Footwear Sales in the U.S. Expected to Stabilize and Bounce Back Slightly for 2021, According to NPD
Q4 Sales Positioned to Significantly Improve Over Year-to-Date Trends
Port Washington, NY, October 29, 2020 – Lifestyle changes and consumer behavior shifts in 2020 due to the public health crisis have driven year-over-year sales declines for the U.S footwear industry, but trends are expected to stabilize and recover through 2021, according to The NPD Group’s Future of Footwear report. Improved fashion footwear and performance sales are forecasted to lead increased dollar sales for the overall industry, though sales will remain below 2019 levels.
The fashion category, which has been the hardest hit by the pandemic, is expected to see renewed sales during the coming year as consumers begin to return to some of their pre-COVID behaviors. The women’s slippers category—one of the few bright spots in fashion footwear this year—is likely to be a hot holiday item and will remain strong in 2021 – even outperforming 2020 sales.
“A return to the office and store re-openings will likely reignite some demand for fashion footwear, although the focus will remain on casual and comfort-oriented styles. The pandemic has only amplified the importance of these attributes, as the blending of work-from-home and remote learning has led consumers to favor comfort to wear any time of the day,” said Beth Goldstein, NPD’s fashion footwear and accessories analyst.
Following a similar trajectory and after declines during the last two years, performance footwear is expected to see growth in 2021 – a lift that will be driven by road running shoes.
“Greater attention to health and fitness has been a silver lining in 2020. A number of sports and recreation-related categories have benefitted from this, including performance running. In addition to easier year-over-year comparisons, which may factor into the growth, running shoes are poised to outperform the overall market as consumers continue turning to the activity to stay active yet socially distant,” said Matt Powell, NPD’s sports industry advisor. “With new participants, brands and retailers should focus on their assortment of more mainstream product and educating new runners on the importance of having this activity-based shoe in their line-up.”
What’s In Store for Q4
Footwear sales are expected to decline in the mid-single digits during Q4 2020, but this is a significant improvement from year-to-date trends. Alluding to an anticipated rise in outdoor activities this fall/winter, cold weather boots and hiking shoes began selling notably well in August, with sales up +49% and +24%, respectively, in August and September 2020 combined compared to last year, according to NPD’s Retail Tracking Service.
For more on NPD’s footwear sales expectations and trends for Q4 and the holiday season, read the latest from Matt Powell, Sneakernomics: Sports Retail Holiday 2020 Expectations, and Beth Goldstein, Changes in Lifestyle Drive Shifts in Holiday Purchasing for Footwear & Accessories.
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About The NPD Group, Inc.
NPD offers data, industry expertise, and prescriptive analytics to help our clients grow their businesses in a changing world. Over 2,000 companies worldwide rely on us to help them measure, predict, and improve performance across all channels, including brick-and-mortar, e-commerce, and B2B. We have services in 19 countries worldwide, with operations spanning the Americas, Europe, and APAC. Practice areas include apparel, appliances, automotive, beauty, books, B2B technology, consumer technology, e-commerce, fashion accessories, food consumption, foodservice, footwear, home, juvenile products, media entertainment, mobile, office supplies, retail, sports, toys, and video games. For more information, visit npd.com. Follow us on Twitter: @npdgroup.
Press Contact:
Marissa Guyduy
+1 516-625-2203
[email protected]
More consumers are concerned about the economy than their own finances – 30% will spend less as a result.
Port Washington, NY, October 26, 2020 –The 2020 holiday shopping season was kicked off earlier this year with Amazon Prime Days and competing retail promotions in mid-October, and while consumers are always looking for good deals, their sweet spot this holiday will be free shipping, reports The NPD Group. According to insights from NPD’s annual holiday purchase intentions study, free shipping, for the first time, was identified as the number one factor influencing where consumers decide to shop this holiday. A finding that corresponds with consumers increasing use of online shopping due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Consumers plan to do more of their holiday shopping online this year, and this includes shipping gifts to family and friends with whom they won’t be able to celebrate in person this year,” said Marshal Cohen, NPD’s chief industry advisor, retail. “The addition of shipping fees to all of these deliveries is a bigger financial burden on consumers than getting the best deal on the item itself.”
