SGB Update Sports & Fitness
Sisu Mouth Guards Parent Hires COO, CFO
Kathy Capelli comes with a background from the consumer goods industry, having spent the last seven years at Flatout Bread where she was instrumental in growing the business until it was acquired in 2015.

Under Armour CEO Rings NYSE Opening Bell After MLB Announcement
Under Armour rang The Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on December 7, 2016, after the sportswear company announced earlier in the week that it had inked a major sponsorship deal with MLB.

Fitbit Acquires Assets From Pebble
Fitbit has acquired specific assets of Pebble, including key personnel and intellectual property related to software and firmware development. The acquisition excludes the company’s hardware products.

VF Corp.’s International Chief To Retire
Karl Heinz Salzburger, vice president and group president, VF International, will retire at the end of 2017. Aidan O’Meara, who currently runs the Asia-Pacific region, will assume the role in April 2017.

American Apparel Warns Of Impending Layoffs
American Apparel told nearly 3,500 employees in Southern California that they may lose their jobs on January 6 depending on the outcome of a likely sale to Gildan Activewear.
Taiwanese Textile Company To Open Plant In North Carolina
Everest Textile, a Taiwan-based fabric supplier to Nike, Adidas and other active brands, plans to establish a manufacturing facility in Forest City, NC, its first outside Asia.

Multiple Buyers Arrive For Performance Sports Group
The prospective buyers include KKR, Bain Capital LP, Apollo Global Management, TPG Capital and Sycamore Partners would compete against a stalking horse bid led by Sagard Capital Partners in a bankruptcy auction set for January 30.

Nike Already Wins College Playoffs
All four teams in the college football playoffs are Nike schools for the third straight year.

Report: Nike Strikes Record Deal With England
Nike Inc. has reached an agreement on a new £400 million 12-year extension to its deal with England’s national football team.
Altra Athlete Sets New World Record For Fastest Treadmill 50-Miler
Altra Elite Athlete Jacob Puzey ran an average pace of 5:56 per mile to set the new world record for fastest 50 miles run on a treadmill with a time of 4:57:45.
Adidas Now Includes Boost Technology In Football Boot
Adidas Football released a branded film supporting the launch of Adidas’ new Red Limit collection, which features the new ACE17+ PureControl (aka the first time Adidas’ Boost technology has been included in a football boot).
Life Time Holds Fifth Annual Commitment Day 5K
New for 2017, a Virtual 5K is available to anyone in North America to “start the year on the right foot by marking their pledge with action toward a year of better health.”

L Catterton Invests In Pinarello Holding
Fausto Pinarello maintains a minority – although significant – stake.
Basketball Hoops Project To Premiere At NBA All-Star Game
Slam Magazine will help showcase Rob Hammer’s photography series “The Basketball Hoops Project” that was inspired by Larry Bird’s childhood hoop.
SFIA Sports Tech Conference Returns To CES
The Sports Tech Conference, presented by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), at CES 2017 will feature; NFL Hall of Famers, Warren Moon and Ronnie Lott; Olympic Gold Medalist, Nathan Adrian; Microsoft Corporate VP and Chief Evangelist, Steve Guggenheimer; and Executives from ESPN, BMW and Amer Sports.