Michael Jacobsen

LAtest

USA Hockey Requiring Neck Protection

California Won’t Ban Youth Tackle Football

Marucci Sports Co-Founder Relaunches SweetSpot

Wilson Unveils Airless Basketball

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NFHS Clarifies Football Uniform Requirements

Language in the 2024 NFHS Football Rules Book will be changed in an effort to ensure consistent interpretation of the rule regarding requirements for home team uniforms in high school football.

Pro Leagues, Federal Government Partnering For Kids

If you want to promote physical activity and playing sports in America a good strategy is to recruit the biggest organizations in the country to spearhead the effort. Add in the power of the U.S. government and you have quite an ambitious effort to get kids playing.

Baseball and Brothers

One of the many things my little brother, Glenn, and I agreed on in the almost 20 years we shared a bedroom was that baseball was our favorite sport to play and watch.

Mat Tales

For most sports fans of a certain age, their first exposure to wrestling and one of the sport’s most indelible images can be traced back to the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich when American Dan Gable won the gold medal in the men’s Freestyle Lightweight Division.

Jokić Signs Shoe Deal With 361°

Even though team dealers don’t sell a lot of basketball sneakers any longer, it is newsworthy to note that another smaller footwear brand has invested in a big-name basketball player.

Illinois Adds Girls' Flag Football

In a sign of the continued growth of girls’ flag football in American high schools, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) recently made girls’ flag football an officially sanctioned sport in Fall 2024.

USB Names Gyori New CEO

United Sports Brands, the parent of Shock Doctor, McDavid, Cutters, Nathan, Pearl Izumi and Glukos, has appointed Phil Gyori as CEO.

Ram Re-Elected SFIA Chairman

Jonathan Ram, CEO of Clarks, Inc., was re-elected as chairman of the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Board of Directors for the 2024 term.

Hockey News: USA Hockey/Winmark; Pure Hockey

There were two interesting pieces of news in the ice hockey arena in the past few weeks.

Augusta/Founder Acquired by PE Firm

Apparently the team sports business and its major vendors have become very attractive to the money men. Following a number of lower profile acquisitions by private equity investors in the past year...

SFIA Taps Horine As COO


The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has appointed Glenn Horine to serve as its new chief operating officer, effective January 1, 2024.

G8RTech Launches G8RSkin Ice Hockey PPE

With increasing attention being paid in the world of hockey following some tragic incidents on the ice, G8RTech – a specialized protective equipment company – has launched of its initial product for hockey players, G8RSkin Ice.

BSN Sports Receives Employer Award


BSN Sports was recently named a "2023 Best Employer in Sports" by Front Office Sports. Founded in 2019, the Best Employers in Sports award acknowledges 30 organizations within the sports industry that excel in prioritizing their employees through dynamic leadership...

Two Acquisitions Impact Team Business

There were two recent acquisitions in the team sports space that will most likely impact a portion of the business that team dealers around the country do with these organizations.

Hibbett and Nike Launch Sole School Program

Making a strong move into local team sports as part of its give-back initiative, sporting goods retailer Hibbett/City Gear, in partnership with Nike, recently awarded 103 high schools and more than 2500 students with in-kind donations...

SFIA: Team Participation Up, Core Players Down

There is good and not-so-good news for the world of team sports, according to the recently released 2023 U.S. Trends in Team Sports Report from The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA).

TMX Q&A: NAIA’s Marc Burchard

Marc Burchard is associate director of championships at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). To gain some insight into how the NAIA is looking to grow flag football at its member schools, TeamInsightExtra writer Mike May sat down for a Take Five with Burchard.

BSN Enters Two Partnerships

As 2023 draws to a close BSN Sports remains active with two recently announced new partnerships.

Stahls’, Chipply Team Up

In an interesting move that brings together an established team sports brand with an aggressive new technology company, Stahls’ has entered into a partnership with Chipply, the online store software supplier for team dealers.

Reebok Licenses Sakar For Sports Equipment

In a move to reinvigorate the Reebok brand in the world of team sports, Authentic Brands Group has entered into a long-term licensing agreement with Sakar International to design and distribute Reebok-branded basketball, pickleball, baseball, soccer and football equipment...

Obituary: Jim Easton, 88

Jim Easton, a major figure in ensuring the family name became an iconic brand in the sporting goods industry and a 1994 inductee into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame, passed away Dec. 4 at age 88.

USB Acquired by Norwest Equity

United Sports Brands (USB), the parent company of team sports brands such as Shock Doctor, McDavid and Cutters, along with active lifestyle brands Nathan, Pearl Izumi and Glukos, was recently acquired from Bregal Partners by Norwest Equity Partners (NEP). The transaction closed on November 20.

Dynamic Names Todd Levine President

Dynamic Team Sports, a leading sublimation supplier in the team sports industry, has named industry veteran Todd Levine as its new president.

Pickleball Central Joins PHIT America 


In this issue’s pickleball news, Pickleball Central, which calls itself “America's leading online source for pickleball equipment and apparel,” is stepping up to support PHIT America to get more kids playing pickleball.

Fox Factory Acquiring Marucci Sports

Marucci Sports, the maker of baseball bats and gloves, is reportedly being acquired by Fox Factory, based in Duluth, GA, a company best known for its Fox Racing Shox brand of off-road racing suspension components.