Although the holiday shopping season began earlier than ever before this year, it’s just the beginning for 52% of U.S. consumers who plan to start their holiday shopping on Thanksgiving Day or later. This is not to say that consumers didn’t shop Amazon Prime Days and the competing retail promotions. General merchandise sales results from NPD’s early indicator report* for the week ending October 16, 2020 show the early promotions brought a 21% boost to dollar sales compared to the same week last year; but only a 2% lift in sales compared to the week in July 2019 when Amazon’s online shopping event and competing retailer promotions took place.
As far as holiday spending goes, consumers plan to spend an average of $691 this holiday season, which is less than last year’s anticipated holiday spending, but on par with 2018 plans. The number of those who plan to spend the same amount they did last year declined by 11 points compared to last year, mostly in favor of those who plan to spend less.
Concern about the state of the U.S. economy is a contributing factor to consumers’ spending intentions. Fifty-seven percent of shoppers rate the state of the economy poorly (up from 37% last year), and 30% say they will spend less because of the state of the economy (up from 23% in 2019). On the flip side, consumer feelings about their personal financial situation has not changed since 2019, and 29% of consumers will spend more because they have fewer expenses related to travel, dining out, etc. as part of the current departure from experiences.
“Through much of 2020, retail spending as a whole has not seen the big declines expected, pointing to the consumer’s willingness to spend despite economic uncertainty,” says Cohen. “This year consumers appear to have more interest in ‘retail therapy’ and an aspiration to return to normalcy. We also know that, historically, consumers are pre-conditioned when it comes to holiday shopping behaviors, which means even the best promotions won’t drastically alter the core trends of the season.”
Source: The NPD Group/Annual Holiday Study
*Industries Included: Apparel, Footwear, Auto Aftermarket, Watches, Housewares, Small Domestic Appliances, Toys, Video, Sports Accessories, Consumer Technology, Office Supplies, Prestige Beauty, Juvenile Products
About The NPD Group, Inc.
NPD offers data, industry expertise, and prescriptive analytics to help our clients grow their businesses in a changing world. Over 2,000 companies worldwide rely on us to help them measure, predict, and improve performance across all channels, including brick-and-mortar, e-commerce, and B2B. We have services in 19 countries worldwide, with operations spanning the Americas, Europe, and APAC. Practice areas include apparel, appliances, automotive, beauty, books, B2B technology, consumer technology, e-commerce, fashion accessories, food consumption, foodservice, footwear, home, juvenile products, media entertainment, mobile, office supplies, retail, sports, toys, and video games. For more information, visit npd.com. Follow us on Twitter: @npdgroup.
Press Contact:
Marissa Guyduy
+1 (516) 625 2203
Former Dell and Microsoft Executive Brings Deep Software Development and Digital Expertise to the JRNY Platform and Direct Business
VANCOUVER, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oct. 22, 2020– Nautilus, Inc. (NYSE: NLS) today announced that Garry Wiseman has been appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer effective Oct. 26, 2020. In this new role, Wiseman will be responsible for the strategy, roadmap and business results for JRNY – the AI-powered, adaptive coaching platform that creates personalized home workouts; providing direction to the Direct to Consumer e-commerce business; and helping to accelerate the company’s ongoing digital transformation.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201022005308/en/
Wiseman brings over 25 years of product and e-commerce capabilities to the position; as well as expertise in designing and implementing high scale digital experiences at some of the world’s largest technology companies.
