SGB Update

Flexia Raises $4 Million In Funding Round

Flexia, the at-home Pilates start-up, announced a $4 million seed round led by ADvantage, an early stage VC fund investing in tech companies involved in sports, fitness, health and gaming. Other strategic investors in the round include Phoenix Capital Ventures, Techstars, and Calm Ventures.

Farfetch Invests In Neiman Marcus

Farfetch,  an online retailer of luxury fashion products, is taking a stake in Neiman Marcus Group as part of a broader strategic partnership that will see Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus join the Farfetch platform.

Lululemon Makes Executive Appointments

Lululemon has hired Simon Atkins, who formerly led basketball at Adidas, as SVP of footwear and Phil Dickinson, a Nike veteran, as SVP, global creative director. Both report to Sun Choe, chief product officer.

Hypebeast To List On NASDAQ Through SPAC Merger

Hypebeast, the digital media and e-commerce company with a focus on streetwear, plans to list its shares on Nasdaq through a merger with Iron Spark I Inc. The firm also indicated former Nike brand president Trevor Edwards will join its board.

NFHS Partners With American Youth Football

American Youth Football, Inc. (AYF), a national youth partner of the National Football League, will require all of its 50,000-plus coaches on its regional/national track to take the new, free “Football Tackling” course introduced on the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Learning Center last month.

Dunlop Golf Brands Rebrands in North America

In a global alignment strategy, the sports business for Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI) will be affiliated under the Dunlop brand umbrella. Currently operating as Srixon/Cleveland Golf/XXIO, SRI’s North American sales company Roger Cleveland Golf Company, Inc. (RCGC), will now be doing business as Dunlop Sports Americas.

NICS Firearms Background Checks Fall Off In March

The March 2022 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) slipped 18.3 percent to 2.04 million compared to the March 2021 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 3.01 million.

Burlington Stores’ CFO To Retire

Burlington Stores Inc. announced that John Crimmins woulf retire from his position as chief financial officer on August 31, 2022, or the date his successor commences employment.

Xponential Fitness Announces Secondary Stock Offering

Xponential Fitness, Inc. announced the commencement of an underwritten public offering of 4.5 million shares of the company’s Class A common stock by certain of the c existing stockholders, affiliates of Snapdragon Capital Partners.

Former Whoop And Fitbit Executives Join CONNEQT

CardieX Limited announced the addition of Jack Seitz and Lara Rosenbaum to the executive team of CardieX’s subsidiary, CONNEQT, a new consumer health company focused on home vital signs monitors, wearables and consumer health apps.

Nordstrom Announces Executive Leadership Team Retirements And New Appointments

Nordstrom, Inc. announced the retirements of Scott Meden, chief marketing officer (CMO), and Geevy S.K. Thomas, president of Nordstrom Rack. Nordstrom, Inc. also announced the appointments of Ken Worzel and Jamie Nordstrom to the newly created roles of chief customer officer and chief stores officer.

MLB Uniforms To Add Advertising Beginning In The 2023 Season

Major League Baseball (MLB) players’ uniform sleeves will sport corporate-sponsored patches beginning next season for the first time in the game’s 146-year professional history. The league confirmed that decals on batting helmets could come as early as this postseason.