SGB Update Sports & Fitness

Bass Pro Pledges $12 million for WOW Expansion

Bass Pro Shops and its owner, Johnny Morris, have pledged an additional $12 million to pay for the expansion and renovation of Wonders of Wildlife National Fish and Wildlife Museum and Aquarium. That project started last fall and the target is now for the

Native Partners with Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation

Native Eyewear has entered a partnership with the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation to help promote the Anglers Legacy “Take the Pledge” program. This program asks avid anglers to take at least one new person fishing each year and share their p

Bally Sold to Reimann Group

TPG Inc. agreed to sell Swiss shoe brand Bally International AG to a new luxury venture formed by Germany's billionaire Reimann family, ending a nine-year investment by the U.S. leveraged buyout firm. The family's Joh A. Benckiser SE, which owns

Shimano Completes Pearl iZumi Purchase

Shimano American Corp. on Monday completed its acquisition of Pearl iZumi from Nautilus for $69.4 million in cash and debt. As a result of the deal, Pearl Izumi will relocate its headquaters to Louisville from Broomfield…

Columbia Signs New Advertising Agency

Columbia Sportswear Company announced it has selected San Francisco-based Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners (BSSP) as its marketing communications strategy agency of record. Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners succeeds Portland-based Borders, Perrin & Norrande

Crocs Shares Plummet on Lowered Guidance…

Crocs had a tough week as it fired a warning shot to Wall Street that it would fail to meet its earlier guidance for both the first quarter and the fiscal year. The Street shot back with the company’s stock closing down 43.1% for the week, closing at $10

Woolrich Closes Sewing Plant…

Woolrich said it will close its Jersey Shore sewing facility by October of this year. The plant closing will result in the elimination of 49 jobs, primarily in garment assembly. The Jersey Shore sewing plant is the manufacturing plant for garments being s

Canada’s West 49 Posts Loss

West 49 posted a net loss of Canadian $1.2 million ($1.15 million) in the fourth quarter due to sluggish sales and a C$3.4 million ($3.1 million) pre-tax goodwill impairment charge. Net sales for the Canadian operator of action sports stores increased 0.8

Australian Wool Rolls out Japanese Marketing Blitz

Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) is rolling out a $1.4 million marketing program involving five major Japanese retailers during 2008 and through to March 2009. The aim is to create just under 1 million kilograms of new demand over the next three years for

SportsMyx Acquires CoolXposure

SportsMyx Holdings LLC has acquired majority ownership in CoolXposure LLC, a patent pending advertising unit that attaches to the back (intake) of Port-A-Cool units. CoolXposure is an authorized distributor of Port-A-Cool portable evaporating cooling unit

Wolverine World Wide Appoints Gromek to Board

Wolverine World Wide, Inc. appointed Joseph R. Gromek to its board of directors. Gromek, 61, is president, CEO and Director of The Warnaco Group, Inc., which produces the Speedo swimwear brand as well as Calvin Klein jeans and underwear. Gromek previously

Crocs Stock Plummets on New Estimates

Shares of Crocs' stock slid more Wednesday, falling below $10 after yesterday's Tuesday's news that it lowered its first quarter revenue guidance to $195 million to $200 million and said it expected to break even or lose up to 5 cents per d

Phoenix Footwear Q4 Sales Down, But Net Loss Slims

Phoenix Footwear Group, Inc. reported a 3.2% decrease in net sales from continuing operations for the fourht quarter to $19.4 million from $20.1 million last year. Sales of Tommy Bahama products grew by 99% for the quarter. Net loss for the quarter totale

Patmore Returns to Hi-Tec

Duncan Patmore will be rejoining Hi-Tec Sports PLC, where he previously worked for 11 years in sourcing and developing its line of golf shoes. His new role as Hi-Tec’s product and marketing director will mainly focus on the brand’s global product developm

K2 Moves Tubbs Marketing to Seattle

K2 Sports plans to relocate Tubbs Snowshoes marketing operations into K2's Seattle global headquarters. Tubbs's customer service, credit, distribution, development and manufacturing operations were previously integrated into the K2 Sports organi