SGB Update Sports & Fitness
Pure Hockey Expands Network to SD with Hockey Headquarters Acquisition
The company has been on a growth surge with this deal, completed after acquiring Off The Bench in Omaha, NE, in March to bring its network to 82 retail locations across 31 states nationwide under the Pure Hockey and Pure Goalie brands.
Report: More U.S. Consumers Will Abandon Shoe Purchases Based on Price
The new Spring 2025 U.S. Footwear Consumer Survey from AlixPartners and the FDRA found that consumers are more likely to abandon a purchase due to cost, with 78 percent of respondents in its latest survey stating they halted a purchase due to price, up 12 percentage points from 2024.
Authentic Brand Group Inks Sock License for Tapout Brand
Grey Matter Concepts will manufacture and distribute Tapout-branded socks across the U.S. and Canada. Authentic plans to launch the first collection through select retailers and online timed with the Holiday 2025 shopping season.
Garmin’s Fitness and Outdoor Segments Deliver Double-Digit Growth
Garmin, Ltd. reported sales rose 12 percent in its Fitness segment and 20 percent in its Outdoor segment while its Marine segment showed a 2 percent decline.
Report: Decathlon Plans Sale of 30 Percent Stake in China Business
The potential sales comes as Decathlon announced in March that Javier López, who had previously led Decathlon’s value chain, was appointed CEO, replacing Barbara Martin Coppola who had served in the role since March 2022.
U.S. Consumer Confidence Sinks to Near Five-Year Low
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell to 86 on the month, down 7.9 points from its prior reading and below the Dow Jones estimate of 87.7. It was the lowest reading since May 2020.
Stahls’ Names Sales Director for EMEA Region
Industry veteran Thomas Heuer will work closely with Martin Borley, executive managing director for Stahls’ UK and Europe, and Stephanie Schnur, managing director of Stahls’ Europe, to drive regional growth and strengthen customer relationships.
Riddell Snaps Up Xenith Assets
The report that Xenith was “officially a part of Riddell Sports” was shared on the social media accounts of both companies and confirmed in a statement from a Riddell spokesperson.
Moody’s Lowers Under Armour’s Debt Ratings
Moody’s Ratings downgraded Under Armour, Inc.’s debt ratings on its expectation that weakening consumer discretionary spending and increased tariff costs are likely to lead to lower earnings over the next 12-18 months.
Mizuno USA Strengthens Running Division With Key Hires
The company promoted Will Cutler as associate marketing manager while hiring Nico Betancourt as territory manager and Hope Nixon as running brand specialist.
Adidas Warns of U.S. Price Hikes Due to Tariffs
Adidas AG said that despite reporting better-than-expected first-quarter results, it opted not to raise its financial targets for 2025 due to rising concerns over President Donald Trump-imposed trade tariffs, including the threat that prices will have to rise for U.S. products. The company said it did not know how much it would boost prices.
Celerant Marks International Expansion with Acquisition of UK’s Saledock
Saledock has provided in-store and online retail solutions in the UK for over five years, serving a range of hard and soft goods retailers, specializing in bike, equestrian and sporting goods businesses with cloud-based point of sale, inventory, and eCommerce tools.
TBA Worldwide Acquires Amazon Specialty Agency SaleSurf Growth
SaleSurf Growth will operate as a standalone agency within the TBA Worldwide network, with its existing team and leadership remaining.
NSGA’s and Sporting Goods Industry Veteran Tom Doyle Passes Away
Tom Doyle died on April 22 at the age of 86. He worked at the NSGA for 39 years and was the association’s vice president of Information and Research when he retired in the fall of 2010. He was also president of the National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA) from the time it was founded in 1987 until 2010.
Vuori Continues UK Expansion; Opens Third Store on King’s Road
Andy Lawrence, SVP of International at Vuori, said, “Opening this store represents a key milestone in Vuori’s expansion in the UK and across Europe, allowing us to deepen our connection with customers and the market.”
