Cherokee Global Brands Announce New License Agreement with Sports Direct International plc for the UK, Ireland & Select European Countries

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Cherokee Global Brands CHKE, a global marketer of style-focused lifestyle brands, announced today that it has entered into a new license agreement with Sports Direct International plc to launch a broad assortment of Tony Hawk® signature clothing and accessories online and in Sports Direct stores throughout Europe this upcoming fall/winter.

Sports Direct is the UK's leading sports retailer, offering customers the ability to shop online at www.sportsdirect.com, as well as in 400 retail stores throughout the UK. Sports Direct also operates an additional 270 stores across 20 different countries throughout Europe.

Tony Hawk continues to be the most prominent athlete bridging action sports with the consumer market. Hawk was ranked the number-one vertical ramp skateboarder in the world every year from 1984 to 1996 and stars in the Activision Tony Hawk Pro Skater franchise that has generated over $1 billion in global sales since its debut in 1999. In addition to a successful athletic career, Hawk has cultivated a well-established social and digital fan base with over 6.4 million Facebook fans (https://www.Facebook.com/TonyHawk), more than 3.8 million Twitter followers (https://twitter.com/tonyhawk), 100 million YouTube views (http://www.youtube.com/tonyhawk), and over 1.5 million Instagram followers (http://instagram.com/tonyhawk).

Tony Hawk and Sports Direct will collaborate on a multi-tier product launch to begin this coming fall and continue with expanded clothing and accessory offerings in winter 2015. The product launch will be accompanied by a fully-integrated marketing campaign.

Henry Stupp, Cherokee Global Brand's CEO, commented, "We are excited to announce that Sports Direct has become one of our tent-pole partners for the Tony Hawk brand. From the time we acquired Tony Hawk, we developed a list of our most desired retail partners, and with the addition of Sports Direct to our partnership base we have now achieved one more international expansion goal. Tony is globally recognized, and we are confident that the debut of the Hawk Brand in Sports Direct stores and online will be well-received by the UK and European customer base."

Vincent Smith, Sports Direct Associate Director, Marketing commented, "We are delighted to be partnering Cherokee Global Brands and Tony Hawk; our shared objective is to realize a range which, in its quality and DNA, fully honors Tony's status as a legend in the world of action sports and the global brand he has built."

About Sports Direct

Sports Direct is the UK's leading sports retailer by revenue and operating profit, with approximately 400 stores across the UK. The Group provides an unrivalled range of products, offering exceptional quality and unbeatable value, from a wide variety of brands, both in-store and online. Sports Direct operates approximately 270 stores in 20 European countries, including Belgium, Austria, Slovenia, Portugal and France.

Sports Direct was founded in 1982, listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2007 and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. For more information please visit www.sportsdirectplc.com

About Cherokee Global Brands

Cherokee Global Brands is a global marketer and manager of a portfolio of Fashion and Lifestyle brands including Cherokee®, Carole Little®, Tony Hawk® Signature Apparel and Hawk Brands®, Liz Lange® and Sideout®, in multiple consumer product categories and sectors around the world. The Company has license agreements with premier retailers and manufacturers covering over 50 countries and 7,000 retail doors plus online business around the world including: Target Stores (U.S.), Kohl's (U.S.), Argos (UK and Ireland), RT-Mart (Peoples Republic of China), Pick ‘n Pay (South Africa), Falabella (Chile, Peru and Colombia), Arvind Mills (India and certain Middle Eastern countries), Shufersal LTD. (Israel), Comercial Mexicana (Mexico), Eroski (Spain), Nishimatsuya (Japan), Magnit (Russia), Landmark Group's Max Stores (certain Middle East and North Africa countries), and the TJX Companies (U.S., Canada and Europe).

Statements included within this news release may contain forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used, the words "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "may," "should," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements included in this press release (including, without limitation, express or implied statements regarding potential future business development) involve known and unknown risk and uncertainties that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties, include, but are not limited to, the effect of global economic conditions, the financial condition of the apparel and retail industry, adverse changes in licensee or consumer acceptance of products bearing the Company's brands, the ability and/or commitment of the Company's licensees to design, manufacture and market Cherokee, Liz Lange, Completely Me, Sideout and Carole Little branded products, the Company's dependence on Target for most of the Company's revenues and the Company's dependence on its key management personnel. The risks included here are not exhaustive. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other matters can be found in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for Fiscal Year 2014, and in its periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future events and developments.