Most recently, he was the Senior Vice President of Digital Customer Experience for Dell Technologies. During his tenure, he led the company through a rapid digital transformation; establishing a design centric, customer first focus, which led to significant year-over-year revenue increases, and enhanced CSAT (customer satisfaction score) and eNPS (employee net promoter scores) performance. Wiseman was responsible for Dell.com, The Dell Premier B2B marketplace, all offline sales systems and in-house commerce platforms, as well as leading product management, design, engineering, and content teams.
Prior to Dell, Wiseman held senior leadership roles across product management, e-commerce, and software engineering for global technology companies including Microsoft, eBay and Salesforce. Additionally, he is recognized as an author on 8 US patents.
“Nautilus, a leader in innovative home fitness solutions for nearly forty years, is in the midst of a profound digital transformation. Thus, we are delighted to add a proven e-commerce, technology, software development and overall digital expert to our team, as we focus on superior customer experiences, our personalized connected home fitness products, and accelerating enhancements and scale of our JRNY membership platform,” said Jim Barr, Nautilus, Inc. Chief Executive Officer. “Garry’s customer-focus and demonstrated success in software development and scaling digital and omnichannel platform businesses will further augment our capabilities to bring innovative fitness solutions to consumers, grow our business through strategic technology investments and accelerate our digital transformation.”
Mr. Wiseman commented, “Nautilus, Inc. has some of the world’s best-known fitness brands and a distinct legacy of building high quality in-home fitness products, which are rapidly evolving through immersive, personalized digital experiences. I’m looking forward to joining the Nautilus leadership team as we continue creating inspiring customer journeys and helping people reach their health and fitness goals.”
About Nautilus, Inc.
Nautilus, Inc. (NYSE:NLS) is the global leader in innovative home fitness solutions. The company’s diverse brand portfolio includes Bowflex®, Nautilus® and Schwinn®, and a broad selection of exercise bikes, cardio equipment and strength training products. Nautilus, Inc. utilizes technology to develop personalized, connected fitness solutions that empower and motivate people to live a healthy lifestyle. The company sells its products through direct and retail channels. Nautilus, Inc. uses the investor relations page of its website (www.nautilusinc.com/investors) to make information available to its investors and the market.
This press release includes forward-looking statements (statements which are not historical facts) within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including: planned investments and initiatives and the anticipated results of such initiatives. Factors that could cause Nautilus, Inc.’s actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include: weaker than expected demand for new or existing products; our ability to timely acquire inventory that meets our quality control standards from sole source foreign manufacturers at acceptable costs; an inability to pass along or otherwise mitigate the impact of raw material price increases and other cost pressures, including unfavorable currency exchange rates; experiencing delays and/or greater than anticipated costs in connection with launch of new products, entry into new markets, or strategic initiatives; our ability to hire, retain and integrate key management personnel, including our new Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer; changes in consumer fitness trends; changes in the media consumption habits of our target consumers or the effectiveness of our media advertising; a decline in consumer spending due to unfavorable economic conditions; and softness in the retail marketplace. Additional assumptions, risks and uncertainties are described in detail in our registration statements, reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the “Risk Factors” set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as supplemented by our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Such filings are available on our website or at www.sec.gov. You are cautioned that such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent developments, events or circumstances.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201022005308/en/
Media Contacts:
John Fread
Nautilus, Inc.
360-859-5815
[email protected]
Carey Kerns
The Hoffman Agency
503-754-7975
[email protected]
Investor Relations:
John Mills
ICR, LLC
646-277-1254
[email protected]
Source: Nautilus, Inc.
Matt Powell
Vice President, Senior Industry Advisor, Sports
@NPDMattPowell
At a high level, I am expecting a challenged holiday season for the sports retail business. There are far too many new variables and too many unpredictable influences bubbling up for me to presume otherwise. It is clear that we are in a very slow recovery from the COVID-19 recession.
Amazon Prime Days kicked off the holiday season last week, with brands and retailers also following suit by planning their own aggressive promotions to try and ease the Amazon share grab. With that, I expect the October sales results to be very strong due to excessive promotions. Brands and retailers will have to try and hold onto those gains as the season progresses. I believe that when it comes to the sports categories, Black Friday in-store sales will disappoint compared to prior years, as will the weekend business leading up to Christmas.
