The National Sporting Goods Association is welcoming four iconic figures into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame. The class of 2024 is comprised of Glenn Barrett (OrthoLite), Cathy Pryor (Hibbett Sports), Karsten Solheim (PING Golf), and Mike Thompson (Rawlings).

After years at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Leaving Las Vegas unfortunately now can be the official movie of the Sports, Inc. buying group.

The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has selected ten finalists to present their companies at the 2023 SFIA Start-Up Challenge, taking place virtually on October 10, 2023.

Mitchell & Ness, the maker of vintage and lifestyle sports apparel and now a part of the Fanatics Commerce business, has significantly expanded its partner and product portfolio across collegiate apparel.

A new cheer line from Garb Athletic is helping to make Founder Sport Group a significant player in the cheerleading space. The cheer line from FSG brand Garb Athletic, which is reportedly getting rave reviews from squads around the country, features...

Expanding well beyond its traditional niche of lifestyle and performance sneakers, Skechers has reached overseas to sign soccer striker Harry Kane that makes him the spokesman for the brand’s first football boots (soccer shoes to those readers in America) launching in the UK and Europe in September.

Mort Finkelstein, an industry icon and head of Midwest sporting goods retailer MC Sports for many years, passed away on Thursday, August 17, 2023, at the age of 93.

Detailing the incredible growth of the sport of pickleball, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) and Pickleheads recently released the 2023 State of Pickleball: Participation & Infrastructure Report...

After an extensive search to continue growing its line of sporting goods brands, Certor Sports, the parent company of Schutt, Tucci and Vicis, has named Jeremy Erspamer as its new chief executive officer.

Expanding its reach into the gymnastics arena, Nike recently inked a deal to become the official apparel and footwear partner of USA Gymnastics and the USA Gymnastics National Team.

Use of a double first base, elimination of a bat requirement and use of electronic communication equipment were among the rule changes recently approved for all three divisions of NCAA softball for the 2024 season.

There are some new customers out there for team dealers next year as the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is onboarding 13 new member colleges to join the association beginning this academic year.

Even though the issue doesn’t directly impact team dealers, the message recently sent out from Dr. Karissa Niehoff, executive director of NFHS, regarding hazing issues at high schools across America certainly hits close to home.

Looking to promote the lifelong benefits of running to high school students through its “Future Run” initiative, Brooks Running and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) have entered into a partnership that began August 1.

Reversing a recent corporate policy of backing out of expensive sponsorship deals, word comes that Under Armour and Notre Dame are extending their relationship, agreeing to a new 10-year, $10 million annual deal in cash and gear.

The ubiquitous 1990s Starter jacket, a staple of trendy fashion as well as the go-to jacket for Major League Baseball teams in that decade, has been relaunched as the Bronx Bubble jacket in a collaboration between MLB and Starter.

Continuing to strengthen its executive team, OrderMyGear (OMG) recently promoted Adam Gainey to VP–revenue operations, where he will be responsible for developing and executing strategies that improve client acquisition, growth and satisfaction by using streamlined processes...

Avoli, a new, Portland, OR-based athletic brand focused on the performance needs of female volleyball players, recently launched its flagship product line, led by the $140 Avoli Low-Top Volleyball Shoe, as well as recovery slides, knee pads and sleeves.

In an interesting move that ties a global soccer brand to one retailer in the U.S., Dick’s Sporting Goods has signed on as the U.S. anchor retail partner for Lotto’s soccer and tennis products.

Tanners Team Sports, which produces team and individual sports products, including baseball training equipment and accessories under the Rawlings and Easton brands, has been acquired by Smith’s Sporting Group.

After pausing its sponsorship deal last year with Canada’s governing hockey body amid heavy criticism of the organization’s handling of sexual assault allegations involving members of its 2018 World Junior team and settlement payouts, Nike has officially ended its sponsorship of Hockey Canada.

A number of rules changes affecting high school fast-pitch softball will have some impact on the products team dealers sell to their schools.

Three girls lacrosse equipment-related rules changes were accepted for the 2024 high school season by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Girls Lacrosse Rules Committee.

The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) and Running USA today announced a strategic partnership that will benefit the members of both organizations.

As part of its mission to promote the benefits of sports and fitness in America by recognizing those who share that vision, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) recently paid tribute to Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN).

The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) filled an open spot on its Board of Directors with the recent appointment of Cole Johnson of Johnson-Lambe Sporting Goods in Raleigh, NC. Johnson’s three-year term took effect June 1.

Gared and Performance Sports Systems (PSS) are joining to better serve the sporting goods and new construction markets as Gared Performance Sports Systems. Both companies were part of Gared Holdings, LLC.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and GameChanger, a youth sports app for live streaming, scorekeeping and team management owned and operated by Dick’s Sporting Goods, have entered into a multi-year agreement designed to help strengthen the sports of youth baseball and softball.

The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Representative Assembly has approved a proposed amendment to include boys’ volleyball as a sanctioned interscholastic sport beginning with the 2024-25 school year.

In a move to significantly expand its distribution network, Stahls’ recently added LaserTek Solutions as a new Master Distributor for its Cad-Cut HTV and Hotronix heat presses.

In this issue’s pickleball news comes word that Franklin Sports has entered into a five-year partnership with Pickleball Canada that makes Franklin’s X-40 and X-26 balls and its paddles the Official Balls and Paddles of Pickleball Canada...

In arguably one of the more successful pairings in the team sports business, Sports Inc. and OrderMyGear (OMG) have renewed their multi-year partnership that designates OMG as the official technology provider of the sporting goods buying group.

The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has officially launched the SFIA Excelerator Program, an emerging leaders program for young professionals from diverse communities employed in the sports and fitness industry.

Having completed rigorous testing at Virginia Tech, a college football player – sophomore Carter Hogg – has developed a solution that reportedly reduces combined probability of concussion in contact sports by more than 60 percent.

The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) is actively supporting the bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act reintroduced into Congress earlier this month...

Riddell and USA Football, the sport’s U.S. governing body, recently extended their partnership with a new three-year agreement that makes Riddell the official protective equipment partner of USA Football.

Charles Harvey Webster, age, 81, passed away on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at home. He was the inventor of the popular Palmgard protective glove, which has been sold for decades by Markwort Sporting Goods.

With the apparent success of its first three House of Sport stores in Rochester, NY, Knoxville, TN, and Minnetonka, MN, Dick’s Sporting Goods now plans to open at least 12 new Dick’s House of Sport stores in the next two years.

Solidifying its position in the fast-pitch softball market, Rawlings recently entered into a multi-year agreement with the Women’s Professional Fastpitch (WPF) league to become the exclusive helmet brand worn in all games by WPF teams throughout the season.

Volleyball World has entered into a multi-year partnership extension with Mizuno that will aim to grow the global reach of both brands while further connecting and engaging fans worldwide.