UK retailer Sports Direct has launched its first Australian store at Westfield Fountain Gate, positioning itself as “a one-stop destination for performance gear and athleisure”.
The retailer has already locked in its second location, confirming a March opening at Chatswood Chase in Sydney’s north. Beyond these initial sites, Sports Direct is laying out an ambitious roadmap, aiming to establish more than 100 stores across Australia and New Zealand over the next decade.
Following the Chatswood opening, Sports Direct and its local partner, Accent Group, plan to accelerate expansion, targeting 30 stores across Australia within the next three years. The brand says additional locations in major cities are already under consideration.
“Australia’s passion for sport is unmatched, and that made it the perfect next step for Sports Direct,” said Daniel Agostinelli, CEO of Accent Group.
“With Accent’s retail expertise and Sports Direct’s global capabilities, we’re creating a new kind of one-stop sports destination, combining global brands with unbeatable range.”
While there were queues outside the Melbourne store before it opened on Saturday, Accent is reluctant to reveal any numbers for its early trading days.
Nickolas Britton, marketing manager at Sports Direct ANZ, told Inside Retail that footfall matched what Sports Direct has experienced for its “top-performing international openings,” such as the recent launch of a Liverpool store.
“Footwear was the standout category, followed by core training and athleisure apparel, with multi-sport accessories also performing well,” he said.
The Westfield Fountain Gate store offers Australian consumers a broad selection of international brands, including Nike and Adidas, alongside Sports Direct’s exclusive labels such as USA Pro, Karrimor and Sondico.
Founded in 1982 and part of Frasers Group, Sports Direct operates more than 700 stores across Europe and Asia. Earlier this year, Frasers signed a deal to increase its stake in ASX-listed Accent Group, enabling further expansion nationwide.
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