Latest news with #Puma
India.com
4 hours ago
- Business
- India.com
Kohli rejected Rs 3000000000 renewal contract from this company and then...
In this collection of pictures we shall know why star India batter Virat Kohli rejected Rs 3000000000 renewal contract from a company and then where did he invest? Let's know about it. Virat Kohli got an offer of an endorsement deal with a huge amount of Rs 300 crore. However, Kohli has rejected this offer. These days Virat Kohli, who is busy in IPL 2025, is showing his strength on the field but is also active in his business off the field. Recently it was revealed that Kohli ended his 8-year-long relationship with German sportswear company PUMA. This journey of Virat Kohli and Puma started in 2017, when this giant company signed Virat Kohli, who was then the captain of Team India, for 8 years and gave him a huge amount of Rs 110 crore in return. Now in 2025, this deal between Virat Kohli and Puma has been completed and both have parted ways. However, a report has claimed that this giant company wanted to continue its contract with Kohli for the next 8 years and for this it had also offered a huge deal of Rs 300 crore to the star batsman. But Virat had made up his mind to start a new journey and hence rejected this offer of Puma. According to reports, now Virat Kohli is dealing with a new company Agilitas. The special thing is that Agilitas has been started by Abhishek Ganguly, former MD of Puma India and South-East Asia. He started this company in 2023 and now Kohli is preparing to start a partnership with him. Kohli started his own brand named One-Eight a few years ago and took it forward in collaboration with Puma. Now Kohli is planning to make his brand even bigger in collaboration with Agilitas. Team India's superstar Virat Kohli has made a huge investment of Rs 40 crore in Bengaluru based sports goods manufacturing company Agilitas. With this investment, the scope of his business portfolio has increased further. Kohli plans to increase his stake in the company by investing more in the coming time. With this investment, Kohli will now not only be the brand ambassador of the company, but will also play an important role in taking the company forward.
Business of Fashion
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business of Fashion
Can TikTok's ‘Shirtless Race' Become More than a Trend?
NEW YORK — For three days in May, 14,000 men and women stormed New York City's Pier 76, just west of Hudson Yards, many of them in various states of athletic undress — not to party, but certainly to sweat. They were there for what outsiders viewing from TikTok call 'the shirtless race,' and what is known to proponents as Hyrox, a strength-and-endurance fitness race that combines an eight kilometre run with eight functional workouts, including a 330-pound sled drag. Some athletes collapse from exhaustion at the finish line. The last 2024–2025 season attracted over 600,000 participants, who competed in over 80 races worldwide. (Courtesy) Yet, Hyrox has built a devoted and growing global following. Fitness influencer Eric Hinman, NFL tight end Darren Waller and actor Patrick Wilson were among those who competed during the New York event, which had a waitlist, according to Hyrox and its Swiss parent company Infront Sports & Media. The first race, held in 2017 in Hamburg, Germany, drew about 650 participants; the last 2024–2025 season attracted over 600,000, who competed in over 80 races worldwide, culminating in the World Championships in Chicago last week. By combining familiar functional movements like rowing and wall balls with running in an open-entry, festival-like marathon atmosphere, Hyrox has become the latest global fitness craze, with almost equal participation by men (52 percent) and women (48). In the past, millions of everyday gym-goers didn't have anything to work towards besides looking good and getting healthy. 'We gave them a definition [and competition] for what they were already doing,' said Moritz 'Mo' Fürste, who, along with Christian Toetzke, co-founded the company in 2017. ADVERTISEMENT Each athlete paid anywhere from $70 to over $200 to participate. While company reps declined to disclose revenue figures, Fürste shared on a Business of Sport podcast earlier this year that the average entry fee is around €130 ($150), putting its annual ticket sales revenue at roughly $90 million. They also generate revenue from event brand sponsors like Redbull, a constellation of 8,000 gyms that pay up to $150 a month to be its affiliates, spectator tickets and partnerships with brands like Puma, which sells co-branded products at the events, its stores and third-party retail partners. 'There's a real loyalty from participants to support the brands that are involved with Hyrox,' said Erin Longin, Puma's vice president of running and training. 