group Expands into New Offices…

The SportsOneSource Group is again expanding its team as it positions itself for the future. SportsOneSource has absorbed into Charlotte, NC all media operations and production that had been housed in New York before SOS acquired the media business, whic

Brunswick Sees Fitness Drive Q4 Sales Gains…

Brunswick Corporation saw fourth quarter net sales grow mid-singles as its marine, fitness and bowling and billiards businesses all saw sales growth. Overall, the company reported net sales of $1.44 billion for the 2007 fourth quarter, up 5% from $1.37 bi