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Reminder: don’t miss the trade golf day
The annual Victorian Sporting Goods Industry golf day will be held on Tuesday October 19, at Sandhurst Golf Club in Melbourne’s east and site of both previous successful events.
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Shows were a buzzin’
The Melbourne Exhibition Centre was bright and optimistic in late August with the winter versions of Fashion Exposed & preview and the Australian Shoe Fair attracting plenty of visito
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More speakers signed to ASGA forum
As the Australian Sporting Goods Association forum and annual meeting draws closer, executive director Brad Kitschke has announced more speakers for the late October event.
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Run celebrates 40 with 80,000 friends
A record field of 80,000 runners have registered for The Sun Herald City2Surf presented by Westpac, cementing its position as the world’s largest run.
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AIS ties up with new institute
Victoria University's newly created Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living has linked with the Australian Institute of Sport in a partnership to fund research.
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‘Finding value’ is key to retail
Global information and measurement company Nielsen’s latest report on Australian consumer confidence reports more are concerned about rising utility costs and personal finances, and showing restraint in purchases.
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ASGA names forum speaker
Keynote speaker for the Australian Sporting Goods Association forum in late October is Kevan Gosper, known to most Australians for his Olympic achievements.
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Stella designs for Olympics
Official sportswear partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Adidas has appointed leading British fashion designer Stella McCartney as creative director for its adidas Team GB ranges, overseeing the design of athlete kit and supporter wear.
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Viewers win the world cup battle
The World Cup in South Africa, currently dominating the minds of sports fans globally, is the world’s biggest sporting festival, bypassing the summer Olympics comfortably.
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...and then there is the Ashes!
The Australian focus is on football — all codes — right now but the folk at Cricket Australia like to start the campaign for hearts and eyes in good time.
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Putting power into pedal
Ausbike 2010 bicycle expo opens for business at the Melbourne Showgrounds, on August 21 with the first day of the three day show for the bicycle consumer, and the following two trade only.
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Green & Gold, and cashed up
While it may be a tough task for the Socceroos to reach the business end of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, business information analyst IBISWorld believes that there will be major Australian winners off the pitch.
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Go for new TCF grants
Forward-thinking textile, clothing and footwear businesses can now apply for matching grants starting from $250,000 to fund projects boosting their international competitiveness.
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Lord Mayor Clover opens store
Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore opened the new women’s store at Clarence Street Cyclery, emphasising that the new 200kms of cycle tracks in the city are part of the sustainable Sydney programme.
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Kitschke is new ASGA chief
New executive director for the Australian Sporting Goods Association is Brad Kitschke who took up the Melbourne-based role in mid May.
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Noone seeks TFG successor
Chief executive of fitness equipment supplier The Fitness Generation, Andrew Noone is taking a sabbatical to travel around Australia for 14 weeks with his family.
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Workout World launches into US
Workout World has opened its first international store in Los Angeles, part of a push into the US market with a specialist teams based in California.
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Rebel Sport leads the way
The latest retail customer satisfaction report for New Zealand from research organisation Roy Morgan Research reveals that Rebel Sport has emerged as the sports store with the highest percentage of satisfied customers.
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Fitness equals business, and fun!
If the ambition of the organisers of the Fitness and Health expo held in Sydney this week was to get huge numbers through the doors of Darling Harbour exhibition halls, they succeeded admirably.
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Actually we have two in top ten
Melbourne remains the best location in the world to hold a sports event, coming tops in UK-based publication SportBusiness’ industry analysis of sports cities globally to win the ‘Ultimate Sports City’ award for the third time.
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15 million in one day?
The plan was to have 15 million children across the world take part in the ‘1GOAL – education for all’ campaign, supported by FIFA and the World Cup, to highlight the need for a free education for all children.
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Netball gets anti-drugs cash
Netball Australia is to receive a $590,700 government grant for community awareness and elite athlete education programmes to tackle illicit drug use.
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Mark’s Megs takes on the world
The sixth book in the “vootball” series written by Aussie star Mark Schwarzer and football coach and author Neil Montagnana-Wallace is about to be published in good time for the World Cup.
