Analysis: Pushing the boundaries of what a sports store can be

Everyone has a sport. We’re not talking about a gym membership, but full immersion into a discipline, where we have to have the right clothing, equipment and an app to help with training and motivation. Whether it’s working towards a black belt in Taekwondo, competing in triathlons or mastering yoga inversions, sport has become serious. In addition, there are other driving factors such as the increasing interest in wellness, more female participants in more sports and the acceptance of leisure wear in almost all areas of life. This is pushing growth in the sporting goods market, and it also has a knock-on effect on what we expect from our sports stores. If we’re prepared to spend a good amount of our disposable income in this area, we want the brands we chose to offer above and beyond the everyday retail journey.