The biggest change for the sports industry is the new, digital landscape, said Peter Pachter, chief executive of SportDirect, which has more than 40 brands.
“The way the digital landscape has evolved, we have had to move from traditional retail, to an online model,” Pachters said.
“We are now the sole provider for many of our sports and recreation activities and now all of a sudden, we are going to be selling sports and recreational products.”
Pachter said SportDirect’s sports and leisure business had more than tripled in value since 2009.
He said the company was in talks with other sports retailers to see if they could work together.
“This is about building the next generation of sports fans,” he said.
For Pachner, it is about growing in-house. “
In the near term, the digital revolution will be on the rise and we have to be ready for that.”
For Pachner, it is about growing in-house.
He said Sportdirect has more staff in-store, and is planning to expand its in-home and online presence.
But he added: “It is about getting the best possible content for the most consumers and getting them on to the screen as soon as possible.
Pathter said Sports Direct was looking to expand to all categories, from tennis to golf.
Ahead of the Australian Open, SportDirect is investing more than $1 million to increase the company’s presence in the Sydney metropolitan area, Pahter said.””
With our team of digital specialists, we’re now in a position to grow,” he added.
Ahead of the Australian Open, SportDirect is investing more than $1 million to increase the company’s presence in the Sydney metropolitan area, Pahter said.
“We have been able to build a stronger brand across all sports, from cricket to tennis,” he explained.
“As a result, we will be able to grow our business more in the coming years.”
SportDirect said it had secured more than 2,500 new jobs across Australia and that the business was on track to deliver a $1.5 billion profit for 2017.
It was also aiming to hire up to 1,000 staff this year, a significant expansion of its workforce.
The new digital strategy will also involve a strategic investment in digital infrastructure, Pichter said, and was also looking to establish new businesses in the industry.
In the US, the sports retailer Amazon is looking to open its own sports store, with a focus on tennis.
Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos is the first Amazon executive to make the trip to Australia.
