SGB Update Sports & Fitness

BSN Sports Parent Varsity Brands Taps into Pro Athlete Investors at Patricof Co
Over 45 of Patricof Co’s global athlete clientele, representing all major U.S. sports, have invested in Varsity Brands. This investment underscores P/Co’s commitment to “partnering with companies transforming the landscape of sports and community engagement.”

Life Time to Open Athletic Country Club to The Brooklyn Tower
The Life Time Brooklyn Tower athletic country club will cover seven floors throughout the 1,066-foot-tall building. It will be Life Time’s largest location in Brooklyn at approximately 80,000 square feet.

Crunch Fitness Franchise Opens Gym in Frederick, Maryland
Chad Smith, owner of Fitness Growth Capital, has found the opportunity to help develop the Crunch brand through his passion for the industry. The company operates 59 gyms nationwide, including nine Crunch locations.

Golftec Opens Franchise Location in Northwest San Antonio
Franchise Owner and Center Manager Ryan Cummings leads the operation having spent over 23 years serving the San Antonio, TX, golf community.

NRF Sees Import Cargo Levels Continuing to Rise Among Tariff Uncertainty
Imports from all trading partners could also be affected by a new fee the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is considering that would levy a fee between $1 million and $1.5 million each time a Chinese-built ship docks at a U.S. port.

CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor Sees February Y/Y Retail Sales Growing But Moderating
The Sporting Goods, Hobby, Music & Book Stores segment increased 3.6 percent year-over-year, up from 2.8 percent y/y growth in January. Clothing, Footwear and Accessories Stores were up 3.8 percent in February, half the trend in January.

Big Peach Running Sets to Open New Gainesville, Georgia Store
Alex and Stephanie (Fe) Rodriguez previously opened Big Peach stores in Dawsonville and Cumming, Georgia, respectively, and will now own and operate the Gainesville, GA.

Lacrosse Unlimited Expands Nationwide Footprint
The newly added stores in Illinois, Georgia, Colorado, and Florida represent the emergence of the sport in these markets and Lacrosse Unlimited’s support to grow the sport in each demographic.

TruGolf Links Signs Franchise Development Deal
As Regional Developer for TruGolf Links, Knoxville, TN native John Young will lead a statewide expansion of the company’s indoor golf concept, starting with the first flagship location in Knoxville.

Crunch Fitness is Coming to Pensacola, Florida
The 40,000-square-foot fitness facility, will open its doors in Fall 2025, operated by Crunch Fitness franchisee Fitness Ventures LLC,

Head NA Names Bardsley as Next CEO; Kempin Sets July Retirement
The company has named Jeff Bardsley as the next president and CEO of Head North America. The current VP of Racquet Sports marketing for North America, will replace longtime CEO Kevin Kempin, who will retire July 1 after 32 years with the company.

Academy Appoints EVP & Chief Information Officer
Sumit Anand joined Academy this month and reports directly to CEO Steve Lawrence. Anand oversees enterprise technology operations, including cybersecurity, IT infrastructure and operations, and IT shared services, supporting the company’s corporate, distribution center and retail initiatives.

PickleRage Accelerates Growth with Nine New Franchise Agreements
With this latest round of franchise agreements, the company is debuting in North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Texas, further expanding its national presence.

Target Lays Out Strategic Plans to Drive $15 Billion+ in Sales Growth by 2030
This week, the retailer outlined for the financial community how ongoing investments will accelerate its strategy and drive billions of dollars of profitable sales growth across its multi-channel business by 2030.

The Arizona Hideaway Collection Brings Four Iconic Golf Properties Under One Brand
Under The Allred family, who have rejuvenated destination properties for nearly five decades, including Telluride, the properties include The Hermosa Inn, Tubac Golf Resort & Spa, Rancho Mañana Golf Club, and Sedona Golf Resort.