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Footy codes battle it out
Australia’s four football codes are battling it out for the hearts, minds and junior playing skills of western Sydney.
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Skins to expand into China
Australian and now international compression garment brand Skins, has signed an ambitious co-operation agreement with Chinese sporting goods manufacturer Li Ning for the Chinese market.
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ASGA’s Cary moves on
Executive Director of the Australian Sporting Goods Association Sean Cary has announced his resignation after more than five years at the helm.
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Helly H opens store in Sydney
Apparel and footwear brand Helly Hansen has opened its first Sydney concept store, a 170 sqm contemporary fitout in Chatswood Chase.
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Surfer Stephanie wins top award
Three world titles in three years has made Australia’s Stephanie Gilmore the undisputed queen of the surf, and the winner of the 2010 Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award.
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Penman goes: Frontline looks for new CEO
Frontline Stores – which includes the Sportfirst and Blue Sky Outdoor Experts retail brands – has parted company with its chief executive of nine years, Michael Penman.
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ARL’s Withers praises first conference
New general manager of ARL’s sports and leisure division Corrie Withers likened the success of the summer conference earlier this week to ‘being given the keys to a Ferrari’, so impressed was he with the achievements of the division’s staff in organising the event.
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It’s our larger format stores
RCG, owner of 141-store strong The Athlete's Foot retail chain reports strong sales growth and attributes much of this to the new large format stores, now numbering 14.
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More women follow League
Audiences for UK pay-broadcaster Sky Sports’ rugby league coverage have a bigger percentage of women viewers than its audiences for Premier League football or cricket.
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Boxa boosted buzz in the aisles
Three halls of the Sydney Exhibition Centre were home to the fashionable and stylish in mid-February when exhibitors and retailers converged on a job lot of trade fairs.
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WFSGI launches new services
The World Federation of Sporting Goods Industries held its annual assembly in Munich, Germany in early February and used the gathering to launch several new services for members.
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Soccer boots get a kick along
Pushing new Adidas soccer boots and their ability to cope with our hot and dry conditions are to be the subject of two campaigns aimed at driving males aged 14-34 into sports stores.
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Showing up but not viewing?
Tennis Australia, peak body and organisers of the Australian Open are reported to be happy with attendance figures for the glamour event, announcing record numbers through the Melbourne turnstiles.
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Sports sponsorship to grow globally?
It was a tough year in 2009, and many forecasters are saying that 2010 will be just as bad. But no one seems to have told the sponsorship industry.
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Aussies in running for award
Two Australian sportsmen are among those being considered for nomination for the 2010 Laureus world sportsman of the year, recognising achievements during 2009.
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Sophie is new Running Bare face
Australian TV presenter Sophie Falkiner is the new face of Running Bare, starting with the winter 2010 activewear and lifestyle collections.
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Cash for ideas? Here’s how
Want help marketing your clever new product ideas? Commercialisation Australia – the Rudd Government’s $196 million new support initiative for home-grown innovation – is open for applications.
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Dynamic celebrates big 40
Celebrating in Adelaide: Noel (pictured left) and Pauline Nietz of Dynamic Podium Sports raise a glass during the company’s 40th birthday celebrations in December.
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We’re growing, says NRL survey
For years AFL has been crowing that the code was wiping the floor with the NRL in interest and television viewing, but now an NRL-commissioned survey shows that NRL TV ratings has overtaken those of the AFL.
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Sun shines on happy golfers
A perfect day for golf was how the Victorian Sporting Goods Industry golf day committee described the cloudless, windless, 25degree November day, when a field of 100 players gathered at the Sandhurst Golf Club in southeastern Melbourne.
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Kicking off the Asics new home
Making a ceremony of launching the new home project for Asics Oceania at Eastern Creek in suburban Sydney is managing director Arata Ikeda, kicking off as the first earth is turned on the greenfield site.
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Large format stores are winners
RCG Corporation reports its Athlete's Foot chain posted strong sales growth for the four months to October at its large format stores, growing 30 per cent compared with the same time period the year before.
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Everlast celebrates 100, and new show
The new boxing reality show starting on FOX8 this week is sponsored by Everlast, the US boxing footwear and apparel brand which is also about to celebrate its centenary.
