Several major sporting goods brands have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the past few years.
Bob’s Stores, Next Adventure and Moosejaw are all closing in 2025, while Eastern Mountain Sports has closed many locations. Eddie Bauer is currently closing its stores in the United States, while Orvis has closed more than 35 stores.
Pickleball, however, is a huge coming-of-age story.
According to USChamber.com, “an estimated 48.3 million Americans played pickleball (a combination of table tennis and tennis) at least once in the past 12 months, a 35% increase in the past six months alone.”
This generated a lot of sales, but the sport’s growth was not enough to sustain Gamma Sports, a retailer specializing in the wholesale and retail of paddle sports equipment and apparel.
The company has filed for creditor protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
Gamma Sports’ history dates back to 1965, two years before the founding of Pickleball.
“The company, headquartered in the Isle of Hell, sells pickleball, tennis and cricket equipment and related apparel online and through retailers. The company was founded in 1963 by nuclear engineer Harry Ferrari, an avid tennis player who developed a patented irradiation process to improve synthetic strings in tennis rackets. As its popularity grew, the company’s website focused more on pickleball products,” reports the Pittsburgh Business Times.
Despite its growing pickleball business, the company filed for bankruptcy.
“Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States for the fourth year in a row,” confirms the 2025 Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Engagement Report. “In 2024, 19.8 million Americans will participate in pickleball, an increase of 45.8% from 2023 and an incredible 311% increase from three years ago.”
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Company owned Assets between US$1 million and US$10 million and liabilities US$1 million to US$10 million.
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Among its 20 largest non-internal creditors, Three of them owe more than $100,000. Tri-Great International Ltd., a wholesale supplier of tennis equipment, is owed $152,701; grip manufacturer Mingxing Leather Co., Ltd. is owed $126,065; and tennis ball manufacturer Zhejiang Tianlong Group Co., Ltd. is owed $102,115.
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Gamma is expressed in voluntary padding as Jason Ott and Gillian Nolan Snyder Frost Brown Todd is located in the heart of the city.
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Case number: 2:26-bk-20738, Bankruptcy Court of Western Pennsylvania
Source: PacerMonitor
The law firm did not respond to a request from the Pittsburgh Business Times for comment on the proceedings.
“Gamma had total sales of approximately $14.23 million in 2024 and a loss of approximately $3.26 million,” the business magazine reported, according to tax forms that are part of the Chapter 11 petition.
While Gamma Sports operates as a wholesaler online, the sporting goods retailer has struggled in brick-and-mortar stores, which may have affected the company’s sales to partners.
David Swartz, senior equity analyst at Morningstar Research Services, told The Washington Post, “Over the past two decades, mall store shoppers have lost ground to independent and online operations, a trend that is also reflected in the sporting goods space.”
More sporting goods fights:
Supply chain issues and consumer confidence are also having a broad impact on the retail industry, McKinsey data shows.
The consultancy said: “For the first time since the global epidemic began to abate, we are seeing consumers becoming more pessimistic than optimistic. Our consumer surveys in the United States and Europe show that concerns about the prospects for economic recovery have increased significantly and are now higher than during the Covid-19 crisis.”
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The store operator is Eddie Bauer, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closes North American stores: Outdoor apparel chain Eddie Bauer LLC (not the brand, but its licensed retail store operator) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early 2026 and is gradually shrinking its physical retail footprint in the U.S. and Canada, approx. Plans to close 175-180 stores This is part of a liquidation or sale, TheStreet reported.
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Orvis, plans to close full-price and outlet stores: Orvis reveals plans to close in 2025 31 full-price stores and 5 discount stores According to a report by TheStreet, due to rising costs and changes in consumer demand, strategic adjustments nationwide are part of its strategic adjustments.
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Bob’s Shop and Eastern Mountain Sports Center: According to RetailDive, its parent company filed for bankruptcy and announced that it would permanently close and liquidate all Bob’s Stores in 2024 and reduce/close many EMS stores.
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5 major sporting goods giants will close many stores in 2025: 5 giants announced 8 stores to close in 2025 This is part of an ongoing effort to optimize its footprint while adapting to market pressures, TheStreet reported.
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next adventure: Long-standing outdoor gear retailer Next Adventure in the Portland, Ore., area announces plans All locations to close by end of 2025 Facing owner retirements and market challenges, the company shared on its website.
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REI, some stores closed: REI will close specific stores as part of a broader store portfolio shakeup from 2025 to 2026, USA Today reported.
RELATED: Major U.S. military supplier unexpectedly files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
This article was originally published by TheStreet on March 19, 2026, and first appeared in the Retail section. Click here to add TheStreet as your preferred source.