The Los Angeles private equity firm has bid adieu to David Campisi and installed current Jo-Ann Stores’ chairman Darrell Webb as interim CEO of Sports Authority.

While it did not match the strong double-digit growth of the sneaker market, athletic apparel showed solid gains worldwide as it topped $64 billion at wholesale value with a 5.1% growth rate in the U.S. market to $27.5 billion and a 4.4% growth rate overseas to $36.4 billion.

Net income was down 41% to $2,946,000 from $4,960,000 for the second quarter ended Jul. 2 as sales rose 5% to $211,913,000 from $202,757,000.

Still, weather intelligence firm Planalytics reminds that the arrival of high energy bills from a hot July and the uncertain economy will be drags on back-to-school shopping this year.

Net income grew 58%, helped by a lower currency effect and lower extraordinary loss, to ¥1.9 billion ($23.2 mm) from ¥1.2 billion for the period ended June 30.

TSA was the original Big Box store in sporting goods, at least the first one that really mattered. The industry nickname bestowed on it was We B Sports with its warehouse approach to sporting goods.

Erasing a 4.2% decline and then some from 2009, the global athletic footwear market jumped to just under $37 billion in 2010, up from $32.7 billion the prior year as strong sales of technical product in developed countries, toning in the U.S. market and overall strength in emerging markets pushed sales to record levels in 2010.

Coming off their record Q4 with strong futures growth, the Eager Beavertons upped their five-year forecast for the Nike brand to $24-25 billion from a prior forecast of $23 billion, citing strong momentum across all categories and geographies.

The blockbuster deal structured as a merger, which will pay $43 apiece for TBL shares or total consideration of about $2 billion, will enable VFC to surpass its objective of generating 50% of revenues from its Outdoor/Action Sports Coalition on a pro forma basis.

In announcing a definitive agreement to buy the 131-door, southern U.S. chain of sporting goods stores earlier today, KKR did not disclose its purchase price for a majority stake in the retailer.

Major sporting goods retailers will expand floor space by 3.8% in 2011, up from a 2.2% growth rate in 2010, according to our annual survey of 40 leading sporting goods chains.

The transaction valued the entire GSIC business at $2.4 billion in cash that will be financed with a combination of cash and debt, but as part of the transaction, eBay will sell back to GSIC founder and CEO Michael Rubin the entire licensed business and recently acquired Fanatics business.

The Eager Beavertons’ global machine continues to chug forward in the face of uneven global markets and a rising tide of input costs that will force the E.B.s to take across-the-board price hikes on nearly all products for Spring/Summer 2012 delivery.

Fourth quarter adjusted EBITDA rose 187% to $15.8 million, up from $5.5 million for the period ended Dec. 31. Revenues were 18% higher at $215.7 million from $182.8 million.

Net income was $87,489,000, a gain of 30% over the $67,360,000 of the prior year as sales rose 14% to $1,518,914,000 vs. $1,336,590,000 powered by a 9.4% comp store increase.

Net income fell 64% to €7 million ($9.7 mm) from €19 million for the final period ended Dec. 31 despite a 19% increase in revenues to €2,931,000 ($4,074.1 mm) compared to €2,458 million last year.

At a conference call earlier today, Brown Shoe said the purchase price was $145 million in cash plus the assumption of about $6 million in debt.

Saying that it had planned for a big Holiday quarter with higher merchandise levels, more compelling advertising and higher store staffing levels, Cabela’s net income quadrupled to $66,302,000 from $16,600,000 for the three months ended Jan 1.

Net income was €14.0 million ($18.9 mm) compared to a loss of €7.2 million last year for the final quarter ended Dec. 31 as sales hit a quarterly record €623.4 million ($841.6 mm) compared to €486.2 million last year.

Net income rose 4% in Q4 ended Dec. 31 to €38.1 million ($51.8 mm) compared to €36.6 million on a 21 % sales increase to €583.4 million ($793.4 mm) from €482.8 million, bringing its net result for the year to a 119% improvement in net profit at €68.9 million ($93.7 mm) against €31.4 million on a 13% sales improvement to €1,740.4 million ($2,366.9 mm).

Net income was $28,056,000 against a loss of $1,082,000 in the fourth quarter ended Jan. 1. Revenues were 16% higher at $1,149,659,000.

