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Element 21 Golf Signs Endorsement Deal with Maltbie

Element 21 Golf Company has signed a two-year endorsement agreement with 5-time PGA winner and NBC golf commentator Roger Maltbie. Under the terms of the contract, Mr. Maltbie will endorse Element 21 Golf equipment including golf club shafts, golf club dr

Golf Counterfeit Ring Busted in North Carolina

Acushnet Company, which is comprised of the Titleist, FootJoy and Cobra golf equipment brands, reports that it played an integral part in the arrests of two North Carolina residents by state authorities. The two residents of Vass, North Carolina, were cha

Quiksilver Closes Sale of Cleveland Golf

Quiksilver, Inc. has closed the sale of Roger Cleveland Golf Company, Inc. to SRI Sports Limited. The sale, which was effective as of December 10, 2007, carried a transaction value of $132.5 million, with net proceeds to Quiksilver, Inc. of approximately

Vail Q1 Mountain Revenue Down 7.9%

Vail Resorts, Inc. saw its Mountain revenue decrease $3.6 million, or 7.9%, in the first quarter of fiscal 2008 to $42.5 million from $46.2 million for the same quarter last fiscal year. Mountain Reported EBITDA decreased $4.0 million, or 12.2%, to a loss

Skechers Targets China with JV…

Skechers is expanding its sales and distribution in China through a joint venture with Luen Thai Enterprises, a conglomerate based in Hong Kong, that will be aptly named, Skechers China. Over the next three years, the JV expects to open more than 1,200 po

Forzani Lands 100 New Doors with Athletes World Acquisition…

The Forzani Group closed its deal to acquire Athletes World Limited last week. Forzani paid $1.5 million for the shares of Athletes World and the inter-company debt. Forzani also assumed the secured debt, which was approximately $20 million. Roughly $17 m

Confluence Appoints Rechner as President and CEO…

Confluence Watersports has named Sue Rechner president and CEO, effective, December 17, 2007. Rechner has more than 15 years of experience in consumer products and was previously president of Victorinox Swiss Army, Inc. She also simultaneously served as

OR Winter Market Creates New Layout for 2008…

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market will be expanding upon the focused areas featured at Summer Market with a variety of categories gathered in distinct sections of the show floor…

MEC Pulls Polycarbonate Plastic Off Shelves…

According to Canada’s Globe and Mail, Mountain Equipment Co-op has pulled most food and beverage containers made of polycarbonate plastic from its shelves due to possible health risks. The action will see nearly all plastic containers removed from the ret

The Walking Co. Thanksgiving Comps Surge 20%…

The Walking Company saw comparable store sales increase approximately 20% for the three-day Thanksgiving weekend. The shoe chain also saw low-double-digit comparable store sales for months of October and November. Andrew Feshbach, CEO of Big Dog Holdings,

SIA.08 Ramps Up Sustainability…

SnowSports Industries America will be ramping up its environmental efforts this year with several new initiatives and practices. New for the SIA.08 SnowSports Trade Show is the ECOsource Market Segment exhibit. This special exhibit will feature exhibitor’

Zumiez Sees November Comp Sales Growth Slows…

Zumiez Inc. recorded a 5.6% increase in same store sales for fiscal November. The comps improvement comes on top of a 12.1% jump in the year-ago month. Total net sales for the four-week period increased 28.5% to $33.3 million, compared to $25.9 million fo

BOSS Goes One-on-One with Columbia’s Gert Boyle

Gert Boyle is the matriarch of Columbia Sportswear. Her father started the business—then called Columbia Hat Company—in 1938 and ran it until his passing in 1964, whereupon her husband, Neal, took over the helm. But six years later, in 1970, Neal died sud

Confluence Names Rechner as President and CEO

Confluence Watersports has appointed Sue Rechner to the position of president & CEO, effective December 17, 2007. With over 15 years experience in consumer products, Rechner joins the canoe and kayak manufacturer on the heels of her successful tenure as P

Forzani Sees Q3 Corporate Comps Slide on Dollar, Weather Pressures

The Forzani Group Ltd. reported a 1.5% increase in retail system sales for the third quarter to $344.6 million from $339.5 million in the year-ago quarter. The company said in a release that the increase came despite aggressive pricing actions taken in re