Decathlon plans to acquire a 50 percent stake in the French retail chain Sport 2000 to strengthen its position in France’s rural areas and ski resorts.
Decathlon, based in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France, has signed a letter of intent to buy 50 percent of Sport 2000 France, owned by sports retail group Céraclès Coopérative, according to Reuters.
The deal will enable Decathlon to enter the ski rental market and make its products available in the retailer’s network of stores in the French Alps and Pyrenees. Decathlon only has five stores in the mountains while Sport 2000 has 190. Decathlon would also get access to Céraclès other retail chains Mondovélo, Espace Montagne, Ekosport-Rent, WAS We Are Select, S2 Sneakers Specialist, and Urban Soccer. Céraclès has 700 stores in total across France, including 400 Sport 2000 stores, while Decathlon has 325 stores in the country.
Ceracles’ Sport 2000 stores would remain independently operated under a franchise model.
The deal remains subject to regulatory approvals. They did not disclose the size of the deal.
Image courtesy Sport 2000
