The Finish Line is in “direct negotiations to buy Finish Line, and an acquisition could be announced in the coming weeks,” according to a report from the New York Post.
Category: Footwear
Golf Rounds Played Increase Slightly In August
According to Golf Datatech, golf rounds played increased 0.8 percent in August. The biggest regional gains were seen in West North Central, up 7.8 percent; South Central, 4.8 percent; and East North Central, 3.0 percent.

Wolverine World Wide Divests Department Of Defense Contract Footwear Business
Wolverine World Wide Inc. announced the sale of assets associated with its United States Department of Defense (DoD) contract business and the transfer of outstanding DoD contracts to Original Footwear. Wolverine will retain the Bates brand.

Russell Throws In The Towel On Uniforms
Kevin Reber, VP of sales, Russell Athletic, said in a letter to team dealers, “We are proud of our heritage, but to build lasting relationships with a new generation of athletes, we will need to focus our efforts and play to our strengths.”

Aisle Talk, Week Of September 25
Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week.
Accell Exec To Oversee REI Private Label Development
Chris Speyer, CEO of Accell North America, will join REI as VP of private brands, effective October 30.

Zumiez Focuses On Culture And Newness
Zumiez’s focus on employee empowerment and commitment to new brands continues to be the cornerstones of its success, Chris Work, its CFO, said Thursday at the B. Riley 3rd Annual Consumer Conference.

Shoe Carnival Testing Puma Shops
Following last year’s promising roll out of Nike shops, Shoe Carnival is testing Puma in-store shops in several stores.

Nike Under Investigation In College Basketball Bribery Scandal
Nike’s grassroots basketball division, the Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL), has been served with a subpoena as part of the federal investigation into alleged corruption in college basketball, according to numerous media reports.
Asics Partners With Virgin Sport Festival
Asics signed on as the official athletic performance partner of the first-ever Virgin Sport Festival of Fitness in San Francisco.

Ugg Unveils Flagship Store At World Trade Center
Ugg, a division of Deckers Brands, opened its newest flagship location at the Westfield World Trade Center in downtown New York City.
HanesBrands Donates Activewear To Assist Hurricane Victims
HanesBrands announced that it is donating more than 1 million items of underwear and activewear to assist hurricane victims in Florida and Puerto Rico and is using its operations in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic to supply essentials to Puerto Rico employees.

Macy’s Reinvents Loyalty With New Star Rewards
Rewards are tiered by level, with Macy’s best customers receiving benefits that include free shipping, additional savings and earned points on every purchase.
Darn Tough Vermont Hires Director Of Quality And Continuous Improvement
Darn Tough Vermont has appointed Chad DeJong as director of quality and continuous improvement.

DSW Sets New Mission, Strategic Plans
DSW announced a new brand mission, supported by key strategic initiatives focused on building engaging customer experiences, distorting traditional assortment, enabling associate product knowledge and improving operational execution.