Net income rose 53% to $25,647,000 from $16,738,000 for the period ended Jan.1 on record Q4 revenues of $385,025,000 versus $312,530,000. Operating margin grew 120 b.p. to 8.1% in the final period as all segments posted double-digit sales growth with the exception of Hush Puppies.

Bauer, which was bought from Nike in 2008 for $200 million by Kohlberg & Co., will list on the Canadian exchange with an underwriting headed by RBC Capital Markets and CIBC World Markets. Meanwhile, Skull Candy filed an S-1 that disclosed sales of $118.3 million for 2009 and a 36% sales increase through nine months of 2010 to $95.9 million prior to its biggest seasonal quarter.

Net income was $22,948,000 for the final period ended Dec. 31, an increase of 51% over the $15,202,000 reported last year as revenues hit $301,166,000, a gain of 36% over the $222,217,000 prior.

The net loss was $34,880,000 compared to a loss of $18,180,000 for the final period ended Dec. 31 as revenues were basically flat at $185,528,000 against $185,852,000 last year.

Life is good, even great, in the outdoor industry these days. It navigated through the recession with reasonable ease and, in a year when the sporting goods industry outperformed general retail by a good margin, the outdoor industry outperformed the sporting goods industry by a comfortable margin.

Annual net income attributable to YY shareholders rose 3.2% to $479.5 million as turnover grew 15% to $5,788,208,000 from $5,016,902,000 for the 12 months ended Sep. 30.

The national sporting goods chain is moving ahead with plans to open its largest store, a new flagship prototype at 56,000 sq. ft., in the Chicago suburb of Orland Hills, IL in Aug.

After several years of on-and-off efforts to sell the parent of Avia, Ryka and several other brands, it appears that Brown Shoe is the leading contender to take over that business.

LULU said comp store sales for the final period will rise in the mid- to upper-20s against a prior forecast of high teens, bringing Q4 total sales to a range of $237-239 million against a prior forecast of $210-215 million.

Nike’s annual endorsement contractual commitments rise nearly $150 million in the years 2013-2015, according to a recently filed 10Q which updates those figures from the 10K that was filed prior to the Eager Beavertons making their five-year deal with the NFL.

Titleist and Foot Joy parent Fortune Brands has reportedly tapped Morgan Stanley to oversee an auction of its golf business that generates annual EBITDA of approximately $120 million and could fetch 10-11x that in a sale.

Steadfast on sticking to strategic initiatives, which include driving Internet sales to mid-teens from a current 10% of business and pushing per sq. ft. sales past the $352 mark, Finish Line may get an added boost from a recovering, higher average ticket basketball category and should gain additional traction from further expansion of Nike Track Club concept areas to approximately 300 doors, or half the chain, by June.

Net income rose 22% to $457 million from $375 million on a 10% improvement in revenues to $4,842 million from $4,405 million for the three months ended Nov. 30.

The Hong Kong company has taken a more “conservative” outlook on its fiscal 2011 growth forecast based on what it calls, “heavy pressure” on the retail sporting goods industry.

After nearly 20 hours and 31 bids, the auction for the assets of football helmet maker Schutt Sports ended in a bit of controversy at 6:46 a.m. this morning. The auction began at 10:51 a.m. yesterday with three qualified bidders—stalking horse Kranos Intermediate Holding Corp., an affiliate of Platinum Equity of Beverly Hills, CA; Rawlings, and Two Point Conversion LLC.

Athleta, which GAP bought two years ago as a catalog/e-commerce business for $150 million, is now embarking on a brick & mortar expansion plan that has a target of 50 doors by the end of 2013.

The Titleist and FootJoy parent, whose $1.225 billion sale by Fortune Brands to a group that included Fila, benefited from a $180.3 million valuation allowance in the second quarter.

YY’s consolidated revenues in July rose 20% to $631,688,000 from $528,124,000.

The quarterly net loss at the TreadClimber parent shrunk 69% to $3,268,000 from a loss of $10,705,000 for the period ended June 30.

The outdoor industry emerged from the recession feeling pretty good about itself. Buttressed by The North Face Denali jackets and Ugg boots, they sailed through tough economic times relatively unscathed. Now that they were feeling a little economic wind at their backs, it was time to expand the breadth of their offerings and be bold in buying plans.

Net income rose 92% to $54,766,000 from $28,451,000 in the period ended Jan. 30. Top line grew 53% to $245,399,000 from $160,606,000 as comparable store sales rose 28% on a constant currency basis.

