SGB Update Sports & Fitness

Athleta Parent Gap Inc. Hires Two New Senior Leaders
The parent company of the Athleta, Banana Republic, Gap and Old Navy retail brands has hired Eric Chan as chief business and strategy officer and Amy Thompson as chief people officer.

Snipes Names New CEO as Co-Founder Transitions Out
Dennis Schröder, general manager of Snipes Europe business since April 2023, will succeed Voth and assume responsibility for Snipes Europe. Voth will remain an advisor, with an expected departure by January 1, 2026.

Lev Tanju Joins Fila as Creative Director for Fila+
Fila appointed Lev Tanju, founder of the skatewear brand Palace, as Creative Director of the company’s new sportswear collection, Fila+.

Under Armour Appoints New Americas President and Chief Product Officer
The company appointed Yassine Saidi as chief product officer and Kara Trent as president of the Americas. Both will report to company President and CEO Stephanie Linnartz.

GolfForever Closes on $10M Series A Funding Round
Clerisy, a consumer growth equity fund, led the funding round. Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 golfer and PGA Tour winner Tom Kim, joined the round as equity investors and serve as GolfForever brand ambassadors.

USA Hockey Extends Deal with Winmark as Official Resale Partner
Winmark and its portfolio of resale brands, including Play it Again Sports, will continue its exclusive designation as the official resale partner of USA Hockey and as an official sponsor.

Crunch Fitness Opens Fifth Charlotte Location
The 44,000-square-foot fitness facility in Steele Creek occupies a former Club Fitness facility, representing the fifth Crunch location to open in Charlotte, NC.

Pure Hockey Acquires Arizona Hockey Retailer
The company said this strategic move to acquire Behind the Mask marks its first entry into the Arizona market and underscores the company’s commitment to serving the needs of hockey players across the United States.

Puffin Drinkwear Hires VP of Wholesale Sales
Julian Davis will bring his extensive experience in sales and operations, account management and product marketing to the company.

Report: Two-Month Holiday Selling Season Sales Rose 3.07 Percent
Total retail sales for the full calendar year 2023 were up 5.32 percent over 2022, and core retail sales were up 4.46 percent.

Planet Fitness Revenues Rose 8.7 Percent in 2023
Year-end membership to approximately 18.7 million members in 2023, an increase of 1.7 million since the end of 2022, and full-year system-wide same-store sales increased by 8.7 percent for the year ended December 31.

Xponential Fitness Will Meet or Beat Estimates for the Year
Xponential Fitness, Inc. provided 2023 operating highlights ahead of the company’s participation at the ICR 2024 Conference in Orlando FL and the Jefferies Winter Consumer Summit in Avon, CO.

Orangetheory Opens First Fitness Studio in Manassas
A boutique fitness studio franchise based in Boca Raton, FL, is planting roots in Manassas, VA, centrally located in Bull Run Plaza.

Fitness Ventures Acquires Crunch Toledo Location
The acquisition of Crunch Toledo is part of a growth plan for Fitness Ventures, aiming to own and operate 100 clubs by 2027.

Crunch Fitness to Open in Cedar Park, TX
Crunch Cedar Park, a $5 million, 40,000-square-foot fitness facility with state-of-the-art equipment, is located in a newly renovated space previously occupied by Gold’s Gym.