Volume 77 | Allocation Era

Nike teases new luggage, Factor's MNF campaign breakdown, the $60B fitness spend projected for 2026, plus Ja'Marr Chase's new hydration investment.

Author

Alec Grawe
January 03, 2026

đź“° The Pulse

PILLAR Performance x MAAP Drop Limited-Edition Recovery Fuel

Australian performance brand PILLAR Performance teamed up with Melbourne-born cycling label MAAP to launch a limited-edition Triple Magnesium – Professional Recovery Peach Iced Tea.

The collaboration blends sports-science credibility with design-forward cycling culture, delivering a recovery product built for athletes who take what happens after the ride as seriously as the ride itself. Featuring three bioavailable forms of magnesium, the formula supports neuromuscular function and helps reduce post-ride cramps, spasms, and soreness — wrapped in a crisp peach iced tea profile that actually feels earned. (More)

The Playbook Take — This is what modern performance brands do best: science-led function with cultural relevance. Recovery doesn’t need to look clinical to be effective.

The Signal: Fitness Is Now a Fixed Expense

Americans are projected to spend ~$60B on health and fitness in 2026, according to new data from the Health & Fitness Association — roughly $61 per month per person.

This isn’t resolution optimism.
It’s budgeting behavior.

  • Nearly 90% of Americans view exercise as preventive healthcare

  • Only 23% would cut fitness spending if money got tight

  • Dining, travel, and entertainment get cut first (More)

The Playbook Take — Fitness has officially moved from aspiration to allocation. When budgets tighten, the gym stays.

Factor’s “Eat Like A Pro” Campaign Nails the Truth About Performance

Meal brand Factor launched its “Eat Like A Pro” campaign during Monday Night Football — but instead of selling convenience, it sold consistency.

The message was simple: elite performance isn’t built on game day. It’s built quietly, daily, and repetitively — starting at the plate. (More)

The Playbook Take — Nutrition isn’t optimization anymore. It’s infrastructure.

🧬 The Shop

A next-gen recovery pod combining salt therapy and immersive design to support respiratory health, relaxation, and post-training recovery.

Functional coffee stacked with longevity-focused ingredients — built to deliver energy without sacrificing long-term health.

A first-of-its-kind protein snack using beef in a light, crunchy puff format — high protein, low friction, no sugar bombs.

A new game-based cardio experience that turns rowing workouts into strategy-driven competition instead of mindless miles.

Nike enters the travel category with durable, performance-minded luggage designed for athletes living out of a suitcase.

Expanded hydration offerings built with electrolytes and functional ingredients for daily performance and recovery.

The Ultrahuman Ring Air now has the capacity to track snoring and general respiratory health.

At the intersection of mental wellness and physical fitness, Safe Sweat offers a private fitness experience in fully equipped gym-like spaces.

🔍 Your Gut, Finally Measured

Think of it as the Oura Ring for your gut.

Meet Gutsi — the first consumer-grade, AI-powered gut health monitor that sits in your toilet and analyzes your stool in real time.

For the first time, gut health gets objective data.

Using computer vision and on-device AI, Gutsi tracks four core signals:

  • Consistency

  • Hydration

  • Discomfort

  • Routine

Each use is assessed against the Bristol Stool Chart, then synced to the app to surface patterns over time.

No images stored. Just private, actionable data.

Your gut influences energy, immunity, mood, and recovery — yet it’s been a total blind spot. Gutsi brings gut health into the same measurable category as sleep and steps, making internal health visible for everyday life.

The future of you starts on the loo. Use code PLAYBOOK for 10% OFF here.

🎙️ On The Podcast

Nicotine has lived in the shadows of sports for decades — from MLB dugouts to college locker rooms — but almost always with shame attached.

Former Texas Tech QB and Bonk Breaker founder Jason Winn wants to flip that script.

He co-founded Athletic Nicotine, a low-dose, slow-release, tobacco-free nicotine pouch built for adult athletes and high performers who are already using nicotine — but want something cleaner, tested, and aligned with their lifestyle.

In this week’s episode, we get into:

  • Why nicotine’s stigma exists — and how big tobacco shaped the narrative

  • What low-dose, slow-release actually feels like vs. high-dose gas-station pouches

  • How Athletic Nicotine became the first WADA-tested product in the category

  • Lessons from building Bonk Breaker into a major sports nutrition brand

  • Jason’s flow stack: Laird Superfood, creatine, rucking, trail runs, and minimal tech

This isn’t a “go start using nicotine” episode. It’s a transparent look at a tool elite athletes already use — and what it looks like to rebuild that category with better principles, better partners, and a performance-first mindset.

đź“° Full breakdown here. 

đź’° The Boardroom

NFL star Ja’Marr Chase joins Flerish Hydration as a partnering owner, signaling athlete alignment beyond sponsorship into long-term brand building.

Truemed raised $34M to help consumers use HSA/FSA dollars for preventive health — reframing tax-advantaged accounts as long-term health capital, not just medical reimbursement.

Footwear startup Andiem is building basketball shoes designed to prevent injuries before they happen. The brand recently added Spencer Keith Jones as an advisor, investor, and ambassador.

The Playbook Take — In a world obsessed with highlight reels, Andiem is betting on availability — the most underrated performance metric.

Neurable closed a $35M Series A, accelerating its mission to integrate brain-computer interfaces into everyday life — pushing cognitive performance from concept to consumer.

Swishables raised seed funding to scale its portable, on-the-go oral care products — targeting modern routines where sinks aren’t always nearby.

Overtime

🌯 Chipotle leans into America’s protein obsession (More)

📲 Alo makes its digital fitness platform free for everyone (More)

🪨 Technogym drops its Sandstone Collection (More)

⚡ Firefly Recovery expands into the EU + UK (More)

âš˝ Everton FC highlights Hytro BFR integration (More)

🏋️ THIS Gym launches in Austin, TX (More)