FORMULA4 MEDIA

Run Safety Spotlighting products that help runners be seen and be safe. The Nomad Clip Light from Noxgear offers a wide-beam, true 500 lumen output light and clips to clothing and accessories while staying stable. Feeling safe when going on a run can range from focusing on being visible and protected from the elements to being aware of personal safety.

Sneakers Making movement a priority with high-performing, stylish sneakers. Back in the 1830s, canvas shoes with rubber soles were created to walk on sand. About 30 years later, croquet players began wearing rubber-soled shoes. With innovators catching on to the idea into the 1900s, sneakers were adapted to multiple sports including basketball, running and tennis. Through it all, interest in healthy feet and ease of movement has remained intact. Today’s everyday sneakers have evolved tremendously.

SHOP TALK Independent retailers weigh in on hot topics. With the Summer Solstice in the rearview mirror, we reached out to independent shoe retailers to get their respective takes on four key issues – Artificial Intelligence, Store Technology, Tariffs, and their Back-To-School business.

Brands deliver on performance & versatility without compromises. Meeting the demand for all-day comfort is the top task for boot brands in today’s marketplace, where consumers expect their footwear to perform around the clock. Boots are being worn across multiple settings, from the job site to everyday life. Meeting this expectation means delivering solutions that refuse to sacrifice on performance, fit or aesthetics.

One-On-One PROJECT Strength in numbers. A conversation with Alli Sports as it merges four dealers into one unified business. Rhett Johnson (left) and Josh Baker believe their business is stronger now that four team dealers are operating as one entity — and it is a path other dealers may want to follow.

BASKETBALL 2026 Hoopsters have to look good to play great this season. Momentec Brands Clutch Player The Chromagear Clutch reversible basketball jersey from Momentec Brands is a premium sublimated uniform made from 100 percent heavyweight polyester mock mesh. It features a modern scoop neck, breathable performance fabric, full-color sublimation and an exterior locker label for a professional finishing touch. CHAMPRO FORWARD THINKING Peak play. Peak style.

BASEBALL/SOFTBALL Exploring the role of LLB, PONY and Babe Ruth in the future of softball and baseball. Three of the established governing bodies for fast-pitch softball in the U.S. are Little League International (Williamsport, PA), PONY Baseball & Softball (Washington, PA), and Babe Ruth League, Inc. (Hamilton, NJ).

BASKETBALL 2026 Insight into the brands and styles today’s youth basketball players want. Team Insight went around the country to gain first-person thoughts and advice for dealers and vendors. Their answers are both predictable and surprising. One hint: Ballers really like Nike.

BASEBALL/SOFTBALL Dealers shine with the diamond sports as softball and baseball take the field. SFIA reports momentum in equipment sales, with baseball and softball again ranking among the fastest-growing established sporting goods categories in wholesale growth. To use a diamond sports cliché, baseball and softball are rounding third and heading for home when it comes to overall participation, sales and viewership.

Shop Talk Checking in with three retailers: ELM Active, Randy’s Shoes and The Walk Shop. Transitions into independent shoe retail ownership come in many forms. For some, like ELM Shoes and ELM Active in Greencastle, PA, the two retail formats are fifth-generation, family-owned businesses that began on wheels in 1943.