
Skechers Expands United Legwear & Apparel Partnership with EU and UK Distribution
Skechers will now have dedicated showroom space at ULAC Europe B.V.’s headquarters in Amsterdam and in its London showroom for its lifestyle and performance socks for men, women and kids.

Sport-Brella Launches Sol-Breeze Shelter
The Sport-Brella Sol-Breeze is an open-walled shelter that provides full visibility with overhead coverage.

EXEC: Thule Posts Tepid Q2 Sales Growth; U.S. Market Seen as “Weak but Positive”
The North American market continued to be challenging with a high level of promotional activity. Sales of bike-related products, Juvenile & Pet and Thule branded products in Packs, Bags & Luggage showed growth in the region.

Report: Fishing Participation Sees Growth But Too Much Turnover
The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) reported that the post-pandemic increase in fishing participation continues to set record numbers on the water; however, data from a recent report found that churn poses a challenge for the industry, especially among female participants.

Vans “Always Pushing” Campaign Highlights Off The Wall Mindset
Vans tapped creatives that “embody the ‘Always Pushing’ ethos … to create a tapestry of content that spans cities worldwide, from Paris to LA and Tokyo,” developed in partnership with Alex/2Tone.

U.S. Census Bureau Reports 1.3 Percent YoY Growth for June Core Retail Sales
June’s core retail sales as defined by NRF, based on the Census data but excluding automobile dealers, gas stations and restaurants, were up 0.9 percent seasonally-adjusted MoM and up 1.3 percent unadjusted YoY.

Norco Bicycle Founder’s Family Assumes Full Ownership of Norco Manufacturer
Canada’s largest wholesale distributor of premium bikes, parts and accessories has been independently owned and operated in a partnership between the Lewis and Zalkow families. The Lewis family has now assumed full ownership of the company.

EXEC: Adidas Raises Full-Year Outlook Again After Double-Digit Q2 Growth
In euro terms, the company’s revenues grew 9 percent to €5.82 billion from €5.34 billion in Q2 last year. Excluding Yeezy sales in both years, currency-neutral revenues increased 16 percent for the quarter.

Deloitte Sees BTS Spending Flattening Amid Financial Concerns
Ongoing perceptions of inflation and a cost-of-living squeeze will keep spending steady from last year as K-12 parents weigh prices and priorities in preparation for the new school year as they budget for necessities and make room for a few indulgences.
Pearl Izumi Promotes Daran Godfrey to VP/GM
Godrey has been Pearl Izumi’s director of U.S. sales under the United Sports Brands umbrella for the past two years. Godrey brings two decades of sales management experience in the cycling space to the role.

EXEC: Merida Bikes Reports Passing of R&D Center CEO and Head of Product
Jürgen Falke, the long-standing CEO and co-founder of Merida R&D Center GmbH in Germany, who recently stepped down from his position for health reasons, passed away on June 13 at the age of 61 after a short, serious illness.

Sportsman’s Warehouse Appoints SVP of Marketing, E-commerce & Loyalty
Susan Sanderson is responsible for the company’s digital and traditional marketing, e-commerce, brand strategy, omni-channel experience, and loyalty programs.

NRF: Consumers Just Getting Started on Planned BTS Purchases
The NRF noted in its report that while shopping is well underway, most (86 percent) consumers still have at least half of their purchases left to make.

EXEC: Merida Bikes’ June Sales Surge Fuels Big Second Quarter Gain
Second-quarter revenues were up 24.8 percent to NT$9.29 billion, with revenues for June 2024 increasing 48.7 percent, May sales growing 7.5 percent and April sales surging 24.0 percent year-over-year.

Macy’s Terminates Arkhouse and Brigade Buyout Talks Over Financing Uncertainty
The Macy’s Board of America intends for the management team to return its full focus to enhancing shareholder value through the execution of the company’s “A Bold New Chapter” strategy.