JD Sports Acquires Stake In Gym King

JD Sports has announced a multi-million dollar investment in the UK, Yorkshire-based athleisure retailer Gym King, taking a “significant” minority stake in the firm.

Founded by Jay Parker in 2015, Gym King specializes in athleisure and trend-driven performance wear.

Parker, Gym King CEO, said: “This strategic partnership will help Gym King capitalize on the huge opportunity ahead of us, becoming a world-renowned ‘lifestyle performance’ brand. Our core brand values—Mindset, Resilience & Community—aligns perfectly with the JD business and consumer. We have continued to see impressive growth over the last 12 months with a focus on our own online, direct-to-consumer offering alongside our premium wholesale distribution to selected retail partners. The clear synergies with JD Sports will create a strong platform for accelerated growth.”

Peter Cowgill, executive chairman, JD Sports Fashion, said: “We have long admired the Gym King business and have increasingly recognized its potential as we’ve worked together in recent years. Investing in Gym King was a natural follow to strengthen our partnership and is a testament to the work Jay and his team have put in over recent years. The future for Gym King has a great number of opportunities, and we are delighted to be part of that journey.”