SGB Executive Sports & Fitness

EXEC: Saucony’s New President Looks to Lean Into Innovation

Saucony, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2023,  in June named Rob Griffiths president. Here, Griffiths talked with SGB Executive about the brand’s authenticity and commitment to innovation, opportunities away from the run business, and his message to the run specialty community.

EXEC: Nike Hit by Lawsuit Over Pocket Bras

Nike is facing a lawsuit in Boston Federal Court by an inventor who claims the sportswear giant stole her technology for a line of sports bras with pockets. In court papers, SherryWear, LLC said that its founder, Sherry Goff, first pitched her patented Pocket Bra to Nike in 2015.

EXEC: Selkirk Sport Co-Founder Talks Capitalizing on Pickleball’s Fast Growth

Brothers Mike and Rob Barnes started Selkirk Sport in Hayden, ID, in 2014, believing that pickleball, once an obscure sport played by seniors and in physical education classes, was about to take off.  Rob Barnes, co-founder and co-CEO, talked with SGB Executive about Selkirk’s and the sport of pickleball’s potential growth and its challenges.

EXEC: Lululemon Lays Off 100 Employees at Mirror Business

Lululemon confirmed with SGB Media reports that it has laid off 100 employees from Lululemon Studio, which represents its Mirror connected fitness business. In mid-April, reports arrived that Lululemon was working with an advisor to explore the sale of Mirror.

Yue Yuen Manufacturing Business Revenues Falls 24.2 Percent in June

Yue Yuen Industrial (Holdings) Limited, a subsidiary of Pou Chen Corporation that manufactures a large percentage of global athletic and outdoor footwear, reported that its net consolidated operating revenue for June was $676.8 million, an 18.9 percent decline year over year.

EXEC: Deloitte Study Find Sports Fandom Getting More Immersive

Deloitte’s inaugural study, 2023 Sports Fan Insights: The Beginning Of The Immersive Sports Era, found that despite concerns over past pandemic-driven closures of live sporting events, today’s sports fans remain strong, with younger fans craving spectator sports experiences.

Report: Asics Cutting Ties with Smaller U.K. Specialty Retailers

Independent sports retailers in the U.K. are reportedly reeling from a move Asics Corp. is making to narrow its distribution in the region. In a recent article published by The Guardian, Asics was said to be “cutting off supply to hundreds of small U.K. outlets…”

Yue Yuen Manufacturing Business Revenues Falls 10.8 Percent In May

Yue Yuen Industrial (Holdings) Limited, a subsidiary of Pou Chen Corporation that manufactures a large percentage of global athletic and outdoor footwear, reported that its net consolidated operating revenue for May was $701.0 million against $758.0 million a year ago, a 7.8 percent decline versus the year-ago month.

Vittoria Industries To Move North America Headquarters To Bentonville

Vittoria Industries North America is moving its headquarters from Oklahoma City to Bentonville, AK taking space in the Ledger, a new six-story building downtown, providing employees with a bike-friendly facility. The move is expected to take place in December 2022.