PERSONNEL CHANGES
+++ Perry Ellis has appointed Harriet Allsebrook, previously at Acushnet Europe, as its new Area Sales Manager in the UK for the Midlands and East region
+++ Glove manufacturer Swany America, founded in 1980, has named Todd Givnish, who previously led Smartwool’s sales and marketing efforts for more than a decade, as the company’s VP of Sales, effective March 4
+++ VP and Managing Director Andrew Mahadevan has been promoted to Chief Commercial Officer of Life Fitness, effective April 1, succeeding retiring Frank van de Ven +++
DISTRIBUTION
+++ Padelstyle – owner of the Italian pádel apparel and accessories brand Padel Mi Amor – will be the exclusive Italian distributor of Royal Padel for the next three years +++
CSR & SUSTAINABILITY
+++ Nike founder Phil Knight and his wife Penny were among the top US philanthropic donors in 2023, according to a new ranking from The Chronicle of Philanthropy +++
ATHLETES
+++ Arena announced the partnership with World 100m freestyle champion Marrit Steenbergen
+++ Athleta is partnering with Katie Ledecky, the world’s most decorated female swimmer
+++ Puma has announced the signing of three-time Paralympic gold medalist Nick Mayhugh
+++ Ecco Golf has added 29-year-old LPGA Tour star Alison Lee to its ambassador roster
+++ British boxer and two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has signed a new long-term contract with Under Armour
+++ Roka renewed its advertising contract with Ironman world champion Lucy Charles-Barclay for several years, covering both high-performance eyewear and swimwear
+++ Ellesse has signed Italian tennis pro Francesco Passaro as an advertising partner +++
PRODUCT
+++ Adidas is releasing a limited-edition Top Ten 2000 basketball shoe that celebrates ESPN’s upcoming 45th anniversary, available from March 15
+++ To celebrate Odlo’s long-standing partnership with the Engadin Skimarathon, the world’s second-largest XC skiing event, the Swiss manufacturer of performance sportswear is presenting a limited edition Engadin Skimarathon collection +++
MARKETING
+++ Peloton is the official partner of the Generali Berlin Half Marathon on April 7, 2024, one of the largest of its kind, attracting tens of thousands of runners from all over the world
+++ Castore and World Snooker Tour (WST) have agreed a five-year partnership deal that makes Castore the official technical partner of the WST until 2029
+++ French label Lacoste has announced that Parisian actor Pierre Niney, a member of the Comédie Française, has joined the brand’s family of ambassadors
+++ Salomon has tapped Colombian singer and producer Feid as its latest global ambassador
+++ Spanish company Joma is the new Technical Footwear Sponsor of the A1 Padel circuit
+++ New Era and McLaren Racing have extended their partnership and will also have its logo on the helmet for the first time +++
CORPORATIONS
+++ Wolverine Worldwide announces permanent closure of Louisville, Kentucky facility, resulting in layoffs for 150 employees working with Saucony and Sperry
+++ Lithuania-based second-hand marketplace Vinted, which recently launched in Sweden, Finland and Denmark, has announced the acquisition of Danish marketplace Trendsales to expand its presence in the Nordic region
+++ Bangladeshi cricketer and politician Shakib Al Hasan has announced the introduction of a new footwear brand, called SAH75, in collaboration with sports shoe manufacturer Step Footwear +++
OBITUARIES
+++ Global fashion and social media icon Iris Apfel has died at the age of 102 at her home in Palm Beach, Florida +++
