Puma SE, which intends to spend 11-11.5 percent of annual revenues on marketing, says it has shifted dollars to basketball and away from Classics as other brands, including New Balance and And1, reportedly eye the basketball category dominated by Nike.

CEO Bjorn Gulden, who cited a slowdown in the pace of retro styles, told analysts that the brand’s push into basketball that starts in North America in October before moving elsewhere around the globe in 2019, gives the brand more access to shelf space. The Cat, which is targeting 30 percent year-over-year growth in EBIT to more than $361 million, has 5-6 NBA players signed to contracts with plans to sign more before the season begins. Brand endorser Jay-Z will help Puma connect to the “language of basketball” through language, attitude and concepts through the people he’s connected to, but “He won’t be standing there with a shoe,” Gulden told analysts. In Q2, Puma Americas’ revenues grew nearly 19 percent currency-adjusted to nearly $440 million and rose 17.2 percent currency adjusted to $844.9 million for the six months ended June 30. Half-year footwear sales were up 13.5 percent in euros to the equivalent of $1.27 billion and 8.0 percent in apparel to the equivalent of $831.7 million.

Elsewhere,

• Under Armour continues with its overall strategy, which will SKU rationalization and a shift to a 16-month go-to-market calendar instead of 21 months. The company is promising to get its inventory levels in check by the end of 2018 to an increase of low-single digits, down from an 11 percent increase at Q2 end and high-single digits at the end of Q3. UA is now forecasting $190-210 million in annual restructuring charges, up from an earlier estimate of $110-130 million pre-tax, as it focuses on long-term contract and facility costs and lease terminations to generate $75 million or more in annual savings in FY19 and beyond. Second quarter North American revenues rose 1.6 percent to $843.4 million as the quarterly operating loss hit $93.2 million. The company’s current FY18 outlook calls for 3-4 percent top line growth with international up more than 25 percent. Footwear sales are forecast to expand low-single digits; apparel to rise mid-single digits.

• Deckers’ focus on taking its UGG brand toward younger consumers over the last 18-24 months includes new distribution in the Foot Locker-owned Footaction and SIX:02 banners, Urban Outfitters and ASOS. It will mark the first fall that UGG has been available in a FL banner. In Q1, DECK exceeded the high end of its sales guidance by $16 million with a 19 percent year-over-year gain to $251 million. UGG sales lifted 19 percent higher to $136 million, bolstered by double-digit improvement for women’s sandals and sneakers. Hoka One One, fueled by shelf space and market share increases, generated a 53 percent quarterly sales gain to $47 million.

Brunswick is forecasting low-single digit sales growth in fitness in FY18 with Q3 expansion exceeding Q4 performance due to changes in the company’s relationship with Planet Fitness. The Life Fitness parent, which continues to forecast a spin-off of its fitness segment by the end of Q1/19, has seen a stabilizing operating performance as it has forged technology-enhanced partnerships with Retro Fitness, Apple and Orangetheory Fitness. In Q2, fitness segment sales rose 0.7 percent to $252.2 million with consumer fitness sales (8 percent of segment) up 3 percent and consumer cardio sales (56 percent of segment) down 3 percent on continued weakness in Cybex sales. The overall fitness business, which generated a 2.2 percent increase in H1 revenues to $496.6 million, suffered lower Q2 margins due to higher freight costs, cost inflation and inefficiencies and unfavorable impact from changes in sales mix. New products coupled with new console and technology enhancements are forecast to stimulate consumer demand in H2.

Meanwhile, Brunswick Fitness rival Nautilus last week introduced its new Bowflex LateralX trainer, a consumer cardio machine that strengthens and activates muscles with side-to-side, push-and-pull and stand-and-squat motions that target the arms, back, hips and core. NLS says the new trainer, unlike traditional ellipticals, moves in three dimensions to mimic everyday activities for a low-impact, total body workout. LateralX buyers gain access to 20 different, 30-minute workout videos with Bowflex fitness trainers via a free companion app. Three models with different feature sets range from $1,999 to $2,999 retail.

361 Degrees hires footwear industry veteran Issac “Ike” Alvear as head of sales. The former Hoka One One, Nike and Asics executive starts his new position on Aug. 1.

ClassPass raises $85 million in its latest round of venture capital funding to bring its VC total to $255 million. The New York fitness company, which has 10 percent of its 10,000 studios worldwide in the Big Apple, has members in 26 states and 50 countries, charging NYC members $45 to $160 monthly for a variety of fitness classes.

Converse loses a nine-year-old lawsuit to Sporttrading Holland with a court ruling the Nike-owned company wrongfully seized the Dutch company’s entire inventory on grounds it was selling counterfeit All Stars. Subsequent to that action, Sporttrading and its affiliates filed for bankruptcy protection. According to a statement from the company, which is now part of RNF Holding, damages in the case could amount to tens of millions of euros.

Genius Sports Group, a sports data technology company, is being acquired from its founders, management and Three Hills Capital Partners by Apax Partners. Financial terms of the transaction, expected to close in Q3, were not disclosed. Under terms of the transaction, GSG’s management team will remain intact and retain a minority stake in the company. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in London, GSG currently has its software used by more than 300 sports bodies to collect and distribute in-game statistics, including Major League Baseball, the English Premier League and PGA Tour, to identify, combat and prevent betting-related corruption.

Iconix Brand Group strikes a cooperation agreement with Sports Direct Intl., parent of Bob’s Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports, allowing SPD to appoint two to its board. Justin Barnes and James Marcum will serve on the ICON board until the company’s 2018 annual meeting when the duo will be nominated for the board again.