SGB Update Sports & Fitness
2018 Varsity Brands School Spirit Awards Now Open
A total of $100,000 will be awarded across 25 categories, including a $25,000 grand prize for America’s Most Spirited High School.
Nautilus Partners with LIFT Digital to Give Bowflex Customers Free, Personalized Training Sessions
Nautilus Inc. announced the launch of its partnership with LIFT Digital Inc., developers of the online fitness platform LIFT session, to bring live personal training and group classes to Bowflex customers.
Skechers Returns As Houston Marathon Sponsor
Skechers Performance, a division of Skechers USA, Inc., returns to Houston, Texas on January 14, 2018 for its fifth year as the official footwear and apparel sponsor of the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon.
Academy Sports + Outdoors Names Michael Mullican Chief Financial Officer
Academy, Ltd. d/b/a Academy Sports + Outdoors, announced the full time appointment of Michael Mullican as chief financial officer, effective January 10, a position he has held on an interim basis since September 2017.
Real Sociedad To Replace Adidas With Macron
Macron, the Italian sportswear brand, will replace Adidas as kit sponsor of the Spanish soccer club, Real Sociedad, according to a report in the Basque daily newspaper El Diario Vasco.
Nordstrom Lifts EPS Guidance On Improving Holiday Sales
Nordstrom, Inc. announced an increase in its net sales of 2.5 percent and an increase in comparable sales of 1.2 percent for the nine weeks ended December 30. The department store operator lifted its EPS guidance for the year.
Brooks Racks Up Double-Digit Gains In Q4
Brooks Running scored its second consecutive quarter of double-digit growth in the fourth quarter, Jim Weber, CEO, wrote on the company’s blog.
Honey Stinger Signs James Russell Gill III
James Russell Gill III, professional ultra-endurance runner, owner and CEO of Bad to the Bone Sports and race director for the Ultra Race of Champions, has signed on as an athlete with Honey Stinger, maker of honey-based energy products.
Equinox, Owner of SoulCycle, Invests In Rumble
Equinox, the operator of Equinox Fitness Clubs, Blink Fitness, Pure Yoga, and SoulCycle, announced a significant minority stake in Rumble, a boxing-inspired group fitness company based in NYC.
ICSC Sees Robust Holiday Gains
This holiday season saw an increase in consumer spending according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), which released its annual Post-Holiday Shopping Survey. This year’s survey showed that the average spend on gifts and other holiday-related items was $841.50 this season, compared to $711 last year, representing a gain of 18.3 percent.
Fanatics Opens Japan Office
The Tokyo-based office will lead the initial expansion of Fanatics’ operations throughout Asia, and strategically aligns with the company’s expansion strategy to grow the licensed sports merchandise industry across key global markets.
Headsweats Welcomes New Ambassador Team
Thirty-five outstanding athletes were selected from over 500 applications based upon their personal and athletic accomplishments within their sport.
Big 5 Cuts Q4 Guidance On Weather Woes
Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. slashed its fourth-quarter earnings guidance as “extraordinarily dry and warm weather conditions” led to a double-digit comp decline in December.
Spalding Partners With BSN Sports In Team Channel
In a letter to team dealers received from SGB, Spalding has indicated that BSN Sports will now handle sales of Baseball, Football, Soccer and Volleyball products sold into the team channel.
Kohl’s Lifts Guidance On Strong Holiday Comps
Kohl’s Corp. reported that its total and comparable sales for November and December 2017 combined increased 6.9 percent over the same period last year.
