SGB Update Sports & Fitness

Monumental Appoints EVP, Chief Strategic and Corporate Comms Officer
AJ Jones, II joins MSE’s senior leadership team overseeing corporate, investor, and ownership communications with its external, internal, and partner stakeholders.

Good Good Golf Secures $45M Funding with Participation from Peyton Manning
The golf, media and lifestyle brand, secured the funding round led by Creator Sports Capital, with participation from Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions, Manhattan West Private Equity and Sunflower Bank.

KMD Brands Appoints Nike Vet Ashley Reade as Rip Curl CEO
Ashley Reade will join the Australian surf brand in the coming months from Nike, where he is currently the vice president and general manager of Nike Pacific, responsible for growing the region to an AU$1 billion business.

Recall: Segway Kick Scooters
Segway has received 68 reports of folding mechanism failures, including 20 injuries, including abrasions, bruises, lacerations, and broken bones.

Snipes Names Under Armour Vet as New Chief Marketing Officer, U.S.
The global street culture brand reported that Kelley Walton will lead the marketing organization in the U.S. to include all budget and marketing functions aligned with the company’s long-term vision

Authentic Brands Group Appoints Former Disney Exec as EVP, Head of India
Sanjeet Mehta will oversee the company’s strategy in India, focusing on expanding brand presence, forging strategic partnerships and driving revenue growth, working with Henry Stupp, regional president of the EMEIA.

Lids Opens Lids HD Store in LA’s Cerritos Mall
Lids’ HD store concept caters to headwear enthusiasts and consumers who are starting to build their collections by leaning toward exclusive and limited-edition hat drops.

Academy Sports & Outdoors Beats on Q4 Bottom Line; Looks Ahead to Jordan Launch
The company expects the first quarter to be the most challenging from a sales and earnings per share prospective as they plan to open five stores and transition to the new Jordan floor set but see the back half of the year to be stronger than the first half.

Strong Pilates Entering U.S. Market with New Partner and Plans for 155 Studios
The Australian-based high-intensity Pilates concept is expanding into the U.S. with plans to open multiple studios this year and a second global HQ in Hermosa Beach, California.

Report: Online Resale is Expected to Reach $40 Billion by 2029
From integrating social commerce and AI applications to establishing trade organizations and interfacing with the government, ThredUp said it’s clear why resale has seen accelerated growth and a promising growth trajectory.

Pickleball Kingdom Franchise to Open in Naperville, IL
Led by franchisees Saumil Parikh, Chirdip Sheth, Hemang Patel, and Dhaval Sheth, the club will feature climate-controlled courts and Pickleball Kingdom member amenities.

Report: February Perceived Stability at Retail Hides Deeper Fluctuations
While the steady appearance of retail performance carried through top-line views of discretionary general merchandise, retail food and beverage, and non-edible consumer packaged goods, underlying disruptions are emerging, reported Circana.

Report: February Retail Sales May Reflect Anxious Consumer Spending
February’s core retail sales, as defined by the NRF, were up 0.9 percent seasonally-adjusted month-over-month but down 0.2 percent unadjusted year-over-year because of the comparison against unusually high sales in February 2024.

S&S Activewear Taps Industry Vet Kendall Whitley as VP of Team Sales
Whitley brings nearly four decades of sporting goods experience, including executive roles at Converse, Adidas, and, most recently, as VP of Athletics for NBS, where he oversaw all business for 125 dealers in the NBS Athletic Division.

The Pickler Franchisees to Open Third Club in Indiana
The location is the third in Indiana for Dave Gilreath and Ron Brock, managing partners of Pickle Indy, LLC, with plans to open six new Picklr member clubs throughout central Indiana.