SGB Update Sports & Fitness
Fleet Feet To Acquire Marathon Sports
Fleet Feet, the franchisor of locally-owned and operated running stores in the U.S., announced that it has agreed to acquire New England-based running retailer Marathon Sports and its soundRunner and Runner’s Alley brands.
Rally House Opens New Store In Michigan
Rally House opened a store in Canton, MI off Michigan Avenue, joining several Rally House locations in the Detroit area.
Playermaker Raised $40 Million In Funding Round
Playermaker, the manufacturer of the wearable sports performance tracker, has raised $40 million in funding to date, led by Ventura Capital Group, with additional investment by MIG Capital, Pegasus Tech Ventures, and others.
Nike And Apple Team Up On Sports Content
Apple has finalized a multi-year first-look feature deal to develop and produce sports films with Nike-owned studio Waffle Iron Entertainment for the Apple TV+ streaming service.
Planet Fitness Franchise Group Excel Fitness Sold To Olympus Partners
One of the largest Planet Fitness franchise groups, Excel Fitness Holdings, LLC, located in Austin, TX, was purchased by private equity firm Olympus Partners of Stamford, CT, for an undisclosed amount.
i9 Sports Opens 200th Location
Tampa Bay-based i9 Sports, the youth sports league franchise, recently announced opening its 200th location.
F45 To Open First Hotel Studio At Hilton Austin
F45 Training Holdings, Inc. announced plans to break ground on a new fitness studio at the downtown Hilton Austin, TX, the first F45 studio to operate inside a hotel worldwide.
May Retail Sales Unexpectedly Decline Amid Inflationary Pressures
Retail sales fell 0.3 percent in May from the prior month, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. Economists surveyed by Refinitiv expected sales to rise 0.2 percent. May marked a slowdown from the gain of 0.7 percent in April and the first decline in retail sales in five months.
Nike Concept Store Opens In Hong Kong
UAE retailer GMG announced the opening of a new Nike concept store in Hong Kong. The store is located in the East Point City shopping mall in the Hang Tau district.
NRF Praises House Passage Of Ocean Shipping Reform Act
The National Retail Federation issued a statement applauding the House’s approval of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022.
Mastercard SpendingPulse Forecasts 7.5 Percent Growth For U.S. Back-To-School Sales
Mastercard SpendingPulse forecasted that U.S. retail sales would grow 7.5 percent year-over-year from mid-July through the Labor Day back-to-school buying period. It anticipates that sales will be up 18.3 percent compared to the pre-pandemic 2019 selling season, with department stores a noteworthy winner as the retail sector continues its recent rebound.
Academy Sports To Open Two Stores In Tampa Bay
Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. announced that it would open its first two locations in Tampa Bay, FL.
Winmark Announces Addition Of Play It Again Sports Franchised Locations
Winmark Corporation announced that it has signed franchise agreements to add an additional eleven Play It Again Sports locations to its existing base of 272 stores across North America.
Swag Golf Opens Store At Wrigley Field
Swag Golf, the limited-edition golf accessory, equipment and apparel company, opened its first retail location, Cubs Golf by Swag, outside of Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.
Adidas Sues Nike Over Allegedly Infringing Apps And Shoe-Fitting Technology
Adidas AG filed a lawsuit against Nike, Inc. for allegedly infringing on its patents with its mobile applications and shoe-fitting technology.
