The Running Event (TRE) held for the first time this week in San Antonio, TX, delivered record number of exhibitors, crowded aisles and robust booth spaces as the run industry appears to have reached another banner year.
Category: Sports/Fitness
Costco Appoints Former U.S. Commerce Secretary to Board
The retailer announced the nomination of Gina Raimondo for election to its Board of Directors, who previously served as U.S. Commerce Secretary from 2021 to 2025 and the Governor for the State of Rhode Island from 2015 to 2021.
EXEC: Fraser’s Chief Executive Says Ambitions Are High After Posting Solid H1 Results
In the UK, sales growth from Sports Direct and Flannels was said to be more than offset by planned declines in Game UK, Studio Retail, House of Fraser, and the businesses acquired from JD Sports. International revenue benefited from the acquisitions of Holdsport (May 2025) and XXL ASA (June 2025), partially offset by the disposal of the MySale business in May 2025.
Blink Fitness to Convert to PureGym Locations in New York and New Jersey
U.K.-based PureGym Limited reported that the recently acquired Blink Fitness locations in New York and New Jersey will convert to the PureGym model, with an initial pilot involving three locations. The remaining locations will rebrand in the coming months.
Gymshark to Open First U.S. Flagship in Mid-December
The Manhattan store, at 11 Bond Street in the Noho district, will open on December 13. Spanning three floors, the footprint will measure 13,000 square feet when open. The city’s heritage of neighborhoods and communities will be highlighted through the space.
Fanatics Tapped as FIFA’s World Cup 2026 Retail Partner
Fanatics will manage in-venue retail operations for 104 soccer matches across the 39 days of play in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, the most expansive on-site retail operation that Fanatics has managed to date.
ICSC Survey: 152 Million Consumers Shopped In-Store Over Thanksgiving Weekend
ICSC’s 2025 Post-Thanksgiving Weekend Survey found that 152 million consumers visited shopping centers during the four-day shopping weekend, with 9 in 10 Gen Z consumers spending time in shopping centers. The survey further found that 84 percent of consumers shopped in-store or used in-store pickup, an increase of 6 percentage points from 2024.
Trend Report Highlights Gen-Z’s Passion for Running
Strava’s 12th Annual Year In Sport Trend Report, identifies that running remains the top sport on the company’s platform, with the top three running shoes led by Asics Novablast, followed by Nike Pegasus and Hoka Clifton.
Costco Total Company Comps Rose 6.9 Percent in November
The company reported net sales of $23.64 billion for the retail month of November ended November 30, an increase of 8.1 percent from $21.87 billion last year. U.S. comps, excluding changes in gas prices, rose 5.8 percent year-over-year for the four-week month.
Illinois’ Often Running to Close
Often Running, based in Bloomington-Normal, IL, is closing within weeks as the store’s manager Mitch Hobbs is set to retire. The store is located at 206 S. Linden Street.
EXEC: Nike and Lacoste Ads Banned in UK Over Green Claims
Nike advertisements, along with those from Superdry and Lacoste, have been banned in the U.K. for misleading consumers about the environmental sustainability credentials of the products.
TRE Session: Hoka Sales Fall at Run Specialty as Nike Rebounds and Topo Surges
Karnan Associates’ data, presented at The Running Event (TRE), showed that five of this year’s top-selling footwear brands in the run specialty channel were Brooks, Hoka, New Balance, Asics, and Saucony, respectively, down a collective 7.4 percent in the 12 months through September.
Hoka to Open First Store in Brooklyn
Hoka announced that it signed a lease for a 4,148-square-foot space at 91 N. Sixth Street in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, NY. This will be Hoka’s third storefront in New York City.
Nike Appoints New COO, Eliminates CTO and CCO Roles, as Hill Removes Layers
Nike, Inc. has promoted its chief supply officer, Venkatesh Alagirisamy, to chief operating officer, a role that has not existed in the company since 2023, while announcing that Craig Williams and Muge Dogan, two other C-level executives, positions have been eliminated and are leaving the company.
Cyber Weekend Shoppers Prioritize Price and Online Convenience
A survey conducted by Numerator found that over 56 percent of consumers who shopped during this year’s Cyber Weekend (Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday) did so primarily or exclusively online. A majority, 64 percent, also indicated rising prices impacted their purchasing power.
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