I expect we will see athletic footwear sales decline in the low single-digits for Q4, as a lack of new products will dampen results. There will be some bright spots, though. Running shoes should outperform the market as consumers continue turning to the activity to stay fit while also remaining socially distant. Brands and retailers must remember that many of these new runners are beginners, not elites, and will therefore be seeking more mainstream product rather than higher-priced running shoes. Another bright spot is in hiking and cold/all weather boots, which have sold well early on including in August, likely driven by the same socially distant fitness forces. Assuming the weather cooperates in that it is cold early and often, it should be a favorable selling season for boots. For the same reasons, the outerwear business should also fare well in the upcoming months.
On the other hand, some categories face more risks this season. With many states cancelling or postponing their winter sports seasons, this action does not bode well for basketball shoes and sales may disappoint. Sport lifestyle footwear has done fairly well during the pandemic, but brands must be very careful of oversaturating the market.
In terms of sports apparel, I expect activewear sales to decline in the low single-digits for Q4. While consumers are purchasing more comfy clothing these days, the overall softness in the apparel market will keep growth in check.
Turning to the hard goods side, sports equipment has experienced an unprecedented sales lift during the pandemic. Sales of bikes and home fitness equipment, in particular, have surged. I’m confident that sales growth will continue through the holiday season as demand remains high and manufacturers and retailers boost their inventory; however, I do expect the growth rate will slow down. In many cases, these purchases are “one and done” – if you bought a bike in June, you don’t need a new one in November, and the treadmill purchased over the summer won’t need to be replaced for years to come. The opportunities for these markets lie in complimentary purchases for existing customers – products consumers want or need as part of their riding or exercise routine, for example – and in acquiring new customers.
There are likely new customers out there who are considering an equipment purchase, and for the most part, these consumers are beginners to the activity as opposed to elites. Brands and retailers must market differently to these newcomers, with products best suited to their abilities and skill levels, which is quite a pivot from the elites who make up their base.
Entry level golf equipment, racquet sports, and basketball equipment have also been stars during the pandemic and should continue to thrive during the holidays. On the other hand, scholastic sports equipment—namely football, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, and volleyball—will struggle.
While I expect the sports retail business to face challenges overall this holiday season, many of the products that have been selling well in recent months will likely continue to do so.
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For more information or to speak with Matt Powell, contact me at [email protected] or 516-625-2203.
About The NPD Group, Inc.
NPD offers data, industry expertise, and prescriptive analytics to help our clients grow their businesses in a changing world. Over 2,000 companies worldwide rely on us to help them measure, predict, and improve performance across all channels, including brick-and-mortar, e-commerce, and B2B. We have services in 19 countries worldwide, with operations spanning the Americas, Europe, and APAC. Practice areas include apparel, appliances, automotive, beauty, books, B2B technology, consumer technology, e-commerce, fashion accessories, food consumption, foodservice, footwear, home, juvenile products, media entertainment, mobile, office supplies, retail, sports, toys, and video games. For more information, visit npd.com. Follow us on Twitter: @npdgroup.
- Octane Fitness Sold for $25.0 Million
- Sale Aligns with Company’s Renewed Focus on Connected In-Home Fitness
VANCOUVER, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oct. 14, 2020– Nautilus, Inc. (the “Company”) (NYSE:NLS), the innovation leader in home fitness for over 30 years, announced today that the Company has completed the sale of its commercially focused Octane Fitness business to TRUE Fitness Technology, Inc. (TRUE) for $25.0 million. TRUE also assumed $3 million of warranty liabilities and $0.5 million of vendor recourse lease obligations. The transaction was signed and completed on October 14, 2020.
