Skechers Performance Extends Contract with World Class Marathoner, Meb
The Performance Footwear Brand to Sponsor Meb through 2023
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Skechers Performance, a division of Skechers USA, Inc. (NYSE:SKX), today announced the contract extension of world-class distance runner, Meb. Meb will continue as brand ambassador for Skechers Performance through 2023. Skechers Performance will remain Meb’s official footwear and apparel sponsor and continue to feature the elite marathoner in marketing campaigns as well as collaborate with Meb on footwear introductions.
Skechers Performance Elite Athlete, Meb, Wearing the Skechers GOrun Ride 5. (Photo: Business Wire)
Since launching performance footwear in 2011, Skechers Performance has built an award-winning line up of running shoes based on the philosophy of listening to runners’ needs and building the best shoes not only for athletes, but with athletes. This philosophy began when Skechers Performance launched the first GOrun shoe with Meb as the official brand ambassador and consultant.
“Skechers Performance has helped me achieve my goals over the past five years and the team’s support through all the highs and lows has been very consistent,” said Meb. “Being 40 years old and training for the Olympic Trials is a huge achievement and Skechers Performance has helped make this possible. They know what it means to be a partner and working with the brand to help create the best running shoes possible has been a rewarding experience. It’s not something many athletes have the opportunity to do.”
After joining Skechers Performance, Meb set a personal record (PR) at the 2011 New York Marathon, PR’d at the 2012 Olympic Trials in Houston and took fourth place at the 2012 Olympic Games. He then went on to set his current PR (2:08:37) and win the 2014 Boston Marathon at the age of 38, wearing his namesake Skechers GOmeb Speed 3. Meb is the only athlete in history to win the New York Marathon, the Boston Marathon and an Olympic Medal. Meb also currently holds the U.S. marathon masters record, which was set at the 2015 New York Marathon with his time of 2:13:32.
In 2016, sights are now set on Meb’s race at the upcoming Olympic Trials as he competes in the marathon for a spot on the U.S. team. Skechers Performance Elite Athlete, Kara Goucher, will also be competing for a spot on the women’s team. The trials will be held in Los Angeles on February 13th, the day before the Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon.
“Working with Meb has been an incredible journey and we are truly honored to have not only a star athlete on our team, but an inspirational person,” said Rick Higgins, SVP, Merchandising/Marketing, Skechers Performance. “Meb’s motivation is contagious. Anyone that has the pleasure of meeting him knows what I mean. He is a phenomenal role model, an essential ambassador to the sport, and a champion on and off the course. We are excited to continue working with Meb, as he has truly become a part of the Skechers family.”
From grassroots events to securing the title sponsorship of a major race such as the Los Angeles Marathon, Skechers Performance has continued to rapidly grow in the performance footwear market. Skechers USA is currently the second largest athletic footwear company in the U.S. and the Performance division’s steadfast commitment to running is evident not only via the Company’s athlete partnerships and marketing initiatives, but with the product innovation. The new spring 2016 performance footwear line reflects such innovations and is the most technologically advanced performance footwear from Skechers Performance to date.
Skechers Performance products are available in select specialty run stores, Skechers retail stores and on Skechers.com. Learn more at GOSkechers.com and follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/SkechersPerformance), Twitter (twitter.com/skechersGO) and Instagram (instagram.com/skechersperformance).
About SKECHERS USA, Inc.
SKECHERS USA, Inc., based in Manhattan Beach, California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle footwear for men, women and children, as well as performance footwear for men and women. SKECHERS footwear is available in the United States and over 120 countries and territories worldwide via department and specialty stores, more than 1,200 SKECHERS retail stores, and the Company’s e-commerce website. The Company manages its international business through a network of global distributors, joint venture partners in Asia, and 13 wholly-owned subsidiaries in Brazil, Canada, Chile, Japan, Latin America and throughout Europe. For more information, please visit skechers.com and follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/SKECHERS) and Twitter (twitter.com/SKECHERSUSA).
This announcement contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the Company’s future growth, financial results and operations, its development of new products, future demand for its products and growth across the Company’s three main business channels and globally, its planned expansion and opening of new stores, and advertising and marketing initiatives. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking language such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will result,” “could,” “may,” “might,” or any variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include international economic, political and market conditions including the uncertainty of sustained recovery in Europe; entry into the highly competitive performance footwear market; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory levels; losing any significant customers; decreased demand by industry retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products; maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of footwear for consumers; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2015. The risks included here are not exhaustive. The Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and the companies cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can the companies assess the impact of all such risk factors on their respective businesses or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance.
SKECHERS USA, Inc.
Jolene Abbott
310.318.3100 x 4839
jolenea@skechers.com
Source: SKECHERS USA, Inc.
Released Feb 8, 2016 • 10:15 am EST