The prototype, which uses lightweight, energy managing materials to provide protection to the most vulnerable areas of the head, is made of expanded polystyrene polycarbonate that is attached to a liner and elastic strap.

Head will offer just under 200 million new shares to existing shareholders, more than twice the 88 million shares now outstanding.

Turning the corner toward the completion of his first year as president of Cobra-Puma Golf, a golf marriage that emerged in Spring 2010 via a Cobra acquisition from Fortune Brands, Bob Philion makes it clear the synergistic brands will service the global game both separately and jointly.

The net loss improved 77% to $861,000 versus a loss of $3,800,000 for the period ended Dec. 26.

Brighter days are ahead for the global game, which has suffered in recent years at during the global economic crisis from the number of U.S. rounds played to dollars spent on equipment, greens fees and related travel.

After three years of ownership, the K2, Völkl and Marker parent intends to increase its stake in Rossignol by converting a loan into shares in the French company that will raise its stake to 47% from 17%.

The broadly based improvement comes on top of an 83.8% gain in the aggregate market capitalization of the industry in 2010 after a 39.5% decline from 2008. Perhaps more interesting is that the global market capitalization of the 90 stocks reached $209.5 billion, exceeding the previous record of 2007 when the aggregate value was $184.6 billion.

The crown jewel of VF Corp., now at $1.4 billion in sales after growing at a CAGR of 23.7% since its 2002 acquisition, sees that pace of growth staying at a very strong 16.2% rate over the next five years as it expands geographically, builds strength in its new activities like performance, action sports and youth and increases its focus on Direct-to-Consumer activity globally.

Net income slipped 22% to $8,118,000 from $10,432,000 for the third quarter ended Jul. 1.

The bicycle unit generated a 25% gain in operating income to $21,274,000 from $17,009,000 for the period ended June 30.

Net income at the Chinese company was 927.3 million yuan ($143.5 mm) against 760.2 million yuan for the six months ended June 30. H1 turnover grew 29% to yuan 4,451.4 million ($688.6 mm) from yuan 3,453.1 million.

The 400-door action sports chain realized a 15.3% increase in same store sales for the four weeks ended Jan. 29. Total period sales were nearly 21% higher.

Bridgestone is moving forward with colored, performance golf balls and ski maker SP3i adds a new color story with eight limited-edition skis.

We ended 2010 with the economy still choppy, but the sporting goods industry enjoying its best year ever. Through nine months of the year, the 60 major public companies whose net profits we track were up a robust 98% compared to last year at just under $4.1 billion, easily a record for the period. That was certainly great leverage on sales increases that were in the high-single digits for all three quarters, and reflects the coincidence of a number of favorable factors that won’t be driving profits in 2011.

BWS adds four to the management team at its American Sporting Goods division, led by the appointment of James M. Hoff, formerly of Asics America, as VP of Sales across all ASG brands.

Despite the forecasted fourth quarter growth, there is mounting concern about future cargo growth into 2012.

Globeride, the former Daiwa Seiko, is now forecasting FY net income of ¥350 million ($4.4 mm) and annual turnover of ¥54.50 billion ($695.1 mm).

U.S. golf rounds were down in six of eight regions last year, although only three (Pacific, -4.3%; South Central, -3.3%; South Atlantic, -4.3%) had a decline larger than the aggregate fall-off of 2.3% for the 12 months.

Although the company reported better year-over-year market conditions for the golf segment, net income fell 41% to $2,924,000 from $4,923,000 for the period ended June 30.

The new doors will bring the national chain’s store count to 471 in 45 states.

Net income declined 20% to $1,485,000 from $1,862,000 for the period ended Jul. 9. But Escalade’s Q2 top line was 14% higher at $40,850,000 compared to $35,737,000.

The net loss was $973,000 against income of $473,000 for the period ended June 30. Gross margins plunged 470 b.p. to 46.9%.

Despite reporting a sluggish market for baseball, soccer and tennis products in its home market of Japan, Zett Corp. reported net income of ¥62 million ($760,000) against a loss of ¥42 million for the period ended June 30.

First Descents sued Eddie Bauer for trademark infringement today.

Industry veteran Jim Howard is the new VP of Salomon Apparel USA where he will develop the brand’s strategic direction with key distribution channels and work with the Ogden.

The football helmet maker and official supplier to the NFL through 2014 contends statements and allegations made by Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) to the Federal Trade Commission about its safety claims and marketing practices are “unfounded and unfair.”