“The sale of Octane Fitness aligns with the larger strategic enhancements we are making as a business to streamline our operations and accelerate the transformation of the consumer side of our business”, said Jim Barr, CEO of Nautilus, Inc. “We are focused on dramatically enhancing connected in-home fitness and continuing to provide our customers with cutting-edge technology and a superior customer experience. We will use the proceeds of this transaction and our improving balance sheet to continue the transformation of our leading fitness offerings.”
William Blair served as the exclusive financial advisor to Nautilus for the transaction.
About Nautilus, Inc.
Nautilus, Inc. (NYSE:NLS) is the global leader in innovative home fitness solutions. The company’s diverse brand portfolio includes Bowflex®, Nautilus®, and Schwinn®, and a broad selection of exercise bikes, cardio equipment and strength training products. Nautilus, Inc. utilizes technology to develop personalized, connected fitness solutions that empower and motivate people to live a healthy lifestyle. The company sells its products through direct and retail channels. Nautilus, Inc. uses the investor relations page of its website (www.nautilusinc.com/investors) to make information available to its investors and the market.
About TRUE Fitness
TRUE has been manufacturing premium fitness equipment since 1981. TRUE offers a customer-first approach, while designing, building, and servicing excellent cardio, strength, and functional training equipment. Learn how TRUE’s responsive service, superior quality, and product design expertise make TRUE your trusted partner in fitness before, during, and after the sale. To learn more visit truefitness.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements (statements which are not historical facts) within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All of these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may change at any time. Factors that could cause Nautilus, Inc.’s actual expectations to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include risks related to: not completely realizing the anticipated benefits from the sale; changes in the financial markets, including changes in credit markets and interest rates; and changes in consumer fitness trends. Additional assumptions, risks and uncertainties are described in detail in our registration statements, reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the “Risk Factors” set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as supplemented by our quarterly reports on Form 10‑Q. Such filings are available on our website or at www.sec.gov. You are cautioned that such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent developments, events or circumstances.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201014005776/en/
Media Contacts:
John Fread
Nautilus, Inc.
360-859-5815
[email protected]
Carey Kerns
The Hoffman Agency
503-754-7975
[email protected]
Investor Relations:
John Mills
ICR, LLC
646-277-1254
[email protected]
Source: Nautilus, Inc.
Port Washington, NY, October 13, 2020 – Before the dates of Amazon’s 2020 Prime Days were officially announced, 57% of consumers told The NPD Group they plan to do at least some, if not all, of their holiday shopping during the online event. New insights from NPD’s annual holiday purchase intentions study reveal almost as many consumers feel they will get better deals during Prime Days than on Black Friday, but the traditional start to holiday shopping still edges it out.
July 15, 2019, one of 2019’s Prime Days, was the #3 online shopping day of last year, behind Cyber Monday and Black Friday, according to NPD Checkout information. But this year’s infusion of Prime Days into the holiday season may move it up a notch. Just over a third of consumers think they will get the best deals early in the season, but even more are still putting their money on the deals that will come over the traditional holiday promotion period of Black Friday through Cyber Monday. Looking at specific days, 18% of consumers identified Prime Day as the time period they feel they will get the best deals possible, coming in just behind Black Friday at 20% of consumers. Cyber Monday came in third.
“The pandemic has changed retail, and the delayed timing of Amazon’s Prime Days will be making its mark on the 2020 holiday season,” said Marshal Cohen, NPD’s chief industry advisor, retail. “Consumers are already entering this earlier-than-ever start to the holiday season with a different shopping mindset, and this is retail’s chance to emphasize the notion that early is better when making holiday purchases – when it comes to inventory, shipping, and deals.”
Further contributing to the impact of Prime Days on both holiday spending and retail overall, is the growing list of retailers planning their own early holiday promotions in October. Consumers will be watching all of the early deals, and 63% say they are very likely to compare Prime Day promotions with other retailer promotions before making a purchase. While there have been some competing promotions during July Prime Days events of the past, it is now sharing the stage with broader efforts to kick start the expanded holiday season.
