Sporting Goods
Sporting goods retailers and outdoor recreation stores
PE-Owned Brands
Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP)
Owned by Bain Capital
Bain Capital led the acquisition of Bombardier's recreational products division (Ski-Doo, Sea-Doo, Can-Am) for $875M in 2003. BRP went public in 2013. One of Bain's more successful exits.
Eastern Outfitters (Bob's Stores / Eastern Mountain Sports)
Owned by Versa Capital Management
Holding company for Bob's Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports, formed by private equity firm Versa Capital Management after its Vestis Retail Group filed Chapter 11 in 2016; Eastern Outfitters itself filed Chapter 11 in February 2017 and was sold to Sports Direct.
Fanatics
Owned by General Atlantic
General Atlantic is a major investor in Fanatics, the licensed sports merchandise and trading card company. Fanatics acquired Topps' trading card business in 2022 for $500M, displacing Topps' 70-year contracts with MLB and NFL. Some collectors report pricing increases and quality declines in the trading card market post-acquisition.
Golfsmith
Golf equipment retailer founded in 1967, merged with OMERS-owned Golf Town in 2012, filed Chapter 11 in September 2016 and sold its US stores to Dick's Sporting Goods, which converted them or closed them by the end of that year.
L.A.B. Golf
Owned by L Catterton
Premium putter brand built around Lie Angle Balance (L.A.B.) technology — a physics-based design that eliminates torque at impact. Founded in Lincoln, Nebraska by Sam Hahn. Acquired by L Catterton (LVMH's PE arm) in November 2024. L Catterton's typical playbook — applied to Birkenstock and other premium consumer brands — involves international expansion and brand repositioning toward higher price points.
Sports Authority
Owned by Leonard Green & Partners
LBO loaded massive debt preventing e-commerce investment. All 463 stores liquidated in 2016. 14,000 jobs lost.