Performance Sports Group Ltd. will restructure its baseball/softball segment with intent to consolidate all baseball/softball operations under the existing Easton baseball/softball infrastructure.
As a result, over the course of the next several months, the company will reduce the product offerings under its Combat brand and close Combat facilities in Ottawa, Ontario and Kent, WA. The company will continue to sell and market the current Combat Maxum line of bats, but will immediately cease sales of all other Combat bats and product categories.
“We believe it is in the best interest of our company, customers and shareholders to streamline our baseball/softball business under a single infrastructure to better focus our efforts on creating the most innovative products while maximizing our financial results,” said Harlan Kent, CEO, Performance Sports Group. “Easton is a leading baseball and softball brand and by further integrating Combat’s intellectual property portfolio into Easton’s innovative product line, we believe we can strengthen the Easton brand and its future product offerings.”
Acquired in 2013 for approximately C$4 million, Combat utilizes a unique, patented manufacturing process to create products predominately for the slow pitch softball market. This proprietary manufacturing process will be available for use in future lines of Easton bats. In addition, Easton is expected to assume certain Combat marketing sponsorships.
With the closure of the two Combat facilities, the entire baseball/softball business will be located at Easton’s new facility in Thousand Oaks, CA, which is currently scheduled to open in September. All baseball/softball products are expected to be shipped out of Easton’s distribution facility located in Salt Lake City.
Photo courtesy Easton Baseball