Another differentiator in the 2020 event is Amazon’s lead-up focus on supporting small business. This has the potential of drawing some consumer attention with 17% of consumers indicating they plan to shop more ‘small’/locally owned retailers this holiday season.
Source: The NPD Group/Annual Holiday Study
For more information, contact me at [email protected] or 516-625-2203.
(Xenia, OH) October 12, 2020 – The premier outdoor sports complex in southwestern Ohio, Athletes in Action (AIA) Sports Complex and Retreat Center, is preparing to open their doors to men’s and women’s college basketball teams for a safe environment in the wake of the pandemic for those teams looking to have a normal season and play safely. The “bubble” concept, hosted on the Xenia, OH campus includes dorms, meeting rooms, dining facilities, a sports performance center, team-building activities, and more. The goal is to provide a safe, temporary living environment, while allowing teams to have the flexibility to schedule games that work best for the college’s programs.
CBS college basketball analyst, Clark Kellogg, shared his experience with AIA, “After personally staying on the Athletes in Action Campus in Ohio many times over the past 10 years I am convinced they can support the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs and well-being of athletes and coaches given this new approach. The facilities and staff are there to serve teams as they help players through these uncertain times.”
AIA’s Sports Campus and Retreat Center (SCRC) is comprised of an outdoor sports complex, retreat center, and challenge course, which offers a training environment that develops transformational athletic leaders. The 250-acre outdoor complex features six synthetic turf fields – two long fields, three diamond fields, and one football field with a track. Other features include a 275-bed retreat center, a challenge course with high and low obstacles, and a conference center with catering.
In this “bubble” concept, teams will have their own private dorm with a meeting room for film sessions, team meetings or select meals. Teams will have access to the sports performance center, practice court for shoot around and walk-thru, laundry facilities, and entertainment areas during designated times. Each team will also have access to a private team-building activity administered by AIA staff, team study tables, and more.
AIA’s approach will give teams and their coaches peace of mind during this difficult time as well as offer exceptional temporary housing and unique, custom programming aimed to enhance the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of the athletes participating in the program. Athletes in Action is offering two different packages for teams now to begin in late November 2020. To learn more about the bubble concept or the AIA Sports Complex and Retreat Center, contact General Manager, Ryan Betscher at [email protected].
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About Athletes in Action: Athletes in Action is an international sports organization focused on equipping athletes and coaches to grow in relationship with Jesus and to multiply their life into others. With a presence in over 60 countries, over 200 college campuses, and over 40 professional sports teams, Athletes in Action progresses toward an ultimate goal of seeing Christ-followers on every team, in every sport, in every nation.
Droo Callahan hired by Sports Facilities Management to oversee day-to-day operations at The Bridge Sports Complex
[Bridgeport, WV]September 23, 2020 – Opening in 2021 in Bridgeport, WV, The Bridge Sports Complex will be the premier sports and recreation destination for North Central West Virginia. After a national talent search, the City of Bridgeport, who oversees the project in partnership with Sports Facilities Management (SFM), has selected Droo Callahan as General Manager for the indoor sports complex.
Callahan brings a wealth of knowledge in sports management. After a 10-year professional soccer career with several teams, Callahan managed Legacy Center Sports Complex in Brighton, MI. Droo brings not only this extensive experience to the Bridge, but event management, a focus on guest experience, athlete and spectator safety, and sport-specific expertise.
“Droo Callahan was a perfect fit for this up-and-coming venue,” says Dave Pritchett, COO of SFM. “He is a respected professional in the youth and amateur sports industry and we are confident he will exceed expectations as the General Manager of The Bridge Sports Complex. His experience and leadership will be an asset to the entire community as well as traveling sports families and athletes.”
