LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Recently announced as Official Footwear Sponsor of the 2022 Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships, Skechers, The Comfort Technology Company™, has expanded its reach in the fast-growing sport by signing two of the top-ranked players in the world—Tyson McGuffin and Catherine Parenteau. The two athletes, who have been wearing Skechers Pickleball footwear and Skechers branded apparel on court, will be making their official debut as Skechers Brand Ambassadors starting Sunday, April 24, at the US OPEN in Naples, Florida, as they compete in individual brackets, and for the first time together as a mixed doubles team.
“Skechers may be new to our sport, but their designers delivered with the Skechers Viper Court featuring all the comfort and performance that I need,” said Catherine Parenteau. “I was able to get a few matches in already and they are unparalleled in both traction and stability. This is just the beginning for Skechers and pickleball and I am so excited to be able to partner with my fellow Skechers athlete Tyson at the US OPEN.”
"Pickleball is one of the best sports in the world, so to have an iconic brand like Skechers moving full speed ahead is incredible and it’s an honor to be part of this launch,” said Tyson McGuffin. “Working with the Skechers team to build the shoe I'll be wearing was awesome—being front row to see how the technology and innovation come together. I look forward to competing at the US OPEN in Naples, one of the biggest events of the year, meeting and interacting with all the fans and, of course, winning gold!"
“Building on our experience in the performance running and golf space, we knew it was essential to partner with top pickleball athletes to launch Skechers Viper Court at the US OPEN,” said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers. “Tyson and Catherine are both exciting players at the top of their game who we are certain will help illustrate how Skechers is dedicated to this fun and accessible sport with our signature comfort and performance that players at any level will appreciate.”
Catherine Parenteau, previously a top-five junior tennis player in Canada, is now ranked number two in women's singles and women's doubles, as well as number four in mixed doubles. Recent titles include 2021 US Open Champion, 2021 The Masters Champion, and 2021 PPA Championships Champion. Catherine holds 9 PPA Titles and is a 40-time PPA Medalist. She has also started her own teaching academy, the CP Pickleball Academy.
Tyson McGuffin is a two-time US Open Champion and five-time National Champion, who holds five PPA Titles and a Triple Crown. A former 5.5-ranked tennis player turned pickleball star, Tyson is currently playing on the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour. Tyson currently holds the number four ranking in men's pro doubles, number two ranking in men's singles and number five ranking in mixed doubles. McGuffin is extremely involved in all areas of pickleball and is an incredible ambassador for the sport. He runs clinics all over the country, releases instructional videos, teaches, and promotes pickleball as a game that anyone can learn and enjoy.
The first pickleball footwear shoe from Skechers brings the brand’s signature comfort and innovation to the court. The Viper Court provides responsive performance in a breathable, lightweight design. The enhanced grip and stability of the Goodyear® rubber outsole paired with a shock-absorbing Arch Fit® insole deliver comfort and support, match after match.
Through its multi-year partnership with the US OPEN Pickleball Championships, Skechers will provide footwear to all volunteer captains at the event. Additionally, Skechers will be onsite at the tournament with an expo booth so that fans and athletes can experience and purchase Skechers Pickleball footwear as well as off-court styles. The Skechers Viper Court will be available at select Skechers retail stores and skechers.com starting in May, as well as key retail partners and specialty shops.
About SKECHERS USA, Inc.
Skechers USA, Inc. (NYSE:SKX), The Comfort Technology Company™ based in Southern California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The Company’s collections are available in the United States and over 180 countries and territories via department and specialty stores, and direct to consumers through 4,306 Company and third-party-owned retail stores and e-commerce websites. The Company manages its international business through a network of global distributors, joint venture partners in Asia, Israel and Mexico, and wholly-owned subsidiaries in Canada, Japan, India, Europe and Latin America. For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
About the US OPEN Pickleball Championships
Spirit Promotions is responsible for creating and running the Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida. The OPEN was founded in 2016. The 7-day event is a world class, international event, which attracts the best players in the sport, as well as Pickleball enthusiasts of all ages and ability levels. More than 2,800 professionals and amateurs from 49 states and 25 countries ages 8-87 are registered to compete in the 2022 Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships from April 23-30. The OPEN is known as the Biggest Pickleball Party in the World.
About Goodyear
Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 72,000 people and manufactures its products in 57 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.
This announcement contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, Skechers’ future domestic and international growth, financial results and operations including expected net sales and earnings, its development of new products, future demand for its products, its planned domestic and international expansion, opening of new stores and additional expenditures, 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 the disruption of business and operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic; delays or disruptions in our supply chain; international economic, political and market conditions including the challenging consumer retail markets in the United States; 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, especially in the highly competitive performance footwear market; 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 Skechers’ annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. More specifically, the COVID-19 pandemic has had and is currently having a significant impact on Skechers’ business, financial conditions, cash flow and results of operations. Forward-looking statements with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic include, without limitation, Skechers’ plans in response to this pandemic. At this time, there is significant uncertainty about the COVID-19 pandemic, including without limitation, (i) the duration and extent of the impact of the pandemic, (ii) governmental responses to the pandemic, including how such responses could impact Skechers’ business and operations, as well as the operations of its factories and other business partners, (iii) the effectiveness of Skechers’ actions taken in response to these risks, and (iv) Skechers’ ability to effectively and timely adjust its plans in response to the rapidly changing retail and economic environment. Taking these and other risk factors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic into consideration, the dynamic nature of these circumstances means that what is stated in this press release could change at any time, and as a result, actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. The risks included here are not exhaustive. Skechers operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and we cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all such risk factors on our business 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.
