ISPO

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Saucony and and other Collective brands expand internationally

The search for new investors is not preventing Collective Brands, the American multi-brand group, from accelerating its efforts to expand internationally: Saucony, its specialty brand of running shoes, has picked Tavistock Group Mexico as its new distributor for the Central American country. Tavistock, which operates through 160 business units in 15 countries, will also take...

The Chinese market is growing by 15.5%

In a presentation made on the eve of ISPO BEIJING, which opened today, Robbert de Kock, secretary-general of the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI), outlined some of the key trends in the Chinese market. Based in part on research made by NPD and GfK, WFSGI estimates that the sporting goods retail market...

Strong start for ISPO BEIJING

At the opening press conference of the show in Beijing, Klaus Dittrich, chairman of Messe München, presented promising figures for the edition being held in the Chinese capital with an extended duration of four days from Feb. 22 to Feb. 25. As compared to last year’s three-day show, the number of exhibitors at ISPO BEIJING is...

ISPO helps collect money for conservation

The European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) says that it raised over €6,500 during the recent ISPO MUNICH show to support projects in 2012. The nonprofit organization collected €5,200 through the sale at its own booth of smoothies, sponsored by Nikwax, and the sale of goody bags, with which participants could pick up various items from...

Euretco is set to get the Dutch Intersport license

There is nothing official yet, but according to Dutch officials involved in the transaction, Euretco and Intres, the Dutch buying groups that run the Sport 2000 and Intersport banners in the Netherlands, respectively, have firmed up plans to retain Intersport as their only joint licensed banner if their intended merger is approved in the coming...

Fewer golfers in Europe

KPMG’s latest survey of golf participation in Europe found the first drop in more than 20 years. In 2011, there were 46,000 fewer registered golfers than the year before. The biggest drops came in the U.K. and Ireland, down by 42,700 (3.1 percent); Sweden, down by 21,000 (4.1 percent); and Spain, which lost 9,700 golfers (2.9...

PPR eyes €9.6 billion in sport & lifestyle revenues

Describing it as an “ambition” rather than a goal, the management of PPR told financial analysts last week that the group would like to reach a level of €24 billion in revenues by the year 2020, with 40 percent of that coming from its expanding sport and lifestyle division, whose brand portfolio now includes Puma, Cobra, Tretorn,...

Mounting losses for K-Swiss

K-Swiss’ sales increased by 17.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011 to $50.2 million, with increases of 10.3 percent in the U.S.and 23.6 percent elsewhere. However, its net losses widened to $25.2 million, or nearly half of its revenues, from $20.6 million in the same period the year before. Full-year revenues were up by...

Billabong slims down prior to possible sale

  Confirming a report that it has received a non-binding takeover offer from Texas Pacific Group, Billabong International’s management announced today the partial sale of its brand of sports watches, Nixon, to another equity fund, Trilantic Capital Partners generating net proceeds of US$285 million. It also announced a drop in dividends, the closure of more...

Perry Ellis licenses Ben Hogan apparel

  Adding a fifth property to its roster of apparel brands, Perry Ellis has acquired the global intellectual rights to the Ben Hogan brand for apparel and accessories from Callaway Golf. The deal, whose price was not disclosed, covers South Korea and Japan as well. Perry Ellis is already the licensee of golf clothing for...