SGB Executive Apparel

UFC Cashes Out

Heralded as the “largest deal ever in the history of sports,” UFC, the fast-growing professional mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, reached an agreement to be acquired by Hollywood mega-talent agency WME-IMG for $4 billion.

Spate Of Small Deals May Mark End Of M&A Boom

A spate of small acquisitions in recent weeks could mark the last gasps, rather than a resurgence, of a four-year boom in mergers and acquisitions in the global sporting goods industry, according to one investment banker.

Sports Direct Reports Disappointing Fiscal Year Results

Sports Direct International plc, which pulled its bid for hundreds of Sports Authority stores last month, reported margins flatlined at its sporting goods retailing segment in the fiscal year ended April 24 as sales slowed in the back half of the year.

Mammut Names New CEO

Oliver Pabst has been named to replace Rolf Schmid as the CEO of Switzerland’s Mammut Sports Group by the board of directors of Conzzeta AG.

Adidas Group Finds A Buyer For Mitchell & Ness

Adidas AG completed the sale of Mitchell & Ness, the one-time leader of the retro jersey craze, to a newly formed entity primarily owned by Juggernaut Capital Partners.

Patagonia Opens New Front in Sustainability Arms Race

Patagonia said it will begin working with the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), textile suppliers and appliance manufacturers to better understand the threat fleece and other synthetic apparel pose to the environment.

Responsible Wool Standard Bans Mulesing

After intense pressure from apparel brands, Textile Exchange amended the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) to ban mulesing, a practice widely used in Australia to prevent infections of sheep that has been condemned by animal welfare advocates.

Amid Bankruptcies, Brands Flock Toward Specialty at Grassroots Show

With an expected excess of inventory to hit the active-lifestyle market following several high-profile, big-box retail bankruptcies in the space, brands at the Spring Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Show in Albuquerque, NM (June 13-17) were doubling down on their partnerships with these smaller, but more influential group of retailers.