SGB Update Outdoor
Billabong Expands into Eyewear with L’Amy America
Under the agreement, L’Amy America will design, manufacture and distribute optical frames, fashion sunglasses, eyewear accessories, snow goggles, and motosport goggles in the U.S. and Canada for men, women and kids.
Walmart Plans 650 U.S. Remodels In 2025, 20 New Stores
Walmart, Inc. announced plans to remodel more than 650 Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets stores this year while expecting to open 20 new stores during the period through early 2027.
Science in Sport Retains Coast 2 Coast Distribution as U.S. Cycling Distributor
Coast 2 Coast Distribution (C2C), a U.S.-based cycling industry distributor, has been appointed the exclusive distributor for Science in Sport (SiS), the maker of cycling nutrition products, within the U.S. cycling channel.
American Outdoor Brands Names VP of Corporate Development
American Outdoor Brands, Inc. appointed Tyler Lindwall to the newly created role of VP of corporate development. Lindwall, formerly at Vista Outdoor, will be tasked with identifying and evaluating acquisition opportunities, supporting transaction execution and partnering across the organization on integration efforts.
Patagonia Appoints Director of Marketing and Impact for EMEA
Patagonia appointed Amanda Calder-Mclaren, formerly at The North Face, as its new senior director of marketing and impact for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) to bring together Patagonia’s marketing and impact work.
Deuter and Ortovox Parent Names Tom Mason as Interim GM, Olivia Mayhew as Sales Manager
Schwan-Stabilo Outdoor, USA, the parent company of Deuter and Ortovox, has appointed Tom Mason as interim general manager, effective immediately. Olivia Mayhew has been appointed sales manager for Deuter USA, and April Sawyer has been appointed controller for Schwan-Stabilo Outdoor, USA.
Ortovox Appoints New Marketing and Digital D2C Chief
Manfred Meindl will reportedly oversee the German company’s direct-to-consumer marketing and digital activities. He has over 15 years of experience at Vaude, most recently serving as head of marketing.
Amer Sports’s Debt Ratings Affirmed Following Debt Repayment
S&P Global Ratings affirmed the ‘BBB-‘ long-term issuer credit rating on Amer Sports following the repayment of $720 million in senior secured notes. S&P said its stable outlook reflects its view that Amer Sports will maintain a strong operating performance, with adjusted debt to EBITDA comfortably below 1.5x over 2026 and 2027.
Play It Again Sports Sees Slight Q1 Earnings Decline
Winmark Corporation, the parent of Play It Again Sports and several other franchised operations, reported a modest decline in earnings due to a non-recurring benefit in the year-ago quarter.
March Retail Sales Climb Again as Tax Refunds Offset Rising Gas Prices
Retail sales rose again in March as consumers received higher-than-usual tax refunds that offset higher gasoline prices, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor. Total retail sales, excluding automobile dealers and gasoline stations, were up 0.4 percent seasonally adjusted month-over-month and up 6.59 percent unadjusted year-over-year.
NSGA Sees Growth in 80 Percent of Tracked Sports in Annual Sports Participation Study
NSGA’s 2026 Edition of its Annual Sports Participation Study found 49 sports/activities, or 80 percent of the 61 tracked, showed increases in participation for 2025 compared to the prior year. Flag football, cheerleading, tennis, golf, pickleball, and hiking were among the sports seeing the strongest increases.
March 2026 Mall Index Sees Midday Traffic Shrinking Year-Over-Year
The softness seen in March at indoor and outlet malls does not negate the strong start to 2026, which drove overall year-over-year visit growth in Q1. However, it does highlight what will be required to sustain that momentum going forward.
Backcountry Establishes Incubator Fund, Acquires Coalatree
Outdoor online retailer Backcountry.com announced the launch of Backcountry Garage, a brand incubator platform, with Coalatree, a Utah-based eco-minded gear and apparel brand, marking its first acquisition. JM Fabrizi, president of Coalatree, becomes director of Backcountry Garage.
Dick’s House of Sport to Open in Sarasota
Dick’s Sporting Goods plans to open a House of Sport location in Sarasota, becoming the experiential concept’s fourth location in the state of Florida and the first on the Suncoast.
Norrøna Opens London Flagship
The Norwegian outdoor brand Norrøna opened a new flagship store on Regent Street in London.