About the opportunity to work for The Bridge Sports Complex, Callahan adds, “I am honored to take on this position and look forward to getting to know the community through The Bridge. The greater Bridgeport area is in transition to become a bustling destination and we are extremely lucky to be a part of this growth with this venue adding to the community.”
The sports and events venue, opening in 2021, will be a premier indoor sports center hosting the best in regional sports events and local programming. The project features 156,000 square feet of multi-purpose sports space including a fieldhouse with six basketball/volleyball courts, configurable indoor turf arena measuring 40 by 70 yards, and a 25-meter competition pool. Other amenities include a play climb area, team and corporate meeting rooms, on-site concessions, and a fitness center.
About the hiring of Callahan, City of Bridgeport Mayor, Andy Lang commented, “Droo is an excellent fit for the role of General Manager. This project is going to be a tremendous asset to our residents, and we believe Mr. Callahan has the knowledge and expertise to ensure our venue is a success for everyone in Bridgeport and surrounding communities.”
The Bridge Sports Complex is expected to bring top-notch competitions and tournaments to the region and provide City and regional residents outstanding programming and membership offerings.
If you would like more information about The Bridge Sports Complex, please contact Andrew Kurtz at [email protected] or visit thebridgewv.com.
About The Bridge Sports Complex: The Bridge, located in Bridgeport, WV, is the newest destination for all things sports, recreation, and wellness. With 156,000 square feet of courts, turf, aquatics, fitness, and more, The Bridge is the premium gathering space for sports, recreation, and wellness in North Central West Virginia. To learn more, visit thebridgewv.com.
(Sparks, Md.) September 16, 2020 – US Lacrosse has announced that events by Halo LAX, LLC, a subsidiary of the Sports Facilities (SF) Companies, will be sanctioned through their authority as the lacrosse National Governing Body. Best known for their work in professional facility management across the country through the SFM Network and professional planning services in more than 2,000 communities, the SF Companies recently announced the launch of its Event and Tournament service.
Halo LAX events feature three distinct event styles including 6onLAX™, the first of its kind 6 on 6 team lacrosse competition. 6onLAX is specifically designed to reduce the number of players needed to easily form teams and is played on a modified field using standard size goals. There are 6 players per team on the field at a time, including the goalie, and roster sizes range from 9 to 11.
“We have spent a lot of focus, time, and energy developing an extraordinary experience to expand the sport of Lacrosse,” said Jason Clement, CEO of SF Companies. “6onLAX will be a big part of that initiative and aligns with the international movement of adding lacrosse in the Olympics. The objective is to provide a fun, fast-paced way for a lot of players to improve their skills and have the opportunity to play at every stage of life. We are thrilled to be aligned with US Lacrosse in an effort to expand the sport of lacrosse and increase access to this sport.”
To address the need for tournament standardization, the US Lacrosse Sanctioning Program provides an operational framework to create a more consistent experience for athletes. Sanctioned tournaments have been deemed by the sport’s national governing body to meet best-practice standards in five categories: venue, game format, risk management, tournament administration, and the use of certified US Lacrosse officials.
“We’re very excited to welcome Halo LAX into our event sanctioning program,” said J.P. Fischer, senior manager for sanctioning and events at US Lacrosse. “Through detailed planning, they’ve shown a tremendous commitment to creating a positive experience for all participants and they’ve embraced US Lacrosse concepts for developing 6onLAX. We look forward to expanding the sport and increase access for play.”
To learn more about Halo LAX, register for a tournament, or inquire about becoming a host site, visit halolax.com. To learn more about the SF Companies and the SFM Network, please visit sportadvisory.com or sfmnetwork.com.
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About Halo LAX: Halo LAX is a subsidiary of the Sports Facilities Companies which specializes in lacrosse education and event management. The mission of Halo LAX is to expand the sport of lacrosse to new players, locations, and formats through exceptional events and partnerships. Halo LAX offers tournaments and events for players in middle school division through post-collegiate/adult recreation. Halo LAX is part of the industry leading SFM Network of events, facilities, vendors, and talent. For more information, visit: halolax.com.
