Sign up for our newsletter before Monday, November 15th and take advantage of BLACK FRIDAY EARLY ACCESS. Click here.
News
Last updated: 13 November 2026 | 4 min read
On a chilly Tuesday in November 1961, with cloudy skies and temperatures barely reaching 5°C, P. J. L. Crijns founded Forelle in Tilburg, North Brabant. What started as a sportswear brand would eventually grow into one of Europe's leading suppliers of American football, baseball and softball equipment. But the journey to where we are today was anything but ordinary.
In the early days, Forelle was a true roadshow. Travelling across Europe, we visited American football and baseball clubs, bringing our entire assortment directly to players and teams. Back then, everything we had to offer could fit into the back of a single Volkswagen van. Today, we would need a convoy of nearly a thousand vans to carry everything stored in our 6,000 m² facility!
As Forelle continued to grow and expand internationally, we relocated twice in just 20 years before settling in our current hometown of Roermond, Limburg, near the borders of Belgium and Germany. From here, we've had the privilege of serving more than 2,500 clubs and over 150,000 individual players across Europe. And we're only getting started!
Over the past 65 years, a lot has changed. Our assortment has grown, our reach has expanded and the way we connect with our customers has evolved. But our passion for American teamsports has remained exactly the same.
As our CEO puts it:
"At Forelle, we are proud of our past and focused on our future. We are committed to strengthening our position as Europe's leading digital destination for American sporting goods."
Our mission remains as clear as ever: to help American teamsports thrive throughout Europe. We will continue to connect players, clubs, teams and sports organisations with the best products, expertise and service. We will keep making high-quality sporting goods accessible to athletes across Europe, supporting the growth of the sports we love and the communities that make them special. And above all, we will continue doing what we've done since 1961: being there for the game and the people who play it.
Looking back, we're incredibly proud of how far we've come. From a small sportswear business in Tilburg to a European teamsports specialist, none of this would have been possible without the players, clubs, partners and colleagues who have been part of our journey. To everyone who has supported Forelle along the way: thank you. Thank you for your trust, your passion and your love for the game.
We've Got You. Since 1961.
