SGB Update Sports & Fitness
Planet Fitness CEO Departs
Planet Fitness, Inc. said its Board of Directors transitioned to new leadership, resulting in Chris Rondeau’s departure as company CEO. Craig R. Benson, a Board member, was appointed interim CEO, effective immediately.
The James Brand Appoints Director of Marketing and Sales
Dustin Aron will manage strategy and implementation to increase consumer awareness and engagement, execute expanded wholesale & retail objectives with the global sales team, and support the overall growth strategy of the brand.
Life Time Opens 22 Pickleball Courts at Life Time Kingwood in Texas
Life Time currently operates nearly 600 permanent pickleball courts across its network of athletic country clubs in North America.
Report: August Mall Foot Traffic Decline Data May Have Some Positives
Placer.ai said in its August 2023 Mall Index report that while MoM visits fell for the month, other foot traffic metrics painted a rosier picture for the period when delving deeper into the location analytics.
AlixPartners: Holiday Retail May Be A Tale of Two Cities Again this Year
The consulting firm’s Holiday Outlook Survey of more than 1,000 American consumers found that 26 percent of consumers plan on spending less this holiday season with 38 percent of households with incomes under $45K planning to spend less.
August Retail Sales Growth Moderates; Sporting Goods Trends Down
August sales were up in five out of nine retail categories on a yearly basis, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Circana reported flat sales growth year-over-year for their categories while the NRF and USCB saw sales up 3.3 percent for the period.
Deloitte Forecasts Softer Holiday Sales, Double-Digit E-Commerce Growth
Holiday sales in the U.S. are estimated to grow 3.5 percent to 4.6 percent between November and January, slowing from the 7.6 percent increase seen in 2022, according to Deloitte’s annual holiday retail forecast. The moderation reflects less inflation but also weaker consumer spending.
Nordstrom, Inc. Promotes Three to Key Leadership Roles
The retailer promoted Jamie Nordstrom to chief merchandising officer, Fanya Chandler to president, Nordstrom Stores and Gemma Lionello to president, Nordstrom Rack.
Lululemon Athletica Appoints New Board Member
Shane Grant has been the group deputy CEO, CEO Americas, and EVP of dairy, plant-based and global sales at Danone, a global food and beverage company, since January 2023.
Major League Pickleball and PPA Tour to Merge
The operators of the two major pickleball leagues, Major League Pickleball and the PPA Tour agreed to merge. The companies will remain distinct, but the merger aims to eliminate scheduling conflicts and competition over players.
True Fitness Hires Western Sales Manager
True Fitness, a commercial cardio and strength equipment provider, hired Chris Van Harte as national and key accounts sales manager for the Western region.
Longstreth Sporting Goods Sold To Private-Equity Firm
Longstreth Sporting Goods, which specializes in field hockey, was acquired by Roebling Capital Partners, a private-equity firm based in Cincinnati.
Report: Online Prices Reach 40-Month Low in August
U.S. online prices in August 2023 fell 3.2 percent YoY, reaching their lowest in 40 months, led by a drop in sporting goods, down 7 percent YoY, according to the latest data from the Adobe Digital Price Index, based on Adobe Analytics. This made August 2023 the 12th consecutive month of overall YoY price decreases.
Pure Hockey Acquires North Georgia Hockey
The hockey specialty retailer said the acquisition marks Pure Hockey’s first entry into the Georgia market and underscores its commitment to serving hockey players across the U.S.
Form Appoints Chief Revenue Officer, Names Board Member
Form appointed Christopher Stadler as a Board Member and hired Kevin Abt as chief revenue officer as the fitness tech company gears up for its next growth phase.
