Stadion, a company recently registered to sell sporting goods and athletic apparel in Russia, targets to start opening its first brick-and-mortar stores in 2024. Analysts believe that the declared plans mean that the Russian market is still in the transition phase.
At the end of 2023, the Russian state patent service Rospatent registered the Stadion, Inmotu and Pioneer Camp trademarks, whose owners claim to want to sell sportswear and shoes. Around the same time as the trademark registration, a recruiting campaign was kicked off at the Russian leasing recruiting platform HeadHunter to hire a workforce for an unknown number of Stadion offline stores. The start of hiring in Russia usually serves as an indication that investors set the wheels into motion, and the launches of new stores are in the cards.
So far, the investors refrain from sharing the details of their plan with the public. The Russian press pointed out that Pioneer Camp coincides with the name of a Chinese sporting goods brand available in the country only through delivery services CDEK and AliExpress. It is not clear whether this is a coincidence.
Since Decathlon’s departure from Russia, the local market lacks sporting goods, including in the athletic apparel segment, the local newspaper Kommersant has reported. The launch of a new retail chain is a sign that the gaps are yet to be plugged. According to the publication, the strategic planning behind the launch of several new retail chains in Russia over the past two years is a testament to the market’s continuing adaptation to the new reality. For instance, Sneaker Box has successfully replaced former Nike stores, while Amazing Red has essentially taken over the former Puma chain of stores. Adidas outlets have switched their banners to ASP, and Desport has filled the void left by Decathlon.
Alexey Vanchugov, Managing Partner of local consulting firm Vanchugov and Partners, underscores the significance of solid production expertise in the high-tech business of manufacturing sporting goods. This industry demands substantial initial investments, making it crucial for new players to be well-prepared. Vanchugov expressed the opinion that to lower the investment requirements, the company looking into starting this business should take the first steps by launching the production of casual sporting outfits and sneakers rather than jump into the athletic apparel segment right away.
Image: Alexander Smagin on Unsplash
