SGB Update Sports & Fitness

Schuylkill Valley Sports Opens Store in Wilkes-Barre, PA

Schuylkill Valley Sports has opened its new Wilkes-Barre
location in the Wyoming Valley Mall. The sporting
goods retailer and team athletic dealer now has
18 stores serving eastern and central Pennsylvania…

Ripken Baseball and Rawlings Partner on Training Products

Rawlings has partnered with Ripken Baseball to create a new line of training products for youth baseball players. Rawlings’ new “Five Tool” training products will include hurdles, pop-up nets and tees to be used for baseball tournaments and camps at the R

Smith and Wesson Buys Universal Safety Response

Smith & Wesson Holdings Corp said it would buy privately held Universal Safety Response Inc (USR) in a cash and stock deal, for up to $26.2 million to enter the rapidly growing perimeter security market…

President Obama to Create New Office of Youth Sport

President Barack Obama is forming a White House Office of Olympic, Paralympic, and Youth Sport. The office will promote the values of the Olympic movement and encourage increased youth participation in athletics…

H2O Audio Partners with Michael Phelps

H2O Audio, the maker of waterproof headphones and accessories, has formed a multi-year partnership with 16-time Olympic medalist and 17-time World Champion swimmer Michael Phelps. Phelps will collaborate on product development and marketing initiatives…

OIWC to Promote Women’s Designers at Summer Market

OIWC is launching a new program at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market designed to promote women's products while highlighting the women's designers. OIWC will provide custom hangtags that help tell the story and they will produce a printed Lookbook

Billabong Raises $232mm in Capital

Billabong International Ltd said it has raised Australia $291 million (U.S. $231.7mm) from institutions and retail investors in a rights issue. The oversubscribed retail rights issue raised $61 million ($48.6mm), and the company raised around $230 million

Under Armour’s Footwear SVP Raphael Peck Resigns

Raphael Peck has resigned as SVP of footwear at Under Armour to pursue other opportunities. Adam Peake, VP of sales at the company, will serve as interim executive in charge of footwear while a search for a permanent successor continues…

IHRSA Survey: Health and Sports Clubs Show Q1 Weakness

The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) said its survey of 18 leading U.S. health and sports club companies showed decreases in total sales, membership revenue, and non-dues revenue from first quarter of 2008 to first quarter

Cloudy Business Outlook Lingers for Industry

While some indicators are offering some hope that the economy's slump is bottoming out and a recovery is around the corner, many participants in the sporting goods industry aren't yet buying it. Sports Executive Weekly explored the industry&#039

Lululemon Moderates New Store Plans and Costs Rise and Growth Slows

Lululemon Athletica intends to continue with its current plan of opening six stores this year despite a continued soft market and tighter gross margins. The vertical retailer said that for the past six months it has been concentrating on real estate stra

OIA: April Retail Reflects Stabilizing Market

Retail sales for all core outdoor stores combined (chain, Internet, specialty) grew 2% compared to last April, moving from $339 million to $347 million, according to the most recent edition of The Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) Outdoor Topline Report.

SIA Adds Events to Denver Show

SIA announced a number of new events for its Snow Show, which is moving from Las Vegas to Denver in January 2010. Among the new features is an On-Snow Demo/Free Ride Fest, Feb. 1-2, three additional days of free lift tickets for Retailer Attendees before