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Cautious response to Panel report
Release of today’s report ‘The Future of Australian Sport’ by Minister for Sport Kate Ellis has been met with cautious optimism by some peak bodies including Cricket Australia and Rowing Australia, but both wanted more time to produce a considered response.
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The sounds of business on show
Sports Source Asia may have had fewer exhibitors this year — a problem faced globally by exhibition organisers in the economic downturn — but the show was filled with the earnest sound of buyers doing business,
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Now it’s the Rebel Group, plus a new concept
After a sustained effort over the past two years to “bring all our brands together into one group and utilise our core strengths as a group,” Ascendia Retail is changing its name.
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More girls take to the courts
American high school girls are heeding the call to be more active with figures showing an all-time high in participation in 2008-09.
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Following Kerri-Anne onto the course
Celebrities including morning television star Kerri-Anne Kennerley and musician Shannon Noll have been recruited for a new participation campaign from Golf Australia, to encourage children and women to the sport.
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Charles Parsons acquires Line7
Textile group Charles Parsons (NZ) has acquired apparel brand Line7, which includes full ownership of the brand IP and all registered trademarks world-wide.
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Sharp suits for Socceroos
Hugo Boss is to be the official formalwear supplier of the Qantas Socceroos for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
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Adidas signs up first
Adidas has signed as the first official partner of the Euro 2012 football tournament in a deal also covering all other Uefa national team competitions between 2010 to 2017.
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Union passionates are turning away too
Rugby union is suffering from decreased attendances, television ratings and general interest in the Australian sports market, according to market research commissioned by the Australian Rugby Union.
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Rebel deals with motoring group
NSW and ACT motoring group, the NRMA has teamed up with Rebel Sport to support sport in schools and communities with gift vouchers totalling up to $150,000.
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Wallabies and Reds to fly in KooGa
Gold Coast-based sportswear company KooGa has won two high profile signings in the past few weeks, with a four -year deal as official apparel and equipment suppliers for the Wallabies
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Classic fires up for the NRL finals
Exuberant footy fans are testing the mettle of local manufacturer Classic Sportswear which has stepped up to the challenge and have been churning out 500 NRL Grand Final T-shirts per hour every 24 hours to meet demand.
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Battle of the footy viewers is on
The battle of the football codes continues with the free-to-air television channels boasting about the numbers tuning in for the finals.
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Star pedaller Bernie recovers in MBT
MBT Physiological Footwear has supported Team Fly V Australia in the quest for the Tour of Utah title, a battle through more than 400 kms of tough riding over six days.
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Cricket and Coops get together
Cooper Sportswear has been named by Cricket Australia as its partner and licensee providing supporter wear and interstate team on-field apparel.
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Two trade events for fun and funds
The sports trade is going to be busy enjoying social events in late November – a great time to catch up with all your old friends and colleagues, and raise funds for worthy causes.
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Helly Hansen opens Lane concept store
Bringing their Melbourne store roll call to three, heritage brand Helly Hansen has opened a new concept store in the city’s 19th century-built Hardware Lane.
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Merrell to join TAF’s stable
Outdoor and lifestyle brand Merrell is just one of two new footwear businesses announced by RCG Corporation, owners of the The Athlete’s Foot chain.
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Retailers urged to slow dollar flow
Almost half of all Australian dollars spent online go to overseas retailers and the percentage is climbing, according to Forrester Research, reporting that Australians spent $23 billion online in 2008.
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NRL hearts on their tees
Supporter apparel specialist Classic Sportswear reports it is kicking goals with an “extraordinary spike in sales” in the charge up to the NRL finals.
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Golf and rugby sevens get a ‘maybe’
Golf and rugby sevens have been shortlisted by the International Olympic committee for possible inclusion in summer Olympic Games from 2016, and agreed the inclusion of female boxing competition in London in 2012.
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ASGA reports apparel and footwear seesaw
According to the Australian Sporting Goods Association retail survey, April saw footwear sales up 4.5 percent, followed by May with rises of 20.2 percent to $80.3m and even in June with 0.3 percent rise.
