Chinese sports brand Anta announced a partnership with NBA star Kyrie Irving, with a signature product line for Irving expected to drop in early 2024. Irving has also been named Chief Creative Officer ANTA Basketball. The new partnership comes after Nike parted ways with Irving last December in the aftermath of Irving posting a link on social media to a documentary containing antisemitic messages. Irving was later traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks, with whom he just signed a new three-year $126 million contract.

Keen has made moves to stabilize its supply chain, and has cut its prices. The family-owned footwear business, which recently promoted 11-year company veteran Scott Peterson to VP/GMM, lowered prices on nearly every style in its assortment on June 1 by an average of 5 percent. Keen cited a stabilizing supply chain and operational model coupled with its desire “to pass savings onto our loyal and hardworking fans” for its price reduction decision. Additionally, in April, the Portland, OR company welcomed Naoji Takeda as its new chief marketing officer.  

Brooks Running has launched a recommerce program called ReStart that will refurbish and resell gently used Brooks footwear in the US. In partnership with resale company Trove, Brooks’ ReStart program will incorporate three grade ranges – Like New, Great, and Good – in a variety of the brand’s footwear styles, including popular styles such as the Ghost and Glycerin and speed product such as the Hyperion franchise. Prices start at 35% off MSRP.

Authentic Brands Group obtained a $500 million investment late last month from General Atlantic, which has now pumped nearly $2 billion in to ABG since Oct. 2017. Since then, ABG has acquired nearly 30 brands, diversified its platform via new verticals in media, outdoor, experiences, events, and studios, and established 380,000 points of sale globally for its 40+ brands.

Import volume in Q3 is forecast to be down by 8.3 percent year-over-year to 5.9 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), according to Global Port Tracker estimates. Nine-month U.S. imports are predicted to be off 17.6 percent year-over-year to 16.5 million TEU. The report group, an affiliate of the National Retail Federation, is warning that labor disputes at western Canada ports could affect some U.S. retailers and have a ripple effect at some U.S. ports.