Lycra Names CEO
The Lycra Company announced today that Gary Smith has been appointed chief executive officer, effective November 27. He formerly led Hatteras Yachts and Polartec.
Salt Life to Open Three Stores
Delta Apparel, Inc. continues to expand the Salt Life brand’s retail footprint, opening three new stores. These include SL’s first location in Virginia and two in Florida.
Fanatics Partners with Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx
Fanatics announced a partnership to become the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx. Fanatics will take over the official e-commerce business for both teams, and also operate the in-venue retail touchpoints on gamedays at Target Center.
Ciele Athletics Hires Nike Vet as Head of N.A. Sales
Montreal-based performance apparel and accessories brand Ciele Athletics hired running industry veteran Scott Gravatt as head of sales for the U.S. and Canada. Gravatt joins the company following a 15-year tenure at Nike.
Report: Consumers Expected to Spend $130 Billion During Holiday Weekend
According to the latest International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Thanksgiving Weekend Intentions survey, consumers will spend $130 billion during the upcoming holiday shopping weekend, a 4 percent increase from last year’s spending expectations.
Hiplok Expands Across U.S. Market with New Distributor
Hiplok, a UK lock brand, will expand sales into the U.S. in partnership with distributor BTI. Hiplok’s bike security and storage products include the D1000, a portable anti-angle grinder U lock.
Bear & Son Cutlery Hires Sales Agency for U.S. East Coast
Bear & Son Cutlery tapped Schooler Outdoor Marketing to grow its East Coast representation for its four brands—Gatco Sharpeners, Bear OPS, Bear Edge, and Bear & Son Cutlery—effective immediately.
Sacks Parente Golf Expands into Golf Club Shafts
Sacks Parente Golf, Inc. expanded its product portfolio, adding a business division, Newton, the company’s entry into golf club shafts. SPG manufactures the golf shafts in its St. Joseph, MO factory and includes a shaft adapter and grip, a Lamkin Crossline 360.
Björn Borg Brand Posts Q3 Sales Growth
Swedish sports fashion brand Björn Borg reported its Q3 net sales increased 5 percent to SEK 262.1 million ($25.5 million) from SEK 248.6 million in the 2022 corresponding period.
Iconix Acquires Majority Stake in Streetwear Brand Hoodrich
Iconix International, formerly Iconix Brand Group, has acquired majority control of British streetwear brand Hoodrich. Brand founder Jay Williams will continue on as a minority shareholder.
Blizzard-Tecnica Appoints North American Marketing Manager
Sarah Lauridsen will work out of the West Lebanon office, overseeing U.S. and Canadian marketing operations and report to Business Unit Director Topher Plimpton.
Evo Acquires Bergland Hotel in Japan
Evo will open its second branded hotel—Evo Hotel Hakuba. It follows the opening of Evo Hotel Salt Lake in 2022 in Salt Lake City, UT.
Buck Knives Welcomes VP of Sales
Buck Knives hired industry veteran Marty Carlson as VP of sales. Most recently, he was the senior director of sales – Camping and Watercraft for Johnson Outdoors.
ATSports Merges with Ace Sport Surfaces
ATSports, Inc. (Acrytech), the manufacturer of surface coatings for tennis, pickleball, basketball courts, and track fields, reported a strategic merger with Ace Sport Surfaces and launched its ATSports installation training division.
Outdoor Leaders Comment on Latest Outdoor Rec Economy Figures
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported the latest statistics, which show that outdoor recreation generates $1.1 trillion in economic output (2.2 percent of GDP), nearly 5 million jobs, and comprises 3.2 percent of U.S. employees, according to an early analysis by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable.
