The Sport 2000 Alliance successfully held its own in a challenging financial year, delivering low single-digit growth.
Sport 2000: General overview
Sport 2000 reported gross external sales of €4.04 billion across seven countries (Germany, Switzerland, Benelux, Austria, and Czech Republic). In Germany, sales reached €2.78 billion. Retailers managed a 1.53 percent increase in sales despite modest consumer sentiment. The purchasing volume of Sport 2000 partners in Germany grew by 1.9 percent on a like-for-like basis.
Retail network and market position
The group includes 1,451 companies with 2,000 retail locations across Central Europe, with 942 companies and 1,287 stores in Germany alone. The German stores consist of 491 multi-category and 796 specialist shops. Notable new partners joined in 2024, including Sport Conrad, Sport Fits, and handball2go/Sport Kölle. “We are well on the way to gradually compensating for the losses from the previous year,” said Margit Gosau, Sport 2000 Managing Director.
Specialist retailers show strong growth
Specialized retailers demonstrated above-average growth in purchasing volume. Running specialists grew by 8.8 percent, sneaker specialists by 4.6 percent, Team sports by 4.3 percent and outdoor specialists by 3.0 percent.
Key product categories and supplier rankings
The running category was especially a growth driver with a 13.24 percent plus. Strong performance was also seen in winter sports (+9.81 percent) and team sports (+6.61 percent). In supplier rankings, Asics jumped from 11th to 7th place, while Brooks improved from 18th to 15th. Adidas and Puma showed double-digit growth rates among global brands.
“Absolute Store” expansion
Sport 2000 plans to open more “Absolute Stores” in 2025. More than 20 running stores are to be opened in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Austria, among other countries. In team sports, Sport 2000 aims to have opened more than 50 stores in 13 countries under the “Absolute Teamsport” umbrella by the end of the year. In 2024, 14 Absolute run stores and 46 Absolute Teamsport stores across 12 countries were opened.
Sustainability initiatives
The company started different sustainability initiatives in 2024, including a podcast format, a service for textile repairs and an eco-friendly catering at their own trade shows. Furthermore, the retailers that took advantage of the implemented climate and energy consulting service rose.
2025 outlook for Sport 2000
Sport 2000 expects continued growth in 2025, particularly in team sports, driven by Handball World Championship, 2026 FIFA World Cup merchandise and the projected low to mid-single-digit industry-wide revenue growth. The focus lies on specialized retail and clear market positioning.
