The rapidly expanding UK sporting goods heavyweight, JD Sports, is taking aim at the Australian market following its acquisition of Hilton Seskin’s Next Athleisure.

The stronghold that local sporting goods retailers have on the concentrated Australian market is set for a challenge after UK heavyweight, JD Sports, signaled its intent to enter the Australian market by acquiring Next Athleisure.

Last week, the UK sports retailer confirmed in its half-year report that it had acquired, via its newly incorporated subsidiary, JD Sports Fashion Holdings Australia Pty, an 80 per cent stake in Next Athleisure, which operates 32 fashion stores and an e-commerce channel under the Glue Store and Super Glue retail banners. Next Athleisure also holds the franchise rights for Topshop Topman in Australia, and also owns wholesale business, Trend Imports.

Brian Small, chief financial officer of JD Sports, told Inside Retail Weekly that the group’s purpose is to use Next Athleisure’s infrastructure and management to open JD stores in Australia.

Speaking to IRW this week, Hilton Seskin, chairman of Next Athleisure, said he had been in discussions with JD for over a year and that JD represented a fitting logistics partner who will help fuel expansion for both the Glue and JD brands.

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