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.
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.
Contacts
SKECHERS USA, Inc.
Jolene Abbott
310.318.3100 x 4839
jolenea@skechers.com
