FCC Asked to Block Skechers’ New Cartoon Series
An advocacy group is asking the Federal Communications Commission to block a TV cartoon show starring characters first created to market Skechers footwear to children. The Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood targeted the series called “Z
Survey: Retail CFOs Don’t See Double-Dip Recession
According to a recent study by BDO USA, LLP, 82% of chief financial officers at leading U.S. retailers anticipate a continuation of stagnant economic conditions as opposed to a double dip (9%) or an ongoing turnaround (9%)…
Outdoor Product Retail Sales Growth Slows in August
After several months of solid growth, outdoor product retail sales growth slowed considerably in August, according to retail point-of-sale data compiled by SportScanInfo for OIA VantagePoint, the Official Research of the Outdoor Industry. Total outdoor pr
Adidas Outdoors Appoints U.S. Sales Agencies
Adidas Outdoor appointed three sales agencies to represent the company in key territories for its U.S. launch: BP Associates in the Midwest, the Helaman Group in the Rockies, and the Frontier Group Inc. in the Northwest…
TNF Launches Explore Your Parks in DC Market
The North Face launched the Explore Your Parks program, a partnership to encourage families to get outdoors and enjoy state parks in the Washington, DC, area this fall. During September, residents of the region can receive a free one-day pass for use in a
Eurobike 2010 Sees Traffic Uptick
Cycling fans worldwide turned out for the Eurobike 2010 trade show in Friedrichschafen, Germany last week as attendance at this year’s marquee cycling event rose 6% from the prior year mark, as 41,482 spectators enjoyed the festivities. Past that, a
Nordica Moves Sales Rep to Utah
Nordica has pulled Zach Littlepage from Colorado to help cover its sales territory covering Utah, Arizona, and Wyoming. Littlepage will join long time Nordica representative Gary Stevens as the sales associate for the territory effective immediately…
Amer Sports to Accelerate Growth in Apparel/Footwear
Amer Sports is indicating that under a revised long-term strategy, it will emphasize faster growth in apparel and footwear (softgoods) categories. At an analyst meeting held in New York City on Friday, the parent of Salomon, Wilson, Precor, Atomic, Suunto
Fleet Feet’s Comps Climb 11% in First Half
Fleet Feet, Inc. experienced double-digit comparative store growth during the first half of the year. Sales rose 12.5% in the first half to $52.6 million, up from $47.3 million in the same period a year earlier. Comparative store sales were up 11%…
REI Sees Upside in Factory Audit Partnership
According to its fourth annual stewardship report released last week, Recreational Equipment Incorporated is apparently very encouraged by its participation in the Fair Factories Clearinghouse (FCC), which it joined last year to reduce the cost of auditin
Schutt Sports Files For Bankruptcy Protection
Schutt Sports Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection one month after being hit with a $29 million patent infringement verdict. The football helmet and team protective equipment maker is asking a Delaware bankruptcy judge to halt enforcement of the patent ve
Kenny Ballard Leaves Boulder Outdoor Specialty Group
Kenny Ballard, the president of Boulder Outdoor Specialty Group (BOSG), has moved his family to Vermont from the company’s headquarter in Boulder, CO and will resign at the end of October to be nearer family on the East Coast…
Sports Supply Group Acquires Pal’s Sports Center
Following Genesco Inc.’s acquisition of Anaconda Sports announced last week the team dealer business took another step toward becoming a man-on-man game as Sports Supply Group snagged its own Northeast dealer…
Eco Index Pilot Program Launches Beta Test Process
The Outdoor Eco Index is drawing attention from companies in Europe and the U.S. as the the “Beta Phase 1” version of the product-level environmental assessment tool begins testing…
Lululemon Athletica Delivers Another Blowout Quarter for Fiscal Q2
Lululemon Athletica's earnings more than doubled in the fiscal second quarter ended Aug. 1, driven by a 31% hike in comp-stores sales on a constant-currency basis. Earnings of 30 cents a share easily surpassed Wall Street's consensus estimate o
