Editing GI Sportz (section)

== History ==

=== Establishment ===

GI Sportz was established in 2010 in the Montreal area of Quebec, Canada, by a group of professional paintball players and business owners led by Richmond Italia.[1]

Italia had previously established [[Procaps]], a Canadian manufacturer associated with [[Draxxus]], DXS and [[VForce]] equipment.

The new company initially focused on manufacturing paintballs for recreational and competitive use.

After approximately 18 months of operation, GI Sportz acquired Procaps, gaining access to its established manufacturing facilities, formulations and distribution networks.[1]

By February 2012, GI Sportz and Procaps were operating together from facilities in Montreal, manufacturing and distributing GI Sportz, DXS, Draxxus and VForce products.[2]

The combined business included several experienced industry figures, including Dave "Opie" Thomas and Steve Rabackoff.

=== Expansion into tournament paintball ===

GI Sportz established relationships with professional tournament teams and organisations during the early 2010s.

In February 2012, the company announced an agreement to support [[Paintball Sports Promotions]] (PSP) with paintballs and tournament sponsorship.

The announcement stated that teams using GI Sportz paintballs had won all but one PSP tournament during the 2010 season.[5]

GI Sportz also sponsored individual professional teams.

In January 2013, [[Houston Heat]] announced the continuation of its GI Sportz equipment sponsorship for the forthcoming season. The team had won the 2012 PSP professional championship.[6]

The company subsequently developed its Imperial sponsorship programme for professional, amateur and divisional tournament teams.

=== Acquisition of Tippmann Sports ===

On 20 December 2013, GI Sportz announced its acquisition of [[Tippmann Sports]], an American manufacturer established in 1986.

The transaction combined GI Sportz's paintball manufacturing activities with Tippmann's marker production and recreational equipment business.

At the time of the announcement, Richmond Italia was chairman and chief executive officer of GI Sportz, while Dennis Tippmann Jr. was president of Tippmann Sports.[3]

The combined product portfolio included GI Sportz and DXS paintballs, Tippmann markers, VForce goggles and the GI Victus marker.

=== Acquisition of KEE Action Sports ===

On 24 July 2015, GI Sportz announced its acquisition of [[KEE Action Sports]].

KEE's brands included [[Empire Paintball]], [[JT USA|JT Paintball]], [[Spyder]] and [[RPS Paintball]].

The acquisition substantially expanded GI Sportz's equipment range and brought several established manufacturers and product lines under a single corporate group.[4][7]

The company's expanded portfolio included markers, paintballs, protective goggles, loaders, barrels, clothing, compressed-air accessories and recreational equipment.

GI Sportz subsequently operated through several manufacturing and distribution businesses serving North America, Europe and other markets.

=== Financial restructuring and Kore Outdoor ===

In October 2020, GI Sportz and associated businesses entered court-supervised financial restructuring proceedings.

On 15 October 2020, a receivership order was issued in Canada. Related proceedings were also initiated in the United States.[8]

On 1 December 2020, GI Sportz announced that the restructuring had been completed through the sale of its operations to [[Kore Outdoor Inc.]], a newly established company.

Kore Outdoor was owned by existing GI Sportz majority shareholder [[Fulcrum Capital Partners]], together with other shareholders including members of the management team and Richmond Italia.

Billy Ceranski, previously president of GI Sportz, became chief executive officer of Kore Outdoor.[9]

The restructuring retained the GI Sportz, Empire, Tippmann, JT, Spyder and VForce brands within the new organisation.

In December 2021, Kore Outdoor completed the acquisition of the United Kingdom-based GI Sportz Europe Limited through its subsidiary Kore Outdoor Europe Limited.[10]

GI Sportz continued as a product brand under Kore Outdoor.