'It's really helping us reach more consumers that way.' As the social distancing era fades, athletes are seeking community-driven fitness beyond the walls of traditional gyms. (Courtesy) Hyrox arrives at an opportune moment. As the social distancing era fades, athletes are seeking community-driven fitness beyond the walls of traditional gyms. With its stickiness and built-in social media appeal, Hyrox has the makings of a spectator sport like a marathon or a triathlon. Still, like any sport, it needs to continually find ways to keep its athletes and audiences engaged to avoid becoming another fleeting fad. Off to the Races Hyrox isn't the first strength-and-endurance race out of the blocks. In the 2010s, cultish CrossFit peaked with 415,000 participants in their 2018 Games, and rugged adventure Spartan Race saw 1.3 million participants each year at its height. But most CrossFit Games participants competed in their local affiliate gyms (called 'boxes'), and most Spartan Races were held in far-flung locations without mass-level audiences. During the pandemic, both saw declines in participation. On the surface, Hyrox follows the same formula, but with accessible twists: Athletes can compete in various division such as singles, doubles and relay teams, allowing different ability levels to take part. The format is also simpler. Unlike other races with their involved scoring systems, whoever finishes Hyrox first wins, and the standardized workouts make it a straightforward race for time. 'There is this repetitive combination of things that you have to do, which makes it stickier,' said Fürste. The challenge of completing the race is a draw, allowing participants to not only compete against one another but their own personal records. 'The endorphins you get from doing something that hard are insanely rewarding, and that sense of accomplishment is worth chasing and repeating,' added Heber Cannon, a fitness filmmaker. Hyrox also stages its events in some of the world's biggest media markets in some of the most picturesque locations — New York's Pier 76, Paris' Grand Palais and Singapore's Marina Bay Sands — where everyday athletes and professionals compete in front of packed crowds and seas of iPhones recording their every move. Fürste said the organic growth in participation coincided with the organic growth on social media too. In the past twenty months, views on Hyrox-related terms have surged 654 percent on TikTok, according to a cultural analytics firm. In the month following its first major co-branded product collection with Puma in January, Puma x Hyrox mentions generated $537,000 in media impact value, said data analytics firm Launchmetrics. ADVERTISEMENT And products from the Puma x Hyrox collection sold out within hours of the New York event opening its doors. 'We almost can't figure out the right stock levels to have at these events, because each event just keeps outdoing the last,' said Longin. Tribe Check Behind the social media hype, Hyrox's growth is driven by its 8,000 (and growing) partner gyms, which Fürste called 'the backbone of its ever-expanding global community.' He explained how Hyrox has, in some ways, solved problems for the crowded traditional gym industry, where many businesses compete for fickle consumers solely based on price and convenience. 'It's very difficult for a gym, usually, to create a strong community,' he said. Most are built for solo experiences and feel outdated in a moment where people are craving more social fitness activities, as evidenced by the rise of running clubs and climbing gyms. Even sportswear giants like Nike are noting the behavioural shift — the US company has begun to open Nike Studios, group fitness gyms designed to foster community workouts, starting with a Southern California location in 2023. Competitors run at Hyrox. (Courtesy) After the social distancing era, Magida noticed that people wanted to be connected with each other more than ever. When he launched a Hyrox program in his gym in 2021, 'it revitalised the community, and people were talking to each other, and there was culture forming because people were training with purpose,' said Magida. 'There were more high-fives and hugs than ever before.' Within two years of being a Hyrox partner, he saw a 40 percent increase in his business. Ruben Belliard, who runs The Training Lab in New York City — one of the most competitive markets for gyms — saw his membership jump up to 15 percent in the first year after partnering with Hyrox. In his 17 years in the fitness business, he's seen plenty of fitness trends come and go. 'The next evolution is going to be hybrid training like Hyrox,' he said. 'People want to be able to run fast and be strong at the same time, where, typically, in the past, it was one or the other.' For the upcoming season, which starts next month, many races — in Singapore, Sydney, London — have already sold out, often in minutes of being announced. 'I think it's still in that building phase, building awareness, building participation,' said Longin, noting the previous season's awareness wasn't as widespread. Now the company is preparing to scale further to keep up with growing demand by planning to add more cities and race days. 'The next evolution is going to be hybrid training like Hyrox,' Ruben Belliard said. (Courtesy) But long-term staying power is far from guaranteed. 'It's been proven that people will always train for marathons. People will always train for those types of things,' added Vennare. 'But Hyrox needs to make sure to keep its brand and the competition exciting and fun so that people don't get sick of it.'
