Waitt Company has reached agreement to acquire all operating assets of the Bobby Jones brand from W Diamond Group Corporation, a
New York based company owned and led by Doug Williams and his family. As part of this agreement, the Jones family and the W Diamond Group Corporation have agreed to provide Waitt Company a long-term license for the exclusive use of the Bobby Jones brand globally in connection with apparel, golf equipment and related products and accessories.
Bobby Jones apparel has naew owenrsiip
Waitt Company will operate the Bobby Jones business under a newly formed affiliate, Jones Global Sports, and will assume all global
operations. Doug Williams will join the board of Jones Global Sports and assist in preserving and expanding the brand. The current president of Bobby Jones, Andy Bell, will be promoted to CEO of Jones Global Sports.
Bell has guided the Bobby Jones apparel brand back to prominence the past couple of years.
“We are humbled by the trust the heirs of Bobby Jones are putting in us to protect and expand this premium brand globally in a manner
consistent with the legacy of Bobby Jones,” said Dana Bradford, CEO of Waitt Company. “We look forward to moving the Bobby Jones brand forward in partnership with management. Andy Bell, (club designer) Jesse Ortiz and the entire team have a tremendous passion for golf and pride in the Bobby Jones brand, and we are honored to be partnered with them.”
“Our sincere thanks to Doug Williams and his team at W Diamond Group for delivering on their promise and giving this great brand the
foundation to advance its prominence in the golf industry,” Bell said. “We’re truly excited about our partnership with Waitt Company and the tremendous resources that will be behind the Bobby Jones brand. Dana Bradford and the Waitt Company team’s desire to build a great brand were evident from the start and they recognized our entire team shares their passion. The names and faces in place that have become so trusted by our golf industry partners will work hard to ensure this transition is seamless for them.”
The Waitt organization has controlling ownership of other leading sports brands including Prince, Ektelon, Battle Sports, Viking and a
series of smaller sports brands operating under an affiliate, Active Brands Company. In addition, Waitt has ownership in other premium consumer brands including Vornado, Judith Leiber, Adrienne Vittadini, and Taryn Rose.