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New licence deal for TAF as sales rise
RCG Corporation has signed new long term licence agreements for its The Athlete’s Foot business in Australia and New Zealand, resulting in substantial savings.
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Canterbury now part of UK retailer
The global Canterbury brand has been acquired by UK retail chain JD Sports from Bahrain private equity fund, Kuwait Finance House with Canterbury Australasia chief executive Scott Chapman reported as saying that current management teams and sponsorships will continue under license from the new owners.
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Retailers say trade is ‘resilient’
Conflicting views of the state of retailing in Australia is coming through research but sports and outdoor retailers report that sales have been much better over the past quarter than they had expected them to be.
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TCF grants for small businesses
Sixty-eight small businesses across Australia will receive grants totalling $2.6 million to become more innovative under round four of the Australian Government’s textile, clothing and footwear programme.
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Independent Sports fun-in-the-sun conference
The tourist literature describes Darwin’s dry season as “the time to live” and Independent Sports members and their suppliers certainly met this challenge, reports Editor Maggie Coleman.
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Erika is Running Bare's new face
Award-winning Australian active lifestyle brand, Running Bare has named high profile model Erika Heynatz as the new face of Running Bare’s spring/ summer09 campaign.
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Canterbury: ‘it’s business as usual’
Canterbury of New Zealand is reassuring sporting teams in Australia and New Zealand that it is business as usual even though the high profile brand is reported to be for sale again and it's European arm is in administration.
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Global sports goods sales flat but China leaps
Worldwide sales of sports equipment, apparel and footwear sales remained flat at US$284 billion ($378.8 billion) in 2008, down from a four percent increase the previous year, according to the NPD Group, Inc's Global Sports Estimate 2009.
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Outback kids get kitted out
Children from the WA Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku visited the Jim Kidd warehouse in Perth recently to get kitted out in Reebok apparel and footwear, thanks to the generosity of Jim Kidd.
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Biomechanist Bartold wins top award
Fellow at the University of Melbourne and international research consultant for the Asics Corporation, Simon Bartold has been awarded the prestigious Schuster award for his contribution to biomechanics and sports medicine.
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Cricketers are favourite but Rice rises
Ricky Ponting has taken the mantle as Australia’s most marketable sportsperson for the third year in a row, ahead of recently retired swimmer and now newsreader Grant Hackett and semi-retired cricketer Adam Gilchrist.
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From Russia...with Swan and the Crusaders
The Russian capital of St Petersburg was the unlikely location for a special cricket match, between the Melbourne travelling team The Crusaders and an eleven put together by the British Consulate there.
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Infiniti's high Octane launch
A celebrity challenge was a great way for Infiniti Fitness Systems to launch the new Octane Xride seated cross trainer, under the eagle eye of Octane Fitness’ chief Dennis Lee from the US.
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TAF reports sales growth
The Athlete’s Foot chain of around 140 stores in Australia and New Zealand is performing exceptionally well in challenging market conditions, RCG Corporation reported in a ASX announcement yesterday.
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**Careers in sport start here ... FREE**
Careers in sporting goods start with an understanding of what the industry sector is all about ... and mysportslink.net offers not only that, but communication between companies and applicants!
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ASGA seminars to seek ideas for its future
The Australian Sporting Goods Association is holding information seminars for the sport and leisure industry to discuss the future of ASGA and the role it should play as the industry’s lobby group.
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On top of the world with a digital scoreboard
Mr Scoreboards' Bill Kelso reports that a digital scoreboard donated by their UK agent, EasyScore has found its way to the top of the world. The scoreboard was used in a charity cricket match above the base camp of Mount Everest.
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Federal budget winners and losers
The federal government allocated an extra $21.1 million over four years for anti-doping efforts in sport in the 2009-10 budget, brought down this week with winners and losers in the world of sport.
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TNF Group signs Champion
TNF Group has signed a licensing agreement with Hanesbrands Inc. to distribute
Champion Sportswear in Australia and New Zealand.
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Walking shoes lead sales race
Consumers in the USA spent US$4.2 billion on walking shoes in 2008, helping the total sports footwear sales reach US$17.2 billion (A$23.8 billion), reports the National Sporting Goods Association.
