SGB Update

OIA Says Intense Lobbying Needed to Save LWCF

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) – the single largest source of funding for parks, trails and other public recreational infrastructure in the United States – ceased to exist Sept. 26 after Congress failed to reauthorize it for the first time si

Johnson Outdoors Boosts Quarterly Dividend

Johnson Outdoors Inc.'s board of directors approved a quarterly cash dividend of 80 cents per Class A share and 73 cents per Class B share – a 6.7 percent increase from the dividend rates declared in previous quarters…

Shoes For Crews Sold to PE Firm

Shoes For Crews, a leader in slip-resistant footwear, has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by CCMP Capital Advisors LLC. The company’s founders, the Smith family, will rollover a portion of their equity as part of the transaction..

Newton Running Appoints Joe O’Neil as New CEO

Newton Running has hired athletic footwear industry veteran Joe O’Neil as its new CEO. O’Neil most recently was senior vice president of Quiksilver Inc.-owned footwear brand DC Shoes. He replaces Newton co-founder Jerry Lee as CEO, who will re

G-III and Jimmy Fallon Collaborate on Sports Apparel Line

G-III Apparel Group, Ltd. plans to launch Hands High, a new licensed sports apparel line inspired by Tonight Show host and comedian, Jimmy Fallon. Hands High will feature professional team logos from the NFL, NBA, MLB and more…

Pricey Franc Prompts Cuts at Mammut

Mammut Sports Group AG eliminated 25 sales jobs at its corporate headquarters in Switzerland and will outsourcing rope manufacturing in a bid to cut costs amid declining sales and margin pressures created by adverse currency effects…

Sportsman’s Warehouse No Longer Controlled by PE Patron

Seidler Equity Partners (SEP), which took Sportsman's Warehouse Holdings Inc. from bankruptcy to an initial public offering between 2009 and 2014, reduced its stake in the rapidly growing retailer below the 50 percent mark last week through a seconda

BPSA Spearheads Unprecedented Response to Trek Recall

The U.S. bicycle industry launched an historic recall last week of 1.3 million bicycles that use the same type of quick release that led to Trek Bicycle Corporation's voluntarily recall of nearly 1 million bicycles in April…

BIG Adventures Hustles to Dial in Synergies

When a 40-foot container headed for the Netherlands landed at the loading dock of BIG Adventures rotational molding, or rotomolding, factory in Fletcher, NC last week, it was all hands on deck…

Crocs’ Near-Term Pressures Continue

While noting major progress on its transformation efforts at its annual analyst meeting last week, Crocs Inc. also lowered its guidance for revenues in the third quarter. The revision was attributed to unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates and the c

USATF to Share More Revenue With Athletes

USATF (U.S.A. Track & Field) designed a formula to distribute an extra $9 million in cash to top athletes and also took steps to clarify language in a much-debated form that runner Nick Symmonds refused to sign before this year’s world championships

Phil Knight Talks Past and Future

In his first interview since revealing his retirement plans in June, Nike's founder Phil Knight talked to USA Today about the past but also about competitive threats from Under Armour and Adidas…

Academy Sports Turns to Outsider for CEO

Academy Sports + Outdoors selected James Kevin (J.K.) Symancyk, formerly president of Meijer Inc., as its next president and CEO to lead the next phase of its growth…

GSI Outdoors Names New UK Distributor

GSI Outdoors has signed a new distribution agreement covering the United Kingdom with Lyon Equipment Ltd. Effective Jan. 1, Lyon will sell, market and support GSI Outdoors outdoor cookware, tableware and accessories…