SFIA - Sports & Fitness Industry Association

Election Day is fast approaching, and SFIA wants you to EXERCISE your right to vote this election day! 🗳 SFIA encourages you to walk, run, bike, skate (or however you choose), to the polls this Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, and let your voice be heard. Here are some helpful resources to make sure you are all set to participate: Register or update voter registration: https://vote.gov/ Find polling place & early voting options: https://lnkd.in/eRfsAkZ

SFIA is pleased to announce the election of Mike Zlaket, CEO and Member, Board of Directors for Rawlings Sporting Goods, as Chairman of the SFIA Board of Directors, effective immediately for a one-year term. 👏 Zlaket has served on the SFIA Board since 2018, and has a 30-plus-year history in the sporting goods industry, the last 10 of which have been served as the CEO of Rawlings. Joe Dudy, President & CEO, Wilson Sporting Goods Co., was also elected to the Board, along with four members re-elected, and joining 13 additional Board members. Zlaket replaces former Board Chair Jonathan Ram, who served for three years as Chair. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/dv9d6UAP

Happy #NationalSportsDay! Here at SFIA, while we live and breathe sports and fitness in our work, we also embody it in our daily lives! Today, let us celebrate ALL the impacts and benefits that sports has on our lives - from mental and physical health to teamwork and collaboration and everything in between. SFIA is committed to supporting the sports and fitness industry to enable people to participate - whether it's on the trail, the court, the field, or wherever you choose to be active - let's get out there! Let us know how you will be celebrating! 👇

SFIA Members are invited to Meet & Greet with SFIA's new President & CEO, Todd Smith! Join us virtually on Wednesday, October 23rd at 12:30 p.m. ET for the chance to get to know Todd, ask questions, and learn more about him! To RSVP, click here: https://lnkd.in/dwxNzuMy *SFIA Members who RSVP will receive an email invite prior to*

🚨 NEW 2024 SFIA RESEARCH 🚨 The 2024 U.S. Trends in Team Sports report is now available! 📊 This is THE ultimate report on the state of team sports. The report looks at participation and market trends within the team sports sector of the industry. From detailed data about youth participation to understanding the latest trends, this report is a must-have for anyone looking to understand team sports in this country. FREE for SFIA Members | $650 for Non-Members DOWNLOAD TODAY ➡️ https://loom.ly/wI286tg

🌟 CONGRATULATIONS to our four finalists selected to compete in the Start-Up Challenge Main Event! 🌟 🏅 FabLittleBag 🏅 LZRD Tech, Inc. 🏅 MAAREE 🏅 Volley Learn more about them here: https://loom.ly/E_Mec7w And be sure to join us on October 29 at Babson College for the Boston Super Regional + Start-Up Challenge Championship! More info: https://loom.ly/cW5snJU

Following pressure from SFIA, along with 300 other organizations representing business interests, in a letter to President Biden regarding the East Coast Port labor contract talks, it was announced on Thursday, October 3 that the strike is now on hold until January 15, helping avoid disruption to U.S. supply chains. Read more on SFIA's efforts in helping suspend the East Coast Port strike: https://lnkd.in/eEzcJcNH

Leader. Advocate. Diplomat. These are the words used to describe SFIA's outgoing President & CEO, Tom Cove, who served in the role for 20 years and has been with SFIA for nearly 34 years. Check out this piece from Sports Business Journal highlighting his time with SFIA: https://lnkd.in/dqwzpH6Y

Next up… the most anticipated part of the day, St. Louis Sports Trivia! SFIA’s master trivia extraordinaire, Chandler Hoffman, led the group in a closely contested match-up that included a fun time and prizes! The program continued with our Empowering Youth Through Community Sport Panel – thank you to Solomon Alexander with the St. Louis Sports Commission, Brandon Bell with Edwardsville YMCA, Billy Mayhall with STL YOUTH SPORTS OUTREACH, and Ali Wells, Gateway PGA and PGA REACH Gateway Foundation. Last, but certainly not least, SFIA’s outgoing President & CEO Tom Cove led our host organizations' Rawlings Sporting Goods executives Mike Thompson, Ron Ostrowski, Bobby Diebold, and Matt Arndt in an Executive Roundtable. That’s a wrap on the program part – thank you to everyone who joined us today!

The St. Louis Super Regional program is off and running! SFIA’s own Alex Kerman started the event off by providing the state of the industry report for sporting goods, fitness, and participation and sharing insights into the trends and issues affecting the economy. Thank you to everyone who has presented thus far – our first panel on New Frontiers in Athlete Endorsements, featuring Eric Reinsfelder of Rawlings Sporting Goods, Jim Woodcock with FleishmanHillard, and Bob Lattinville with WME | William Morris Endeavor. And our second panel, Professional Sports Teams Driving Youth Engagement, featuring Lindsey Naber with Rawlings Sporting Goods, Meghan Essman with the St. Louis Cardinals Jamal Mayers with the St. Louis Blues. Shout out to SFIA's Glenn Horine for keeping us all on track! Off to a great start and looking forward to the rest of our program! #SFIASuperRegional #StLouisSuperRegional #Rawlings