Arrows largely point in the right direction for the industry as post-pandemic declines in sports per participant level off and core participation logs a second year of improvement, according to the 2026 SFIA U.S. Trends in Team Sports Report.

Retail sales, excluding cars, are expected to grow 5.5% over 2025 this Holiday season, supported by a healthy labor market and wealth gains, but about 2.8% of the increase is attributed to inflation, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse.

Oberalp Group has promoted its chief sales officer Stefan Rainer to CEO effective Oct. 1 in a planned transition, succeeding Christoph Engl, who has led the Bolzano-based outdoor and sporting goods group since 2018.

After nearly 32 years building the Varsity Brands-owned team dealer into an industry powerhouse, Babilla is retiring effective Sep. 30, but will remain involved as an advisor and investor.

Rapha’s chief, Fran Millar, is stepping down after two years as the British cycling apparel company prepares a significant organizational restructuring aimed at reducing costs and returning to profitability.

The Italian cycling and outdoor apparel company has acquired technical bikepacking brand Tailfin as it targets €150 million ($174.4 mm) in revenues by 2028.

The golf shaft maker has acquired an option on a beryllium-tungsten mine called the Pole Canyon project in White Pine County, NV, in exchange for 19.9% of its issued and outstanding common stock.

The smart ring maker was hit with two separate proposed class action suits in CA district court, accusing it of misleading consumers that it can accurately track the quality and stages of users’ sleep.

After warning last month that U.S. sales were decelerating, the U.K.-based parent of Finish Line, Hibbett and other banners said H1 adjusted profit before tax dropped 20% to £282 million ($381 mm) from £351 million, as total revenues slipped 1% to £5,899 million ($7,972 mm) from £5,940 million.

Net loss more than quadrupled to NZ$415,959,000 ($243.3 mm) for the fiscal year ended July 31 from NZ$95,058,000, with an NZ$462,658,000 impairment expense, as sales grew 7% to NZ$1,053,019,000 ($615.8 mm) from NZ$989,015,000.

ManU’s commercial revenue declined 18% to £72.2 million ($97.6 mm) in the final fiscal quarter ended June 30, as retail, merchandising, apparel & product licensing was off 7% to £34.4 million ($46.5 mm), but up 8% for the year to £156.8 million ($211.9 mm).

The Swedish bike and travel accessory manufacturer said in a pre-earnings report that organic growth was 3% for the first half, and EBIT margin was almost 1.5%.

The Chinese sportswear giant received an outlook upgrade from stable to positive from Moody’s, which also affirmed an A3 issuer rating and expects high-single-digit revenue growth and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 34% to 35%.

The Swiss sportswear brand is guiding for a high-teens top-line CAGR through 2029 in the new three-year targets unveiled at its 2026 Investor Day, on full-price selling and premium positioning, which should flow down to a 20%-plus adj. EBITDA CAGR on stable gross margins and SG&A leverage.

NOG, which purchased Bios Aktiebolag and its iFish brand earlier this month, has now acquired Swedish fishing supplier Fibe AB, expanding its position in Nordic ice and winter fishing.

Dick’s SG is selling $400 million of 6.200% senior notes due in 2036 and $600 million of 6.900% senior notes due in 2056 to raise cash for share repurchases and other general corporate purposes.

The acquisitive CSC Generation-owned retailer has added Velofix, which operates mobile bike shops in the United States and Canada, for undisclosed terms.

The medical smartwatch maker filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission seeking to block certain wearable devices that UnaliWear says infringe on its patents.