SGB Update Sports & Fitness
Famous Footwear’s President to Retire
Caleres announced Rick Ausick, president of Famous Footwear, will retire in 2018 as part of a planned succession. Ausick joined Caleres in 2002 as Famous Footwear’s SVP and chief merchandise officer and eventually became division president in 2010.
Craft Sportswear Bolsters North American Sales Team
Craft, the maker of functional sportswear, has significantly bolstered its North American sales and marketing departments with the addition of Amber Nero and Scott Parr as national sales team managers.
The Northwest Company Reaches Five-Year Licensing Deal with MLB
The Northwest Company, a leader in the home textile industry and the No. 1 throw and blanket manufacturer in the U.S., announced a five-year extension of its licensing agreement with Major League Baseball (MLB).
Garmin Wins Optical Heart Rate IP Dispute
Garmin (Europe) Limited, a unit of Garmin Ltd., announced that it has prevailed in an intellectual property dispute regarding Garmin’s Elevate wrist-based heart rate monitoring technology.
Mudder Dog Obstacle Course Launched
Tough Mudder Inc. is hosting its first Ruff Mudder – an obstacle course especially designed for dogs – at the Tough Mudder Los Angeles Event Weekend on Saturday, March 3 at Polsa Rosa Ranch in Acton, CA.
NSF International Revamps Certified For Sport App
The app features enhanced search capabilities, side-by-side product comparisons and a UPC barcode scanner to find Certified for Sport supplements tested on a lot-by-lot basis for over 270 athletic banned substances.
Foot Locker Announces Strategic Investment In Carbon38
Foot Locker Inc. announced that it has made a strategic investment in Carbon38, taking a minority stake in the specialist in women’s luxury activewear. The $15 million Series A funding round brings the total raised by Carbon38 to $26 million since 2013.
Target Launches Exclusive Umbro Kids Line
Said Mark Tritton, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at Target. “Soccer is one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. and continues to grow in popularity among our guests. As the only mass retailer to sell Umbro, we’re giving more families access to the sport through stylish and affordable apparel and gear.”
Dick’s Adds Lauren Hobart To Its Board
Dick’s Sporting Goods said in a regulatory filing that Lauren R. Hobart, the company’s president, has joined its board of directors.
Accell North America Launches 2018 Consumer-Centric Omnichannel Strategy
The first tier enables an IBD to sign up as a preferred fulfiller, committing to zero inventory while a second tier offers a higher commitment, and is designed for IBD’s interested in flooring inventory.
Mueller Enforces Intellectual Property Rights in the U.K. and Germany
Mueller Sports Medicine Inc. is enforcing its intellectual property rights in the U.K. and Germany with ongoing litigation against 1000 Mile Sportswear Ltd, d/b/a Ultimate Performance.
Survey: Topgolf Positively Impacting Traditional Golf
Non-golfers are taking a swing at the game and experienced golfers are playing more often after visiting global sports entertainment leader Topgolf®, according to a survey recently conducted for Topgolf by the National Golf Foundation.
Taiwan’s Pou Chen To Take HK-Listed Pou Sheng Private
Yue Yuen to sell its 62.4 percent stake in Chinese footwear retailer Pou Sheng International as part of the HK$10.9 billion privatization plan ($1.39 bn).
OBIT: Nike’s Del Hayes
Del Hayes, one of Nike’s first employees, has passed away at the age of 82.
Reebok Seeks To Reboot Gas Stations For Fitness
In a partnership with global architecture and design firm Gensler, Reebok has reimagined an adaptive reuse of gas stations across the country as Fitness Hubs, where people can prioritize their mental and physical wellness, as part of its new “Get Pumped” concept.