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Good news: Foot Locker opens city store
A Thursday afternoon opening for the new George Street, Sydney Foot Locker store will feature music, dance and a shoe give-away, led by a pair of limited edition Nike Air Force One hand made shoes valued at $3000, plus footwear from Vans and Puma.
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FFA takes ownership of SA club
Football Federation Australia will take ownership of successful Hyundai A-League club, Adelaide United until a new owner is found.
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Staff windfall after store audit
A Melbourne sports store is back-paying 12 casual staff almost $60,000 after an investigation by the Federal Workplace Ombudsman found it was underpaying workers.
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Australian Fitness Expo: bargains and benefits
Offer trade show visitors the opportunity to pick up a bargain and they will be there in droves, reports Editor Maggie Coleman.
That opportunity was offered at the Australian Fitness Expo at Sydney’s Darling Harbour last weekend and visitors flocked to stands showing and selling apparel, compression ranges, footwear and fitness equipment.
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Memorial service for Brown family
Gary and Robyn Brown are holding a memorial service for their family lost in the Kinglake bushfires on Black Saturday.
Adrian and Mirribelle Brown and their children Eric (eight) , Matthew (seven) and Brielle (three) died in the tragic event.
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Golfers help Wheelies
Wheelchair Sports Victoria is the beneficiary of the fundraising carried out by the rejuvenated Victorian trade golf day, held last November.
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Warning over underpaying staff
More than 20 per cent of businesses randomly audited at three major Melbourne shopping centres have been found to be breaching workplace laws.
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Swimwear brand chases copyists through court
Fashion swimwear brand Seafolly says it has sought injunctions against an Australian marketing company and one of its directors in its fourth action in two years to protect the copyright of its fabric designs.
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ARL conference: Abuzz and upbeat
The mood of the ARL sports and leisure division’s annual buying conference in early March was upbeat, with plenty of buzz around suppliers stands on the Monday and Tuesday.
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Sales surge for footwear
At last some good news! The Athlete’s Foot reports a 20 percent sales surge for January, which follows a 9.2 per cent boost in the first half of the current financial year.
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Pacific Brands to drop some smaller brands
Factory closures in Australian, moving the remainder of apparel manufacturing to Asia and plans to discontinue some of its smaller brands were among the issues covered in the release of half yearly figures for Pacific Brands this week.
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Sport tops couch potato league table
Heading up the couch potato league table of what we watched over the summer was sport and more sport, with eight of the top ten shows in the period from November 30 to February 7 being sports broadcasts
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Gongs for Liz and many others
The Australia Day honours list showed sports people high on the achievers rollcall, with former netball great Liz Ellis appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for her considerable services to the game.
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Christmas sales were late and frantic
A slow start to December, with trade picking up as the month went on, then a frantic rush the last few days before Christmas and the few days following.
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TCF grants up for grabs
Grants of up to $50,000 are available for small businesses in the textile, clothing and footwear sectors, with $2.5 million on offer.
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Fun, fours and fund raising
The reinvigorated Victorian trade golf day was held in late November with a four ball Ambrose event at the championship course of Sandhurst club in Melbourne’s outer east and the 120 players all voted the challenging course a fabulous one.
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Gilchrist leads Puma launch
The launch of the 2009 cricket range for Puma was the opportunity for a get together of company representatives, lead by Puma Australia’s managing director Warwick Mitchell. head of product Brett Gibb and many leading retailers.
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Volkl names new global distributor
German tennis brand known for its engineering and quality, Volkl is now to be distributed globally by Volkl Tennis North America, signing a license agreement to design, manufacture and distribute racquets, bags and accessories
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Retail’s rocky road
The Australian Sporting Goods Association released its retail survey in early November, reflecting the general downturn in the economy.
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Cheerleaders launch Sports Source Asia
An opening ceremony featuring cheerleaders and a new premium brands section for leading apparel and footwear companies were among the highlights of the four day Sports Source Asia trade fair held in Hong Kong at the end of October.
