Competition in sports economy heats up

TIANJIN — In the mountainous areas of North China's Tianjin municipality, hikers and cyclists frequently gather to explore the natural beauty. More than 2,000 kilometers away in Wanning, South China's Hainan province, paddleboarding has emerged as a popular activity among young tourists.

Even as temperatures continue to rise across much of China, consumer enthusiasm for sports shows no signs of waning. Driven by a boom in fitness and experience-oriented consumption, China's sporting goods market is rapidly expanding and upgrading, providing strong momentum for the growth of international sports brands in the country.

"Chinese consumers' demand for sports has in recent years expanded beyond clothing and equipment to service-oriented areas such as training, sporting events, spectating and community interaction," said Yang Mulin, vice-president of Decathlon China, adding that the integration of sports with cultural and tourism offerings is creating sustained room for the company's growth.

As one of the first international sports brands to enter the Chinese market, Decathlon has operated in China for nearly four decades, witnessing the growing appetite for fitness activities across the country.

Driven by major consumer markets including China, the company reported net sales of 16.8 billion euros ($19.38 billion) in 2025, up 4.0 percent year-on-year, while net profit rose 16 percent to 910 million euros, marking a continued rise in profitability.

Today, the French sporting giant's business in China has expanded beyond production, sourcing, research and development, and sales of sports equipment into a broader range of service-oriented offerings, as it seeks to provide integrated sports solutions covering consumers' diverse needs.

Yang said Decathlon regards China as an important innovation market and is developing products and innovating its retail channels around the needs of Chinese consumers, while continuously extending its service offerings.

As an increasing number of Chinese consumers place greater emphasis on green and circular consumption, Decathlon is actively promoting circular-economy models, including a second-hand children's bicycle program, Yang said. In 2025, Decathlon's sales related to the circular economy in China grew 26.5 percent.

China is not only an important production and sourcing base and sales market for Decathlon, but also a source of innovation and a long-term partner, Yang said.

China's rapid advances in digital technologies, intelligent manufacturing and business models provide a rich environment for retailers to improve the consumer experience and enhance operational efficiency, he added.

As China's sports economy continues to unleash its momentum, a growing number of international sports brands, like Decathlon, are emphasizing their presence in the Chinese market in pursuit of new growth opportunities.

Data show that Amer Sports recorded revenue of over $1.86 billion in China in 2025, up 43.4 percent year-on-year. On June 4, Canadian sportswear brand Lululemon released its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, reporting a 30 percent year-on-year increase in net revenue from the Chinese mainland, the fastest growth among its major markets.

Industry experts said the figures indicate that the Chinese market is becoming a key growth engine for international sports giants.

Data show that China's sporting goods market reached 2.49 trillion yuan in 2025, while the country's sports industry reached a market size of 5.12 trillion yuan.

XINHUA-CHINA DAILY