Jackson State University Partners With Nike And BSN Sports
Jackson State Athletics, along with the JSU Foundation, has entered a five-year partnership with Nike through BSN Sports for sports apparel and equipment.
Deloitte Forecast: Retail Holiday Sales To Climb 5 To 5.6 Percent
Retail holiday sales are expected to increase a robust 5 to 5.6 percent over last year’s shopping season, according to Deloitte’s annual retail holiday sales forecast.
Rhode Island Town Passes Resolution Against Nike
The town council of North Smithfield in Rhode Island has voted to ban the town’s local departments from purchasing Nike products, according to the Providence Journal.
Farm to Feet Releases Second American Made Video
Farm to Feet released the company’s second film in its American Made video series which brings the personalities profiled on Farm to Feet’s packaging to life.
Swiftwick Adds Hafthor Bjornsson As Ambassador
Swiftwick, the performance sock company, signed Hafthor Bjornsson, the “World’s Strongest Man,” as the company’s newest elite athlete. Bjornsson joins the Swiftwick team as the brand launches the company’s first dedicated cross-training sock.
Academy Sports Reaches New Credit Card Partnership
Alliance Data Systems Corporation signed a new agreement to provide private label credit card services for Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Response to Walmart: Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Pens Open Letter
In an open letter to the outdoor industry, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance president, Rich Hill, addressed the organization’s concerns about the launch of Walmart’s premium outdoor platform. Hill called on the industry to “communicate openly, work together and resist the easy temptations of short-term thinking.”
REI Co-Op To Open Store In Vernon Hills, IL
Outdoor co-op REI will be officially open for business in Vernon Hills, IL, on September 28 in the Mellody Farm shopping center at 901 North Milwaukee Avenue.
Wall Street Sees Nike Boost From Colin Kaepernick Ad
Nike is increasingly seen getting a boost from the brand’s decision to include Colin Kaepernick in its “Just Do It” anniversary ad campaign, according to investor notes from Piper Jaffray and Canaccord Genuity. Canaccord conducted a poll that found consumers “overwhelmingly supportive” of the campaign.
VF Corp. Selects Denver’s Lower Downtown District For New Global Headquarters
VF Corp. on Tuesday announced that the company has selected 1551 Wewatta Street in Denver’s Lower Downtown (LoDo) district for the company’s new global headquarters.
The North Face Launches “New Explorers” Campaign
The North Face launched a global campaign “to inspire the spirit of curiosity and enable a generation of new explorers through an expanded definition of exploration as a state of mind.” The campaign includes rapper/producer Pi’erre Bourne, snowboarder Jess Kimura, filmmaker Jimmy Chin and activist Mikhail Martin.
Texas Farm Bureau Bans Employees From Wearing Nike
The Texas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest organization representing farmers, is telling employees they can no longer wear branded Nike apparel on the job following the controversy over Nike airing TV commercials featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Industry Voices Grow Louder In Opposition To Trade War
President Trump’s claim that increased tariffs on foreign goods have resulted in an improved business climate for U.S. companies has been widely rejected by representatives of the outdoor, sporting goods and active lifestyle industries, who are growing louder in their opposition to the administration’s escalating trade war.
Columbia Sportswear Appoints Dean Rurak SVP Of North America Sales
Columbia Sportswear Co. on Monday announced the following management changes within the company’s North America Sales team. Dean Rurak, Columbia’s vice president of U.S. apparel sales, has been appointed senior vice president of North America sales for the Columbia brand, replacing Joe Craig.
Should The Outdoor Industry Welcome Selling On Walmart.com?
That was the question explored last week on RetailWire.com, the retail online discussion site, following the launch of Walmart’s Premium Outdoor Store and the consequent revolt after a number of outdoor vendors pulled their product from the site under pressure from outdoor retailers. Panelists were fairly split on the question.
