At NRF 2026 in New York, the sporting goods sector confronted a defining question: how to deploy autonomous AI systems while preserving the human connections that drive brand loyalty. From Dick’s immersive shops to VF Corp’s focused brand pivots, the industry is charting divergent paths forwards.

The National Retail Federation’s 2026 Big Show, held Jan. 11–13 in New York City, marked a pivot point for retail: a fundamental shift in how retailers and brands architect their technology stacks and physical presence. Sporting goods retailers attended not as observers but as protagonists, delivering announcements, strategic standpoints, and future scenarios that will shape the sector.

The central tension is familiar across Europe: deploying autonomous AI agents whilst building destination-scale physical experiences. The dividing line: brands betting on algorithmic intelligence versus those doubling down on human expertise and immersive retail environments. Here are our key takeaways for sporting goods.

From generative to agentic: AI’s operational shift

The dominant technological narrative centred on agentic AI – autonomous systems capable of reasoning, decision-making, and executing complex workflows across retail operations. Unlike 2025’s focus on generative AI for content creation, NRF 2026 showcased AI agents managing supplier negotiations, merchandising decisions, and customer journeys without human intervention.

Forrester research presented at the event revealed nearly three-quarters of retail decision-makers have begun deploying AI agents to address chronic pain points. For sporting goods, this means automated inventory optimisation, dynamic pricing, and proactive customer service that anticipates needs before consumers express them.

On stage, Fabletics demonstrated the industry’s shift towards agentic automation, showing how the brand deploys AI as a revenue driver rather than merely for back-office efficiency. With 90% of transactions from logged-in members, the company processes 70 billion customer data points.

This dataset enables the brand to predict preferences, manage subscription lifecycles, and generate personalised product recommendations. Fabletics positions AI as an “enabler for personalised interactions” rather than a purely analytical tool. Applications range from automated product highlighting to real-time coaching for store associates. The brand’s flexible subscription model – which allows customers to pause rather than cancel – serves as a crucial data-gathering mechanism.

The ecosystem divide: Walmart’s openness versus Amazon’s vertical integration

A strategic fault line emerged between open and closed technology ecosystems. Walmart executives emphasized partnerships as central to their AI strategy, integrating Google’s Gemini for conversational shopping and collaborating with Google Wing for drone delivery. By adopting the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), Walmart aims to meet consumers across any conversational interface.

Amazon, by contrast, showcased a proprietary, vertically integrated stack including warehouse robotics (Proteus, Sequoia, Titan) and the Alexa+ WebAction SDK, which enables voice-initiated web navigation and service booking.

For sporting goods brands, the choice is stark: optimize for multi-platform presence or integrate deeply into a single retailer’s closed ecosystem. Three emerging AI protocols will shape sporting goods distribution:

  • Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP): Developed by Google, enables purchasing within AI conversations. Backed by Target, Walmart, Shopify, and JD Sports. 
  • Model Context Protocol (MCP): Microsoft/SAP solution exposing retail logic to autonomous agents.
  • WebAction SDK: Amazon/AWS framework allowing Alexa+ to navigate web pages and complete transactions.

Dick’s Sporting Goods: Building physical gravity

While technology dominated discussions, Dick’s Sporting Goods Executive Chairman Ed Stack articulated a counter-narrative: the enduring power of physical retail. Stack detailed the House of Sport concept, which transforms large-scale stores – featuring rock climbing walls, multi-sport hitting cages, and golf pro shops – into experiential media channels that digital platforms cannot replicate.

Stack revealed that 61 per cent of Gen Z consumers prefer discovering products in-store. Dick’s strategy treats these locations as experiential destinations rather than distribution points, building what Stack termed “gravity” – the magnetic pull that brings consumers back repeatedly.

DTC 2.0 means multichannel: Vuori

Vuori exemplifies the next stage for direct-to-consumer brands, successfully navigating the shift into a post-digital-pure-play landscape. The brand is pioneering a mature omnichannel model that balances high-growth digital channels with a rapidly expanding physical footprint and strategic wholesale partnerships.

This “DTC 2.0” approach is designed to lower customer acquisition costs (CAC) whilst driving long-term profitability. By focusing on brand-owned communities and physical experiences, Vuori builds the “gravity” necessary to survive in an era of digital overload. This maturation reflects a broader industry recognition that pure-play digital models face significant sustainability challenges without a physical anchor to ground the brand.

JD Sports: Agentic commerce pioneer

JD Sports emerged as a pioneer in agentic commerce, enabling direct purchases through ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini in the US. Shoppers can now move from discovery to checkout within a single conversational interface.

REI’s human differentiator

Despite automation’s advance, REI Co-op CEO Mary Beth Laughton explained why employees remain essential: while AI is “super smart,” it lacks the “lived experience” of the outdoors. REI’s “Green Vest” associates – who actually hike and climb – remain the crucial differentiator in building personalized, emotional relationships with 25 million members.

Supporting tools enhance rather than replace human interaction. Boot Barn deployed an AI chatbot that gives new store associates instant access to product information, democratizing expert knowledge. Workday revealed AI scheduling tools have reduced the time needed to create weekly schedules by 67%, allowing managers more time on the floor.

Macro signals reshaping demand

Two macro trends surfaced repeatedly. We have been covering both at SGIE Europe and have them on our radar for upcoming deep dives:

GLP-1 disruption: Obesity drugs are forcing massive inventory adjustments, with surging demand for smaller sizes and body-conscious styles fueling resale market growth. StockX reported 45 percent year-on-year growth in running trainers as consumers invest in more active lifestyles.

Gen Z’s active generation: Younger consumers are pivoting from passive social media toward physical activities like running clubs and weight training. Sporting goods brands facilitating these niche communities are winning loyalty as social strategy shifts toward YouTube Shorts and Meta Reels while TikTok’s influence plateaus.

Bottom line

Beyond these highlights, NRF 2026 delivered a clear message: the future of retail - and of sporting goods retailers - lies in intelligently orchestrating technology while maintaining control of customer relationships and keeping those relationships human.

Personalization is now possible at a scale beyond any previous expectations, but it must not become a tool to manipulate customer tastes and intentions. Before committing to one or more platforms, or pursuing a different agentic commerce path, retailers must carefully consider their brand identity and value proposition.

The sporting goods sector’s challenge: deploying autonomous intelligence without losing the human expertise and immersive experiences that ultimately drive consumer loyalty and differentiation in an increasingly algorithm-driven marketplace. An exciting 2026 lies ahead

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