RETAIL & DISTRIBUTION
+++ U.S.-based footwear brand Skechers, which operates a total of around 400 stores in India, opened its latest store in Pune, Maharashtra, at Amanora Mall last week
+++ UK-based sustainable footwear brand Vivobarefoot has opened its first North American store in Vancouver’s Kitsilano district
+++ Decathlon has opened the group’s 29th store in Switzerland in Chavannes de Bogis
+++ Adidas Originals has teamed up with Pharrell Williams to open a three-day pop-up during Paris Fashion Week Men’s (June 20-25) called Samba Café, dedicated to the sports brand’s Samba sneaker
+++ French sunglasses brand Izipizi has opened a boutique in Biarritz, at 7 place Georges Clémenceau, the brand’s 10th store in France
+++ Reebok’s Brazilian partner, Group Aste, has opened five stores in the country in the past year, with the latest at Premium Grande in Sáo Paulo +++
LEGAL & INSTITUTIONAL
+++ Víctor Francos, an attorney, has become Spain’s secretary of state for sport and the new chairman of Spain’s Superior Council of Sport, replacing in the linked posts José Manuel Franco, who has stepped down to stand for a seat the Spanish senate on the Socialist ticket
CORPORATE AND M&A
+++ Adidas France has moved its Parisian offices from the Saint Lazare neighborhood to a larger space in Montorgueil on four floors, including three for offices and one for a 1,400-square-meter showroom, Sport Guide has reported +++
PRODUCT & MARKETING
+++ Forum Sport, the Spanish retailer, will be the official store for the 110th edition of the Tour de France, whose point of departure this time (on July 1) is Bilbao, Spain
+++ The Adidas Padel Tour by Sofinco (details online, in Spanish, at AllforPadel.com) is back for a second year, and hopes to become Iberia’s top circuit for amateurs
+++ Castore has agreed to a partnership deal with Bath Rugby as the club’s official kit and retail partner
+++ Joma has extended its current deal with Villareal C.F. as the club’s exclusive technical supplier, which also covers women’s and youth teams and has been in place since 2016 for another four years
+++ Since May 2023, Norwegian company Helly Hansen has been cooperating with the successful German Olympic silver medalist in the 49erFX and offshore sailor Susann “Sanni” Beucke, supplying the Kiel native with functional apparel
+++ Following the partnership for the 2017 and 2021 series, Canterbury announced the extension of its partnership as the official apparel partner and exclusive supplier for the British & Irish Lions’ upcoming tour to Australia in 2025
+++ BNP Paribas continues to expand its involvement in tennis and becomes the title partner of the ATP Stockholm Open, which sees the largest tournament in the Nordic region and the oldest indoor tournament on the ATP Tour be renamed to “BNP Paribas Nordic Open”
+++ On presents the new documentary “The Right To Race,” which features the inspiring story of Dominic Lobalu’s meteoric rise in the world of athletics – from growing up in a war-torn region of South Sudan to moving to the snowy landscapes of Switzerland
+++ Oakley has signed up England and Manchester United striker Alessia Russo as a brand ambassador
+++ Hummel is to be the textile supplier for the French Ice Hockey Federation (FFHG) for the next four seasons, including personalized equipment for the French teams and all federation officials
+++ A new headwear brand called DRVR was launched in California and unveiled a debut collection that includes the “Pro-Tech” series, which features golf-specific details and technical fabrics, and the “Street Series,” which is more fashion-forward and aimed at the new generation of crossover golfers who also play board, motor and team sports +++
EXECUTIVE CHANGES
+++ Globe International has appointed Harry Hodge, who played a key role in establishing the Quiksilver, Roxy and DC brands in Europe as CEO/Executive Chairman, as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the company’s board of directors, while William Crothers has stepped down as Chairman and Director of the board, effective immediately, after a three-year term
+++ The Beachbody Company has hired Mark R. Goldston for the newly created role of Executive Chairman “to drive transformation and maximize profitability”
+++ Karin Sharp is stepping down as chief operating officer of Scottish Golf with immediate effect, but will continue in an advisory capacity until the end of September +++
CSR & SUSTAINABILITY
+++ To fund the exercise programs it runs in hospitals for the benefit of children with cancer, the Aladina Foundation is inaugurating an annual Torneo Solidario de Pádel (Pádel Benefit Tournament), whose first edition is scheduled for June 24 to July 2 in Madrid
+++ Head launched the new “Your Game is Our Game” campaign in Paris ahead of the French Open with the online presentation of the new interactive original film “Everyone’s Invited” to promote inclusion in sport
+++ The German re-commerce company Momox is the new second-hand partner of aboutyou.de and expands the offer of the online fashion store’s Second Love category with the complete Momox Fashion assortment, consisting of used women’s and men’s items
+++ Payments company Mastercard launched a global project to recycle credit and debit cards as part of a plan to save the billions of cards in circulation across the industry from landfill +++
