Reebok’s sport-by-sport comeback is a brand management masterclass

In April, Reebok issued three announcements in quick succession: it returned to hockey equipment via a licensing partnership with Wholesale Sports Inc (WSI); it appointed NewRee Sports as its operating partner for mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau; and it released Communication One, a cinematic basketball film directed by Jide Osifeso, Reebok’s Head of Basketball.

Behind each move sits Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the New York-based brand management platform that acquired Reebok from Adidas in 2022 for approximately $2.5 billion (€2.31 billion). ABG has built a partner-led operating model that keeps intellectual property and brand governance centralized, while specialist licensees run categories and geographies where Reebok once carried weight.

ABG has used the past year to harden the operating base in the US and Europe. It now appears to be pushing that structure into new markets and back into specialist categories.

ABG moved US and European operations to Galaxy-led structures

Before the China appointment and the hockey return, ABG restructured Reebok’s US and European operations between early 2025 and early 2026.

In the US, ABG had managed Reebok through SPARC Group, its joint venture with Simon Property Group. In January 2025, SPARC merged with JCPenney to form Catalyst Brands. As part of that transaction, the Reebok US license moved to Galaxy Universal, a wholesale and brand operator whose portfolio includes And1 and Avia. Galaxy also absorbed the Reebok Design Group (RDG), bringing footwear design, product creation and sourcing under its infrastructure while keeping the brand’s headquarters in Boston.

In Europe, ABG revoked the license held by New Guards Group after the collapse at Farfetch, which owned the business. Galaxy then formed a joint venture with the Batra Group, a London-based apparel and distribution operator. The resulting entity, GB Brands Europe Limited, now runs Reebok across Europe and the UK.

Strategically, the shift pushes capital-intensive product and supply-chain work onto Galaxy, while ABG retains brand control. It also stabilizes two core markets before ABG asks new partners to expand the footprint elsewhere.

Reebok returns to hockey

Reebok announced the hockey deal on April 9. WSI, a California-based e-commerce and wholesale operator founded in 2011, will develop, sell and distribute a Reebok Hockey hardgoods line slated for Q4 2026. The initial range includes sticks, helmets and skates.

Steve Robaire, Executive Vice President of Reebok at Authentic, said the company is prioritizing sports where the brand once led and pairing them with specialist partners: “Our strategy has been focused on identifying the sports and segments where Reebok has historically been a market leader and investing in those categories with the right partners and the right product. Hockey is one of those sports.”

Reebok held a long-standing position in hockey equipment before exiting the category under Adidas. The WSI structure aims to bring the brand back through technical product execution rather than nostalgia.

ABG targets $1 billion in China sales and plans up to 200 stores by 2029

Reebok currently operates in mainland China online only and generates less than $100 million (€92.6 million) annually, according to the Financial Times. ABG has set a goal of $1 billion (€926 million) in annual mainland China sales by 2036.

On April 13, ABG named NewRee Sports as its operating partner for mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. NewRee will run production, import, distribution and retail across footwear and apparel for adults and children. ABG plans a Shanghai flagship this autumn and has discussed up to 200 outlets across mainland China by the end of 2029.

The timing matters. Nike has flagged pressure in Greater China, while Hoka and On have gained share in performance running. ABG is betting that a Reebok repositioned around fitness can compete in a market where incumbents are under strain and premium specialists do not cover every segment. Hundreds of Reebok stores in China closed after the 2022 Adidas sale, and roughly ten remained open until last year.

Reebok uses a basketball film to reset the brand

The basketball announcement reflects the boldest creative ambition, but it still sits within a commercial plan. Since Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson took on President and Vice President roles at Reebok Basketball in late 2023, the division has used their credibility to recruit talent, including Angel Reese, and connect its heritage to today’s athlete economy.

Osifeso, promoted to Head of Basketball in May 2025, has led the creative execution. Communication One was shot across three cities in two countries over 12 months. It stars Reese alongside DiJonai Carrington, Matas Buzelis and Nate Ament. Los Angeles studio HPLA produced the film with executive producer Ryan Hahn and director of photography Moritz Matlik. The production used 35mm stock, with a voiceover written by Osifeso and narrated by artist Tobe Nwigwe.

The film functions as a positioning piece intended to establish cultural credibility before the brand fights for athlete contracts and retail placement. Work with college players such as Darius Acuff Jr. extends that approach into the next tier of the talent pipeline.

ABG stabilizes core markets, then scales China and specialist categories

Together, the April announcements outline ABG’s playbook. Galaxy Universal now underpins product and operations in the US and Europe. ABG is using that base to pursue expansion in China and India and to re-enter specialist categories such as hockey, where Reebok retains heritage and consumer recall.

The model carries an obvious risk: brand consistency. Licensees across categories and regions must execute to a single standard without a single operator controlling the entire chain. With Galaxy shaping product globally, NewRee building retail in China, WSI relaunching hockey and ABFRL expanding physical presence in India, coordination becomes a core challenge. 

But ABG argues the payoff is already visible. The company says Reebok’s global sales have roughly doubled to $5 billion (€4.63 billion) since the 2022 acquisition, and that the brand now operates in 80 countries with approximately 400 freestanding stores worldwide.

Those numbers show there is strength in numbers – and there is life after Adidas.