UK’s leading sports retailer, Sports Direct International plc, recently announced the acquisition of specific businesses and brands from fashion retailer, Republic Ltd, also based in the UK. Sports Direct will acquire 114 Republic stores, substantially all the stock in the business as well as Republic’s website and own brands such as SoulCal, Fabric and Crafted.
Founded in 1982, Sports Direct has approximately 400 sport, fashion and lifestyle stores across the UK including Dunlop, Slazenger, Everlast, Lonslide, Voodoo Dolls, Golddigga and Karrimor. They currently operate in 12 countries outside the UK, including Belgium, Slovenia, Portugal and France. Since December 2010, they have acquired a 50.1% stake in the third largest sports retailer in Portugal, Sports Direct Portugal, which operates out of 13 stores. The company offers an unrivaled range of products at the best available prices from a variety of third-party and Group-owned brands, both in-store and online including Adidas, Nike, Reebok and Puma.
Majority of the revenue in the stores is derived from the sale of the Sports Direct-owned and licensed-in branded products, allowing the retail business to generate higher margins while at the same time differentiating the company’s stores from it’s competitors, in terms of range of products and prices.
Sports Direct continues to enhance its in-store offering. Since 2007 they have owned 25% of Brasher Leisher, trading as Sweatshop, enabling them to develop the SheRunsHeRuns concept in stores. Their newest collaboration with Soccer Scene and The Boot Room is currently in 80% of stores.
By Pia Talwar