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Stars shine on Rebel
The Rebel Sport hardgoods conference is a regular and successful event for the group, this year running from a Sunday night dinner, to late Wednesday afternoon and immediately followed by the first Amart Allsports event.
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First Amart conference
The Amart Allsports team including store managers gathered from far and wide for the first hardgoods conference, held on the Gold Coast .
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Classic, Yetimo sign cricket deal
Cricket peak body, the Dubai-based ICC has signed seven year licensing deals with Australian clothing manufacturer Classic Sportswear and promotional gift supplier Yetimo.
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Now Virgin gets into fitness here
Virgin Active health clubs are coming to Australia, with the first club set to open in Sydney’s Frenchs Forest in December, and the second club to be in Melbourne.
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New manufacturers group from WFSGI
The World Federation of Sporting Goods Industries has launched a new committee, called Manufacturers Forum, created after manufacturers expressed
the wish to have their own voice within WFSGI.
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Ellis award for top netballer
Australia’s most outstanding netballer in 2008 will be honoured as the inaugural recipient of the Liz Ellis Diamond.
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Portraits lead Focus on Footy
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Premier John Brumby, Nathan Buckley, Leigh Matthews, Kevin Sheedy, James Hird, Brendan Fevola, Jimmy Bartel, Luke Hodge and actor David Wenham are just a few of the familiar faces to appear in a new exhibit called Focus on Footy
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Nike claims ‘best ever’ Olympics
Nike Brand president Charlie Denson labelled Beijing 2008 “the best Olympic games Nike has ever had. And that's by a considerable amount.”
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London Games to bring greater profits
Olympic sports federations and National Olympic Committees across the world stand to make on average £750,000 more a year each as a result of London hosting the 2012 Olympic, according to UK newspaper, The Guardian.
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Global sports market is growing, says researcher
World-wide sales of sports equipment, apparel, and footwear increased a healthy four percent to US$278.4 billion ($289.69 billion) in 2007 according to a new report from leading market research company The NPD Group, Inc.
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Naked bid for attention
This year’s City to Surf run in Sydney brought the usual range of dress ups, comic relief and attention-seeking costumes among the almost 60,000 runners in early August.
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Boosting retail industry through apprenticeship
Apprentices have long suffered from low pay and low self esteem. So says Phil Vale, director of third generation Vale Display Systems of Smeaton Grange in suburban Sydney and a prime mover in the establishment of the Australian Apprentice Advantage Group.
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Global sports revenue up by 37 per cent
Spending related to large sporting events, such as the Olympic Games and the World Cup, will boost revenue in the global sports market by 37 per cent over the next five years to almost US$141 billion, according to a report by consulting firm, Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
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Demons supporters share a passion
Supporters of Melbourne FC are the most passionate for their club and the most likely to sign-up as a member according to new research by Roy Morgan.
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Tennis is top earner for girls
The pay-gap between top female athletes and their male counterparts is narrowing, but levels of inequality continue to exist between sports, according to new research.
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Badminton heads racquet sports
Badminton is the number one racquet sport in England according to research by the Sport Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University.
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Sports channel from Ten?
Network Ten, is reported to be considering launching a sports-only channel next year in a bid to compete with pay-television’s Fox Sports franchises.
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The Olympics of money-making
US network NBC Universal is expected to generate more than US$1 billion ($104 billion) in advertising revenue during the Olympic Games.
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Nike’s revenues grow globally
Nike Inc. reported revenues increased 16 percent for the fourth quarter ended May 31, to US$5.1 billion from $4.4 billion a year ago.
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Bollé joins Overland stable
The Overland Group is the new licensee for the Bollé apparel brand in Australia and will be responsible for the winter 2009 ranges.
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AFL grand final is top event
The AFL grand final continues to be considered as the nation’s most important sporting event. One of every four people give it top ranking, ahead of the Melbourne Cup (20 percent) although during the year “the Cup” narrowed the gap from ten percentage points to five.
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Would you read about it?
Print media during the past year has experienced a general surge in readership about most major sports, says the Sweeney Sports Report.
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Tennis is tops, at last
More Australians are interested in tennis than swimming and cricket, the Sweeney Sports Report has found, with tennis hitting the top shot after 17 years as the underdog.