India.com
11 hours ago
- Business
- India.com
Not just brand ambassador, Virat Kohli invests Rs 400000000 to become co-owner of THIS company
Virat Kohli, once the face of Puma, is now the brand ambassador of Agilitas. He has also invested Rs 40 crore in the company, becoming an active stakeholder. Cricketer Virat Kohli has invested Rs 40 crore rupees in manufacture of sports goods company Agilitas. Besides becoming one of the major investors, Kohli is to be the brand ambassador of the company. It was established by Abhishek Ganguly, a former Managing Director of Puma India, and has drawn investment by former cricketer Yuvraj Singh as well. Kohli has emerged as an active partner at Agilitas and he is likely to continue investing in future. His affiliation would drive sales, brand value, and market worth of the company, and could potentially enhance the price of his share as well. However, Kohli and Agilitas have not made any official statement over the investment yet. Under the investment arrangement, Kohli has been given about 3.6 lakh Class 2 Compulsorily Convertible Preference Shares (CCPS) that will turn over time into equity shares. Reports add that this is merely the initial installment of Kohli contribution, and capital will still be contributed in the following phase. Agilitas intends to establish an integrated full-scale sports chain involving manufacturing to selling. Acquisitions are another strategy the company follows, eyeing the possibilities to acquire a business capable of offering services which are not offered by Agilitas. This vision makes the company one of the leaders of the future in sportswear and sporting goods market. In 2017, Kohli signed a highly profitable 110-crores eight-years endorsement contract with Puma. The deal was arranged by Abhishek Ganguly alone. But Kohli decided not to renew the contract before it expires in 2025 and has signed up with Ganguly Agilitas, a new business. Agilitas bought Mochiko Shoes, a corporate shoemaker of global brands, such as Adidas, Puma, Skechers, and Reebok, in 2023. It has obtained licensing rights of Lotto brand in India and at some international markets as well. The firm will introduce three new brands and one of the brands will be a personal brand of Virat Kohli, One8. This is as Kohli keeps expanding his portfolio investing in more than 10 startups such as Digit Insurance, MPL, and Wrogn.
Daily Record
19 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Record
JOHN MURDOCH'S DRIVE TIME: We sample the Puma Crossover and share details on Suzuki's e Vitara launch
The Puma is fun to drive, economical and practical as well as having stylish looks. In this instalment of John Murdoch's Drive Time, John samples Ford's biggest seller - the stylish Puma Crossover - which proves to be an ideal family car, and shares details on Suzuki's launch of its first EV - the e Vitara. The Ford Puma has been one of the UK's top selling cars since it first arrived on the scene over five years ago. It is Ford's best seller, taking over from the popular Fiesta and it also sells well throughout mainland Europe. I have sampled just about every version of it since it started to make an impact and it is a Crossover I still like. It brought something new to the party when it was launched and it rightly met with deserved praise for its style and innovative features. The Puma is also fun to drive, economical and practical as well as having stylish looks. It has some neat touches, like the pouncing Puma that appears in the dash when you press the starter button or as a puddle light in the dark. It stands out from the rest of the small crossover crowd because there is plenty of room for four to travel in comfort and you can pack in five for shorter journeys. A smart steering wheel houses the usual push-button controls while the dashboard layout is typical Ford with a central display screen for connectivity and sat nav but it also comes fitted with a smart TFT instrument cluster and a huge amount of equipment. The seats are very comfortable and fully adjustable and there is good all-round visibility. As in all Fords, the switches and controls are clear and easy to read and use. A Quickclear heated windscreen is ideal for winter motoring and there is a decent sound system as well as Ford SYNC 3 navigation and full smart phone integration. On the practical side the Puma boasts impressive carrying capacity. The boot is large for a car of this size and comes complete with Ford's MegaBox. This is an 80-litre storage space which lies beneath the split level boot floor and is ideal for carrying wet sports equipment, muddy wellies or anything else that is liable to cause a mess. It has a drain plug at the bottom and can be hosed out afterwards. If you need even more space you can collapse the split-folding rear seats to get class-leading room. This flagship ST sporty version costing £33,260, sits at the top of the range and has a 1.0-litre EcoBoost three cylinder petrol engine linked to mild hybrid technology and is good for 170ps. Digital Aqua Blue paint adds £800 to the tab and if you want the Track Pack it will cost you another £1050. It takes just 7.4 seconds to tackle the sprint to 62mph before going on to a top speed of 130mph. According to the official figures it is capable of as much as 55.4mpg with a low figure of 39.2mpg