SGB Update Sports & Fitness

Champion To Partner With RMU Esports Program

Robert Morris University-Illinois Associate Director of Esports, Jose Espin, announced an exclusive sponsorship agreement with Champion, a Hanesbrands subsidiary, making the North Carolina-based company the official apparel sponsor for the Eagles 2019-20 competition season.

Nike And Adidas Among Top Singles Day Sellers

Singles Day, essentially China’s Black Friday, on Sunday again broke records as Alibaba racked up more than $30.8 billion in the 24-hour shopping event, up nearly 27 percent year-on-year. Nike and Adidas were among the 237 brands seeing more than RMB100 million ($14.4 million) in sales for Alibaba on the day.

Mizuno’s Profits Slide In Half

Mizuno Corp. operating profits declined 9.5 percent in the first half ended September 30 as a slight improvement in gross margins couldn’t offset the drag from a 5.3 percent in sales. The Americas region returned to profitability.

Report: Adidas North America Hears Calls For Diversity

Employees at Adidas’ North American headquarters in Portland, OR are openly expressing frustration about the lack of opportunities for minorities, particularly African-Americans, at the firm, according to an article from Footwear News.

Mark Plaatjes Opens In Motion Running In Boulder, Colorado

Renowned physical therapist and co-founder of Boulder Running Company Mark Plaatjes announced the opening of In Motion Running, a new locally owned running specialty store that will integrate running shoes, apparel and accessories with a full-service physical therapy practice.

Tough Mudder Spins Off Gym Business Into Separate Enterprise

Tough Mudder Inc. will spin off its fitness business, Tough Mudder Bootcamp, into a separate business enterprise from its traditional live event business in order to allow both businesses to more successfully navigate their respective categories.

Escalade Sports Acquires Victory Tailgate

Escalade Sports, a wholly owned subsidiary of Escalade Inc., announced that it has acquired Victory Tailgate, a brand known for its premium licensed and custom tailgating games. The acquisition will significantly strengthen Escalade Sports’ leadership in the tailgating and lawn games’ categories.

Sears To Close Another 40 Stores

Sears Holdings, which filed for bankruptcy last month, said Thursday that 11 Kmart locations and 29 Sears stores will close their doors in February 2019. The retailer is already in the process of closing about 188 stores.

Cheerleading Injuries On The Decline

USA Cheer shared news of a recently published medical research study demonstrating how cheerleading rules can effectively maximize the safety of its participating athletes.