Sports & Outdoors | Wearables Win With Events: Xiaomi’s Playbook For Loyalty

Sports & Outdoors

Here’s what’s happening this week in the world of sports and outdoors:
- Xiaomi turns runs into wearable loyalty engine.
- AI moves from pilots to operations across fitness.
- WNC outdoor rebuilds via cross-business collaboration.
- Osprey teases Spring ’26; comfort + sustainability lead.
- Yahoo x Liquid Death gamify fantasy with survival twist.

⏱️ Why Your Attribution Model Might Be Leading You Astray

At eTail Boston 2025, Fospha’s Chief Product Officer Dom Devlin joined leaders from Ahold Delhaize, Fleet Feet and Bonsai to tackle one of marketing’s most expensive blind spots: how brands measure performance across channels.

Too many brands still skew budgets toward the final click - because that’s the only place their reporting gives them certainty, all while under-funding the demand generation that actually drives long-term growth. Fleet Feet’s Tiffany Lee shared how cutting upper-funnel spend for just eight months saw new customer acquisition drop sharply, only recovering once awareness campaigns were restored.

Dom added another layer: the marketplace blind spot. Fospha’s data shows 42% of Amazon sales are influenced by non-Amazon ads - yet most reporting tools treat those sales as “organic,” meaning the channels that triggered the purchase never get the credit. Without that visibility, key growth drivers are left under-invested.

This is where Fospha’s Halo capability comes in - bringing DTC and marketplace sales into one Unified ROAS metric. It allows brands to see the true impact of channels like TikTok, Meta, and YouTube across all revenue streams, not just their own sites, and make confident, evidence-based decisions about where to spend next.

🔎 Read the full session insights to see all the panel’s takeaways on full-funnel measurement and closing marketplace gaps

📥️ Explore Fospha’s Halo Report to uncover how brands like Nécessaire used it to beat their Prime Day benchmarks by 47%

📌WEEKLY MUST-KNOWS

WEARABLES ECOSYSTEM
Xiaomi’s Wearables Strategy: Events As Ecosystem Lock-In
Xiaomi tied the Smart Band 10 launch to its POP Run 2025 fitness event, using app-synced challenges and HyperOS integration to convert trial into ecosystem lock-in; wearables shipments rose 44% in Q1. The play shifts growth from one-off hardware to recurring, data-driven engagement and services—blending pricing, accessories, and events to expand lifetime value. Fitness platforms, retailers, and brands competing in connected gear are directly affected as community-led adoption becomes a core GTM motion.

PRODUCT RELEASE
Osprey’s Spring 2026 Collection Focuses On Comfort And Sustainability
Osprey has unveiled its Spring 2026 collection, focusing on comfort, performance, and sustainability for all types of travelers. The range includes upgraded technical packs, versatile travel bags, and eco-conscious materials, with innovations aimed at improving fit, durability, and environmental impact. Designed for adventurers, commuters, and casual travelers alike, the collection blends functional design with Osprey’s ongoing commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.

RETAIL OPERATIONS
How The Western North Carolina Outdoor Industry Is Recovering Nearly A Year Post-Helene
Western North Carolina outdoor operators Second Gear, Pirani, Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins, and Asheville Wellness Tours are coordinating recovery and demand generation nearly a year after Tropical Storm Helene. The collaboration models a local-first approach—bundled experiences, cross-promotions, and community events—to stabilize cash flow and rebuild tourism in climate-affected markets. Regional retailers, hospitality partners, and municipal DMOs are key participants; suppliers should support with flexible terms and on-the-ground activations.

⚡QUICK READS

Zendaya And On Debut Cloudzone Moon Sneaker: On’s Zendaya-led Cloudzone Moon blends performance tech with couture—signal that celebrity capsules are expanding lifestyle TAM and creating halo demand beyond run specialty.(More)

Yahoo Sports And Liquid Death Launch Survival-Style Fantasy: Media–CPG mashup builds high-stakes fantasy football with dark humor—an effective pre-season acquisition and social content engine for sports media and challenger brands.(More)

ClickZ is a ClickZ Media publication in the DTC eCommerce division