Sport & Leisure
Sport & Leisure covers the business performance, product innovation, and consumer trends driving the UK’s sports, fitness, and leisure retail sectors. This section reports on brand strategy, partnerships, sustainability, and digital engagement across apparel, equipment, and lifestyle categories. Retail Sector’s Sport & Leisure coverage provides insight for retailers, suppliers, and brand managers into how evolving health trends, technology, and consumer behaviour are shaping growth and competition in this dynamic market.
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Jan- 2022 -12 January
JD Sports raises profit forecast to £875m
JD Sports Fashion Plc has raised its pre-tax profits forecast to an average £875m for the full year to 29 January 2022, compared to the previous expectation of £810m, due to “sustained” consumer demand through the second half of the year. Additionally, total like-for-like revenues were more than 10% ahead…
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Dec- 2021 -13 December
JD Sports set to concede to watchdog in Footasylum battle
The trainer and sportswear retailer JD Sports looks set to concede defeat in its battle with the takeover watchdog the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over its attempt to buy Footasylum. According to reports first revealed by the Sunday Times, the deadline for the retailer to appeal the CMA’s decision…
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2 December
Gymshark to open first physical store
Gymshark has announced it is set to open its first ever physical store with a flagship site on Regent Street, London. The activewear brand said the store is set to open in summer 2022, and will create over 100 new jobs. The 18,000sq ft space is currently being renovated to…
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Nov- 2021 -10 November
Halfords raises FY22 guidance amid sales surge
Halfords has lifted its guidance for FY22 following what was a “strong” first-half performance, which saw a total growth of 19.2% against the same period in FY20. The motor and cycling giant now expects its full-year profit-before-tax to be in the range of £80m to £90m, up from a previous…
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4 November
JD expresses frustration over CMA’s ruling to sell Footasylum
JD Sports Fashion Plc has expressed its frustration after the announcement earlier today from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) that it must sell Footasylum Limited. It claimed this is “the first time ever” that the CMA (including its predecessors) has decided to block or remedy a deal between competitors…
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Sep- 2021 -8 September
Supply chain disruption hits Halfords’ bike sales
Halfords has announced that global supply chain disruptions have hit its cycling business in recent weeks, despite cycling sales rising 9.9% in the 20-week period ended 20 August 2021. The group experienced “considerable capacity constraints” in light of ongoing disruptions, leading to low availability of bikes throughout the period. Availability…
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Aug- 2021 -18 August
Angling Direct sees 19.5% H1 revenue rise
Angling Direct, the fishing tackle and equipment retailer, saw revenues rise 19.5% year-on-year to £38.4m in H1 FY22. The figure for the six months ended 31 July 2021 represents a 44.8% spike when compared to H1 FY20’s £26.5m revenues. Physical retail sales comprised 51.8% of total group sales during the…
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13 August
Adidas sells Reebok to ABG for £1.75bn
Adidas has agreed a deal to sell Reebok for up to €2.1bn (£1.75bn) to American clothing brand Authentic Brands Group (ABG). Adidas first purchased the rival sports brand in 2006, in a £2.7bn deal, which also included the Rockport, CCM Hockey and Greg Norman brands. However, these brands were later…
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3 August
Foot Locker acquires Atmos and WSS brands for $1.1bn
Foot Locker is set to acquire Japanese street brand Atmos and U.S.-based athletic footwear and apparel retailer WSS in two separate deals worth approximately $1.1bn (£719m). Atmos sells premium sneakers and apparel across 49 stores globally, including 39 in Japan. In 2020, Atmos generated approximately $175m (£126m) in revenue, more…
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Jul- 2021 -27 July
Games Workshop FY21 revenues soar 31% to over £350m
Games Workshop Group, the creator of Warhammer, saw group revenues soar 31% year-on-year to £353.2m for the year ended 30 May 2021. The Nottingham-based miniature wargames provider also reported a 68.8% spike in FY21 profit before tax when compared to the previous year. The company’s trade operation consisted of 55%…
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