Academy Sports + Outdoors Opens Five New Stores to Finish Out 2024
New stores opened in Bradenton, FL; Yulee, FL; Searcy, AR; Meridian, MS; and Corsicana, TX. Overall, Academy continued its expansion in 2024 by opening 16 new stores during the year across ten states, including its first locations in Ohio.
Purpose Brands Appoints CEO
Tom Leverton most recently served as an operating partner at Pritzker Private Capital, co-leading the firm’s services sector activities. Prior to that, he was the CEO of CEC Entertainment, the parent company of Chuck E. Cheese, Topgolf, and Omniflight, and chief development officer at FedEx Office.
Amer Sports Launches Public Share Offering of 34M Shares
The company said it intends to use the net proceeds it receives from the proposed offering to repay a portion of its outstanding borrowings under its term loan facilities.
Mastercard SpendingPulse: Black Friday Sales Grow 3.4 Percent; E-Commerce Up 15 Percent
The firm reported that their data indicated online retail (e-commerce) sales increased 14.6 percent, while In-store (brick & mortar) sales were up a more modest 0.7 percent, compared to Black Friday last year.
Crunch Franchise to Open Fourth Crunch Fitness in San Antonio
The facility will be the fourth Crunch Fitness to open in San Antonio operated by Crunch Fitness franchisee The Undefeated Tribe.
Akaso Appoints U.S. Director of Sales
Eric Squires will take on the role of director of sales for the U.S., overseeing all wholesale, professional and direct sales of the company’s action cameras, Seemor night vision goggles and accessories.
Collegiate Licensing Pioneer Bill Battle Passes
Battle helped the University of Alabama create a licensing department, which led to his founding of the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) and what became a multi-billion dollar industry for collegiate licensing.
Xpedition Archery Taps Into Outtech Sales Services
The company said its exponential growth in 2024 required an expansion in sales coverage across the U.S. to meet customer demand and continue to fully service accounts.
Stretch Zone Opens in Trophy Club, Texas
U.S.-based assisted stretching brand, announced the opening of its newest location in Trophy Club, TX, owned and operated by franchisee Danny Leverett, a multi-unit Stretch Zone owner.
Report: Black Friday In-Store Shopper Traffic Falls 8.2 Percent Year-over-Year
The brand’s ShopperTrak Analytics insights show that U.S. shopper visits were down 3.9 percent from November 24 through November 29, in line with the in-store traffic trends seen year-to-date (down 3.0 percent year-over-year).
Avenue Sports Fund and Playmaker Fund Partner to Source and Fund Sports Opportunities
The Fund’s athlete team includes Stephen Curry, Lauren Holiday, Harry Kane, Candace Parker, Michael Strahan and Lindsey Vonn.
Malibu Boats CEO to Assume President Role as Ritchie Anderson Plans Retirement
Company President Ritchie Anderson will retire effective February 7, 2025. Upon his retirement, company CEO Steve Menneto will become president of Malibu Boats, Inc., with Donna Tallent, SVP of operations, assuming leadership for MBI operations.
Rally House Opens New Storefront in Minneapolis
Rally House Maple Grove Crossing opened on November 27. The retailer entered the Minnesota market this year with its first store in Tamarack Village in Woodbury. Today, it operates five stores in the state.
Sprung Gym Flooring Opens Ireland Headquarters
The provider of gym flooring solutions said the office, located in Sandyford, Dublin, will serve as the company’s headquarters in Ireland, to support demand for its gym flooring product line across commercial and residential sectors.
Cole Haan Inks China Partner for Retail and Brand Development
The company has inked an exclusive distribution agreement with China retail HiMaxx. In conjunction, HiMaxx is launching a new premium branded division, focused on Cole Haan, under Co-Founder and Board member Jason Hou.
