Headquartered in South Tyrol, the Oberalp Group has long been recognized in the sporting goods market as a development partner for internationally oriented sports brands, supporting them in communication, distribution, marketing, and brand development. In addition to its six owned mountain sports brands (Salewa, Dynafit, Pomoca, Wild Country, Evolv, and LaMunt), the Group has so far managed the distribution of nine additional brands, from Under Armour to Fischer. Starting in mid-May, these will be joined by the American racquet sports specialist Diadem and the renowned Swiss brand Blackroll, active in the field of sports recovery. For the first time, the Oberalp Group will manage all distribution channels for these new brands, including e-commerce. “Over recent years, we have evolved from being purely a distribution partner to also becoming brand developers, including for brands that are not owned by us but fit perfectly with our strategic orientation,” says Christoph Engl, CEO of the Oberalp Group, regarding the long-term agreements. “We carefully select our partner brands: demand is high.”

Diadem is a young and rapidly growing American brand in the racquet sports sector. Founded in 2015 by former professional tennis players, Diadem positions itself as a 360-degree partner to meet consumer needs. Its assortment includes tennis and pickleball equipment: from racquets and balls to apparel, shoes, and accessories. Particularly in pickleball, a rapidly expanding sport, Diadem is now among the leading companies worldwide. The brand is also gaining increasing relevance in professional tennis and has recently signed Kazakhstan player Alexander Bublik, currently ranked number 11 in the ATP world rankings. Diadem products stand out for their use of innovative technologies and, in line with the Oberalp Group’s portfolio, are positioned in the premium sports segment.

The partnership with Diadem is structured as a long-term collaboration, with a contract duration of 20 years. The Oberalp Group will be responsible for exclusive distribution across twenty European countries, from Italy and Spain to Germany, Poland, and Norway.

“The long-term collaboration with Diadem represents a key component of our idea to build a solid and lasting presence in Europe for overseas brands, while further strengthening on-trend and fast-growing sports such as tennis and pickleball,” says Michele Rossi, General Manager Distributed Brands at the Oberalp Group.

“For Blackroll, we see significant potential for the Italian market, especially in synergy with our brand Under Armour, which we have been successfully developing since 2017 together with retail partners and our own mono-brand stores, turning it into a true Love Brand for consumers.”

Blackroll, a Swiss brand with products made in Germany, is today a leading brand in the fields of fitness, physiotherapy, and muscle recovery. Its product portfolio includes innovative, top-quality solutions for muscle self-treatment, such as foam rollers and massage balls, elastic bands for posture improvement, digital training solutions, muscle recovery devices, as well as high-quality pillows and mattresses. The Oberalp Group will be responsible for the exclusive distribution of Blackroll in Italy until 2030, covering specialized sports retailers, gyms, and therapy centers, as well as the e-commerce channel.