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Lisa Bolton from Asics – which won the Product Innovation of the Year and the footwear award for the Asics Gel Lethal Ultimate football boots – is pictured with ASGA Chairman Ian Fullagar |
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Let’s work together, Minister tells ASGA forum delegates
Federal Minister for Youth and Sport Kate Ellis addressed the Australian Sporting Goods annual Forum, pleasing the board of directors who interpreted her presence and speech as an indication that ASGA was al last playing on the national stage.
by Maggie Coleman |
Fitness Expo's focus 'complete health'
Mid April saw the Sydney Exhibition Centre looking, claimed organisers, “a picture of complete health” as the location for the Australian Fitness Expo, the Filex convention and Sydney Yoga 08.
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Hopes high as Eagle flies east
Moving ‘over east’ creates a host of opportunities for Eagle Sports ... and solves some problems as well, John Cox tells Maggie Coleman
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'Shape up', Pom comes to tell us
Aussie retailers ‘do not measure up’. So says a visiting UK expert, reporting that Australia lags noticeably behind the rest of the developed world in looking after its retail customers.
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Enthusiastic Team says 'bula' in Fiji
The Team Sports buying group are all getting into the Fijian spirit, with the annual general meeting and networking conference to be held in Fiji in July.
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Business is only 'satisfactory'
Consumer confidence is taking a battering — the much touted mortgage stress, petrol and food going up, house prices going south in many areas, all leaving most consumers with fewer dollars in their pockets.
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Buzz and beauties in show aisles
Four filled Darling Harbour halls, exhibitors who were pleased with what Sunday, the first day of the three day Fashion Exposed & Preview had meant for order books, and visitors who were talking in the aisles along the lines of “and tomorrow we will buy...” all added up to a positive vibe at the biannual event.
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ASGA names forum date
The annual industry forum organised by the Australian Sporting Goods Association will be held on Tuesday May 20 at the MCG in Melbourne.
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Holly is the face of RB
Actress Holly Brisley is the ‘new’ face of Running Bare, Australia’s active and lifestyle wear for women, which celebrates its silver anniversary this year.
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Big field for WA surf event
Many of the world’s top surfers including leading Australians and Hawaiian Bethany Hamilton (pictured) will compete in the Drug Aware Pro Margaret River presented by O’Neill in WA in mid-April.
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Formula for revenue
Formula One is the world’s highest revenue generating annual sporting events, with the 18 Grands Prix in 2007 having an average revenue of US$217 million ($235 million).
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ARL's retailers gather
‘Winning matters’ say the promo poles outside Melbourne's Telstra Dome and the ARL Sports & Leisure division team heartily agree with this sentiment.
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Kiss seals a 'strong finish'
Week three of Seven Network's 'It Takes Two' and things are hotting up. Especially between ironwoman Candice Falzon and former Idol star Anthony Callea.
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Classic wins four-year NRL apparel deal
Classic Sportswear has won a tender to be the NRL’s official supplier of supporter and mascot apparel, described by the league as “one of the most competitive tender processes in the game’s history”.
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U Roads offered a piece of recycled tyre in every shoe |
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Footwear: Recycled and sky high heels
The Australian Shoe Fair showed off twin themes at Darling Harbour. Timed for the launch of spring/summer 2008/08 ranges, the show had more than 160 exhibitors, including footwear, bags and accessories displays.
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ASGA reviews strategy:
The Australian Sporting Goods Association is to review its current strategic plan and develop a new plan to lead the peak body “into 2010 and beyond”.
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Footwear sales down, golf up
The recent ASGA market intelligence reports indicate a decline in the sports performance footwear market is quarter three 2007, with running, cross training and athleisure categories all showing significant declines.
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Walking still most popular
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has just published its overview of Australia, looking at sport and fitness from the point of view of who plays what and when, who watches them do it and who helps out to keep the show on the road.
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May celebrates volunteers
‘Volunteers change our world’ is the theme of National Volunteer Week to be held on May 12-18, designed to thank the more than five million Australians who volunteer each year in sport, emergency services, health, legal work and education plus many other areas.
