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Intersport confirms DW as member
Sports retailer officially joins buying group from today (April 1); brings 60-plus stores and 250,000 fitness club members to Intersport
Intersport has confirmed that DW Sports has now joined the buying group as an affiliated retailer.
DW Sports has 60-plus stores across the UK, as well as more than 250,000 fitness club members.
Its addition to Intersport means the buying group now has 87 members operating out of 259 outlets in the UK.
Intersport said it has been in discussion with DW Sports about it joining the buying group for some time, and provisionally agreed a deal around the time of the Intersport Q3 show in January.
DW Sports is now an affiliated retailer as of April 1. Over the next 3-6 months all fascias and in store communication will be rebranded as Intersport DW Sports. Intersport said this will give its brand a boost on the high street, ‘presenting a multitude of marketing opportunities which will benefit the entire membership base’.
DW Sports will work to become a ‘fully engaged, proactive member’, Intersport said. It will support initiatives and represent the Intersport brand in a manner that reflects its style, concepts and values.
DW Sports chief executive officer Winston Higham said: “Becoming an affiliated partner with Intersport will help both parties. DW Sports will benefit from the sports retail side of the business with our 60 sites becoming instantly recognisable as ‘sports stores’.
“Once customers see the Intersport logo we believe that they will take in the fact that we are not just a fitness club operator. I believe with our retail square footage combined with the existing Intersport members, we can achieve better buying leverage and give a very strong exposure to the Intersport brand.”
Tom Foley, general manager of Intersport, said: “As organisations we have a similar ethos to be a true sports retailer, and we reached our agreement based on the clear and abiding synergies that exist between us.
“As a larger group together we believe we can serve all of our members more effectively, delivering even better value and greater advantages.”
Intersport added that major suppliers have been positive about the news, with many ‘quick to signal their support as they see that the partnership will create a greater balance in the UK sports retail market’.
During the Intersport Q3 show, Lotto UK country manager Allan Cope told SGB Sports: “DW Sports will greatly improve the buying power of the buying group as a whole. It effectively adds a third to the Intersport membership base.”
Precision Training national sales manager Dave Sanderson said: “Signing up DW Sports is a massive step forward for Intersport. It’s important for us as it shows the buying group is getting stronger and stronger.”