and I averaged over 48mpg during many miles of mixed driving. You get lots of advanced driver assistance aids like cruise control and pre-collision assist plus lane departure warning and handy drive modes for Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Trail conditions. You also get autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian/cyclist detection and hill start assist This model features exclusive 19-inch alloys, privacy glass, front fog lights with cornering lights and LED rear lamps. The kit list wants for nothing and you get a wireless charging pad, B&O sound system, Ford performance scuff plates, an ST flat bottomed steering wheel, red brake callipers, Ford performance seats as well as ST suspension to cope with the extra power. I liked this Puma and it was a fun car to drive with great handling and a more than decent ride even with the sports suspension. Stylish, practical, economical and entertaining, the Puma ticks all the boxes and it is also good value for money especially in the more modest versions. FAST FACTS: Price: £33,260. Mechanical: 170ps, 998cc, 3cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 7 speed automatic gearbox. Max speed: 130mph. 0-62mph: 7.4 seconds. Insurance group: 19. CO2 emissions: 136g/km. Bik rating: 37 per cent. Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles. Overall rating (out of 5): 4.5. Meanwhile, Suzuki's first electric car will arrive later this year with the e Vitara priced from £29,999 for a 49kWh battery model. The e Vitara will be available in both Motion and Ultra grades as well offering ALLGRIP-e as an option - Suzuki's all-new four-wheel drive system - with the five vehicle range topping out from £37,799. ALLGRIP-e has been developed specifically for e Vitara and Suzuki is currently one of only a few brands to offer 4x4 as an option in the SUV EV sector. Suzuki has a vast experience of 4x4 technology and celebrates 55 years of ALLGRIP this year. Further specification and technical details of the e Vitara range will be issued closer to the public launch date. Buyers looking at finance options will see the e Vitara available from launch with zero per cent PCP, payable over two years and with a 20 per cent deposit. With the 61kWh Motion 2WD as an example, a deposit of £8,436 is required followed by monthly payments of £379 per month with the usual optional final payment required to keep the car at the end of the agreement. As an additional and attractive offer for customers ordering their e Vitara before September 30, Suzuki will provide a free Ohme home charger along with 10,000 miles of home charging credit. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here. And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.
RTÉ News
21 hours ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Nike shares rally as turnaround takes shape amid tariff woes
Nike shares surged 10% in premarket trading today as an encouraging forecast and plans to reduce China production for US-bound goods bolstered confidence in an ongoing turnaround effort at the sportswear giant. Major US brands have spent years shifting away from Chinese factories as political tensions between Washington and Beijing escalated, but President Donald Trump's latest import tariffs are pushing companies to hasten their retreat. Nike plans to cut the percentage of US-bound goods made in China to a "high single-digit percentage range" by the end of May 2026. China currently accounts for about 16% of the shoes it imports into the United States. Trump's sweeping tariffs could also add around $1 billion to Nike's costs, executives said on Thursday, after the company posted its worst sales decline in roughly five years but gave a better-than-feared revenue forecast for the first quarter. "There was basically no profit, China was down 20%, that's not a good result... But as usual, the markets are pricing in what's coming and not what has been in the results," said Simon Jaeger, portfolio manager at Flossbach von Storch in Cologne, Germany, which holds shares in Nike. A lot of the focus was also on how Nike's running segment was bouncing back from a stretch of sluggish demand. The recovery was partly thanks to new CEO Elliott Hill's efforts to claw back market share in the running space with new launches. Nike has invested in running shoe and sneaker lines such as Pegasus and Vomero, and cut its stock of older models including the Air Force 1 and Air Jordan 1 through discounts. Hill is also looking to rekindle relationships with wholesale partners and expand its presence in more physical retailers as part of the wider revamp. "We think longer-term investors can now start to rotate back into the stock as one of the biggest potential turnarounds in consumer," analysts at Evercore ISI said in a note. Its results also helped shares of German peers Adidas and Puma and London-listed sportswear retailer JD Sports between 3% and 7%. "Nike executives also said they were nearly done with clearing out old inventory, which is a relief for Adidas, Puma, and JD Sports, who were having to compete with aggressive discounting from the bigger sportswear brand," Jaeger said. Nike shares are down 17.4% so far this year, while its 12-month forward price-to-earnings ratio is 1.90, compared with 1.58 and 0.64 for Adidas and Puma, respectively.