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Going for gongs
Making the trip to St Petersburg in mid February are Dawn Fraser and Steve Waugh. They are attending the Laureus World Sports Awards as Laureus Academy members to honour the greatest athletes of today.
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Water cube is ours
Sydney design company PTW Architects and engineering company Arup collaborated on the $162 million state-of-the-art Beijing swim centre - dubbed the "Water Cube".
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Hot property!
Fans of Candice Falzon – and there are a few – watched the Infiniti-sponsored ironwoman make a delightful debut on Channel Seven's 'It Takes Two'.
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Candice signs on and sings
Gorgeous ironwoman and surf lifesaver Candice Falzon is one busy athlete! She has signed on for a fourth year as the face of Infiniti Fitness Systems (in which role she is to be seen on the cover of the SportsLink Directory 08 print edition and the mysportslink home page).
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Netball league bridges gap
The new Australian Netball League will kick off its inaugural season on August 2 — to be played over six weekends plus a finals weekend in Sydney, each state and territory will be represented in the ten team competition, with one team from the AIS and two from NSW.
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Wilson cheers Djokovic
Wilson tennis racquet distributor Amer Sports is celebrating with the men’s Australian open singles winner Djokovic Novak taking to the court with the new (K)Factor and three of the four men’s semi-finalists playing the new racquet.
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Aceit takes to the greens
Wollongong-based Aceit Sportswear will be seen on the elite bowling greens of the UK, with the license to supply uniforms for the England world bowls team.
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Going for a billion
The opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Beijing this year could become the first sporting event to attract a record total live audience of one billion, reported global media communications agency Initiative Sports Futures.
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New era for Mambo
Eight years after acquiring the cult surfwear brand from its founders, Gazal Corporation has sold its Mambo brand outside of the European Union and its Australian wholesale and retail businesses.
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Tennis on demand
Tennis Australia launched an on-demand broadband television channel for the Australian Open, with the hope that it will build a revenue stream.
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Capital news
Melbourne reigns as Australia’s sporting capital, hosting the country’s three most important sporting events.
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Girls go surfing
The 17th Rip Curl Girls Go Surfing Days presented by Surfing Australia Surf schools were reported to be a huge success at beaches around Australia in early December.
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More Drummond stores
Drummond Golf has expanded of its national network with the purchase of Golf Works at Woollongabba in Brisbane and Pete’s Golf at Mile End in Adelaide.
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Pinkies have fun
More than 750 women took part in the new women’s triathlon series, Melbourne Ramsay Health Care Triathlon Pink, enjoying the Melbourne and Sydney events. Many were taking part in their first tri event and ages varied from juniors to very seniors.
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‘After five’ winners |
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The Team's weekend for Independent thinking
The Team is powering along, with new website, the intranet site which is vastly improving communication within the burgeoning group and with more and more members taking up the Independent Sports name and shopfit.
by Maggie Coleman |
Street art moving mainstream, says WGSN’s Macnab
Online style guru WGSN has recently added an office in Japan to its global network of offices and researchers, reported head of trends Catriona Macnab (pictured) to an attentive Sports Source audience.
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Kos innovation wins award
Kos Sports landed the award for innovation at the recent Australian Business Awards for its X-Blades footwear technological developments.
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‘Make us great’ plan for soccer
Football Federation Australia has launched its national football development plan aimed at “Making Australia a world leader in the world game.”
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Bradman tops
An analysis of world cricket rankings by the University of Queensland has shown that no matter how performance is measured, Sir Donald Bradman remains the greatest.
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Grant boosts cricket centre
Australian cricket’s quest to stay number one in the world has been given a boost with a Federal Government grant of $17.5 million for a major redevelopment of the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane.
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Concept follows Kea with Kombat
Port Melbourne-based sports merchandise company, Concept Sports International has added to its brand roll call with the acquisition of Kombat, a Brisbane based manufacturer of sublimated sportswear supplying clubs directly.
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Lawyer is new ASGA chairman
Lawyer is new ASGA chairman: Board member of the Australian Sporting Goods Association for four years, lawyer Ian Fullager is its new chairman.
by Maggie Coleman |
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