About Sports Facilities Companies: The Sports Facilities Advisory, LLC (SFA), Sports Facilities Development, LLC, and Sports Facilities Management, LLC (SFM) are headquartered in Clearwater, FL. Founded in 2003, SFA has served more than 2,000 communities, produced more than $10 billion in institutional-grade financial forecasts, and provided funding strategies and solutions for more than 70+ youth and amateur sports and recreation complexes worldwide. SFD serves facility owners through owner’s representation, venue planning, and procurement services during pre-development and construction. SFM provides industry-leading, results-driven management solutions for sports, fitness, recreation, and event venues nationwide. Since 2014, SFM-affiliated venues have hosted more than 100 million visitors and generated hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact. For more information, visit: sportadvisory.com and sfmnetwork.com.
(Clearwater, FL) September 16, 2020 – Sports Facilities (SF) Companies, the youth and amateur sports industry leader in venue management, development, and planning has announced the addition of industry leader, Jim Arnold, to the leadership team of the SF Companies.
Mr. Arnold launched Ripken Design, Sports Force Parks and has been working in the planning, development and operations of the nation’s leading youth sports tournament destinations. Jim Arnold joins as National Business Development Director, a position that will lead client engagement across the U.S.
“For over a decade we have worked collaboratively with Jim on a number of projects,” said Jason Clement, CEO and Co-Founder of the SF Companies. “Jim shares our vision for the SFM Network as a solution for facility owners seeking the best in financial performance and maximum community impact.” He is a proven facility development leader, innovator, and collaborator in service to our industry.”
The SF Companies lead the youth and amateur sports industry in sports destination operations, development, and planning. Since 2003, the firms have assisted more than 2,000 communities across the United States as well as international projects in South America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Middle East. The SF Companies currently are engaged as the outsourced operator in more than 20 facilities across the U.S. as represented by the SFM Network which hosts 25+ million visitors each year.
“Spending the past 16+ years developing and operating sports complexes around the world has provided me with some amazing friends and memories; but most importantly with a true understanding of the value that sports provide,” said Arnold of his move to the SF Companies. “As an industry, now more than ever, communities need economic solutions that improve quality of life and outcomes for their kids. The SF Companies are the dominant leader in the market because of the SFM Network, the corporate infrastructure, and the solutions offered for funding and development needs. This provides me with the ability to provide immeasurable impact for our community partners and the 45 million athletes and families who participate in youth sports across our country.”
Prior to joining SF Companies, Arnold led the development of several industry-leading sports tourism properties in the U.S., including the Cal Ripken Experiences (Aberdeen, MD, Myrtle Beach, SC and Pigeon Forge, TN), Sports Force Parks at Cedar Point Sports Center (Sandusky, OH), Sports Force Parks on the Mississippi (Vicksburg, MS) and most recently, Paradise Coast Sports Complex (Naples, FL).
In his role, Arnold will serve as a liaison between new clients, developments, and the SF Companies shepherding projects into the SFM Network and providing development and funding solutions to projects. Arnold joins SFC’s team of 900 facility operators, staff, market researchers, development advisors, and subject-matter experts. The SFM Network is the largest and fastest growing network of sports tourism destinations and community recreation complexes in the Nation. The SFM Network and its affiliated properties and event companies, such as Halo LAX, welcome more than 25 million guest visits and produce more than $200 million economic impact annually.
“Our team is focused on bringing play back safely and implementing funding and development solutions to allow our clients to achieve the economic and social benefits that come out of participation in sports,” said Dev Pathik, Founder of SF Companies. “Jim shares our heart for service and he has created solutions that have proven to be transformational to the communities he has served.”
To learn more about the Sports Facilities Companies including Sports Facilities Advisory (SFA), Sports Facilities Development (SFD), and Sports Facilities Management (SFM), visit sportadvisory.com or sfmnetwork.com.