To say that 2023 was a challenging year for the active lifestyle retail market would be an understatement as brands, reps and retailers dealt with a variety of challenges and very few notable instances of positive news.
Category: Sports/Fitness
SFIA Re-Elects Ram as Chair; Adds Three New Board Members
SFIA re-elected Jonathan Ram, CEO of Clarks, Inc., as chairman of the Board of Directors for the 2024 term. Isabel Coscia, SVP of marketing at Technogym, Ryan Cruthirds, chief digital commerce and brand development officer at Implus LLC and Koichiro Kodama, president and CEO for Asics North America, were newly elected to the SFIA Board,
EXEC: JD Sports Sees YTD Comp Sales Growth Fall Short, Impacting Full-Year View
Company shares plummeted 23 percent on the London Sock Exchange Thursday as the parent of the JD, Finish Line, DTLR, and Shoe Palace retail brands in the U.S. and JD and others worldwide, reported that comp store sales growth was just 1.8 percent for the 22-week yeat-to-date period through December 30.
Academy Sports’ Former President Lands at Groundworks
Groundworks, the foundation and water management solutions company, hired Michael Mullican as CFO. Last October, Mullican stepped down from Academy Sports as president and CFO to pursue personal and professional opportunities.
EXEC: 2024 Look Ahead – Retailers and Brands Define Issues and Opportunities
In this latest installment of the 2024 Look Ahead series, SGB Executive talked with brand leaders and marketers about how their companies plan to address the challenges and opportunities in the market in 2024 and beyond.
UK’s SportsShoes.com Inks Global Marketing Partnership with Parkrun
The UK-based online running shoe, clothing and outdoor gear retailer said in a release it is now exclusively Parkrun’s official retail partner in the UK, while also supporting the global Parkrun community with procurement and distribution of its range of merchandise.
Haro Bikes Hires Chief Marketing Officer
Haro Bikes, based in Vista, CA, hired Megan Tompkins as chief marketing officer. Haro reported that she has “lengthy experience in international marketing and sales for cycling brands, including Crankbrothers, Specialized and Shimano.
K-Swiss Appoints VP of Lifestyle
K-Swiss hired athletics footwear veteran Andrew Richard as VP of lifestyle, responsible for leading lifestyle sales for the Americas region, including the wholesale sales team and K-Swiss distributors.
Hyperice Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Therabody
Hyperice filed a lawsuit in federal court against Therabody, the maker of the Theragun line of percussive massage guns, alleging infringement of the company’s patented percussion massage technology.
Costco Store in Virginia to Unionize
At the Costco store in Norfolk, VA, employees voted overwhelmingly to join the Teamsters, the largest union in America, marking the first “victory” for workers at a Costco location in two decades.
A Range of Business Issues, Brands and Retailers Top SGB Media’s Most Read for December
December 2023 featured many of the annual recaps and look aheads inherent in end-of-year business reporting; however, traffic and readership also rewarded a piece on Macy’s $5.8 billion buyout offer with the Most Read Article nod for the month.
Survey: Building Muscle Again Cited as Top Fitness Goal for 2024
Life Time reported its 2024 annual consumer health and wellness survey results. The company surveyed 3,000 people who participated in the survey, up from 1,000 respondents for its year-ago survey.
Skechers Opens Distribution Facility In India
Skechers opened a 600,000-square-foot distribution center in Mumbai, India, to support the company’s expansion into the country. The building in the Lodha Industrial and Logistics Park in Kalyan is designed to streamline supply chain operations and can ship up to 60,000 SKUs daily.
Fairmonde Golf Secures Investment LPGA Tour Pro
Fairmont Golf, based in Sheridan, WY, reported that Angel Yin, the American professional golfer playing on the LPGA Tour, had invested and is a shareholder in its women’s apparel golf brand.
EXEC: Outdoor Active Lifestyle Market Leaders Share 2024 Outlook
Feedback unique to this group versus the broader market was the focus on sustainability, responsible sourcing, new technologies focused on renewable and reusable components and textiles, and the looming impact of new rules governing the use of PFAS and its impact on the market.
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