Name of Company: JD Sports Fashion plc

Name of Business Unit:

Country: United Kingdom

ISIN number: GB00BM8Q5M07

Module N1079

Student number:

Date:

[total word count: 3659]

1
 1. Executive Summary

JD Sports is a leading UK-based sportswear retailer facing a decline in market share due to

increased competition and the rapid shift to e-commerce. In 2019, JD Sports held 36% of the

market share, which droped to 22% by 2023 as rivals, such as Sports Direct, Foot Locker, and

Intersport, capitalized on digital retail trends and price wars. Through a PESTEL and SWOT

analysis, the critical threats were found to be intensified online competition, economic

uncertainty and shifting consumer preferences. However, there are opportunities in digital

transformation, international investment and sustainability measures. So, two strategic

models were designed, including the: (1) Digital Acceleration and Omnichannel Integration

to improve the e-commerce operations and; (2) Sustainable Product Innovation and Brand

Differentiation to attract eco conscious consumers. The first strategy was recommended after

evaluation of feasibility. It has an implementation plan of three years, which includes

organizational restructuring, leadership alignment, digital investment, and performance

tracking. If JD Sports had a roadmap and had set up KPI's, she will be able to regain

competitive position and stronger long-term growth.

1. Contents

2
1. Executive Summary...............................................................................................................2

2. Strategic Position...............................................................................................................4

2.1 External opportunities and threats..............................................................................5

2.2 Internal strengths and weaknesses.............................................................................7

2.3 Summary of the key challenges...............................................................................11

3. Strategy recommendation.................................................................................................12

4. Strategy implementation..................................................................................................17

5. Reflection.........................................................................................................................21

6. Appendices.......................................................................................................................23

3
 2. Strategic Position

2019 2023
2020

10% 10%
13%
5% 22%
25%
6% 36% 7%
15%

12%
21% 5%
24% 6% 23%
19%
23%

Sports Direct

Source: Adapted from UK Sports (2024) - JD Market Size, 2023, accessed March 15th, 2025.

The UK sports retail industry has grown increasingly competitive, with JD Sports

experiencing a decline in market share while its rivals’ gained traction. Key competitors,

including Sports Direct International plc, Foot Locker, Inc., Intersport Group, Frasers Group

plc, and Footasylum Ltd., capitalized on shifting consumer behaviours, particularly the rise of

e-commerce. JD Sports' market share fell from 36% in 2019 to 25% in 2020, largely due to

the pandemic's impact on brick-and-mortar retail. JD failed to improve its online presence,

and was challenged with vigorous competition from both indigenous and international

internet retailing.1 JD Sports’ market share had continued to fall, to 22% by 2023, as rivals

extended their digital operations and omnichannel ways of working. At this time, the Sports

Direct went from a market share of 20% in 2019 to 26% in 2023 due to its aggressive pricing

and a strong online marketplace. Additionally, shares of Intersport Group and of Frasers

Group increased by +0.5% on an annual basis. While store closures resulted in a loss of

1
Hughes, M. 2021. JD Sports reports huge boom in sales as Brits make dash for post-pandemic fitness. Northern Echo
(Darlington, England), NA-NA.

4
revenue, Foot Locker was able to achieve steady performance by increasing its digital sales.

JD Sports’ struggle to expand its e-commerce business in light of the increase in shifting

consumer shopping habits of is symptomatic of the difficulty in finding the right balance

between physical retail and changing e-commerce demands.

2.1 External opportunities and threats

JD Sports operates in a complex external environment where multiple factors influence its

ability to compete and grow. The company has maintained a strong position in UK sports

retail history; however, its falling market share suggests that opportunities may have fallen

short of external threats. With the PESTEL framework, a critical examination of such factors

provides clarity on which are the key drivers that will shape JD Sports’ future and which

other circumstances may challenge its competitive position.

Government policies and regulatory interventions have significantly affected JD Sports'

strategic direction. Among the most notable challanges has been the UK Competition and

Markets Authority's (CMA) decision to force a broker JD Sports from its £90 million

acquisition of Footasylum from stranding it from consolidating market share through

mergers. The ruling shows the regulatory pressure on anti-competitive practices that still

appear on JD Sports expansion plans.2 On the other hand, sustainable business is under

regulatory pressure, which is an opportunity. JD Sports can improve upon its brand image

and draw the environmentally conscious consumer by improving their sustainability

initiatives with less time for carbon footprint and ethical sourcing.

Economic conditions in the UK have played a critical role in JD Sports’ declining market

share. In 2022, the country’s inflation rate hit 11.1%, which cut into consumers’ ability to

2
Eley, J., & Klasa, A. 2022. JD Sports moves to reassure over boss's exit; Retail Investors told there is no'skeleton in the
closet'as chain plans for future. The Financial Times, 14-14.

5
spend on non-essential goods like sportswear. However, JD Sports’ sales growth slowed to

3.5 percent in 2023, after 7.2 percent in 2019, as a result of this economic downturn. Despite

these short term pressures on spending, JD Sports also has an opportunity to move closer to

the market by continuing to focus on affordability and promotions to attract price sensitive

customers.3 Along with the global athleisure market is predicted to reach 7.4 % CAGR until

2028 especially in emerging markets identical to Asia and the Middle East, increasing

disposable income and rising fitness trend opportunities.4

Consumer Shift to Online Shopping (2019-2023)

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
2019 2020 2022 2023

UK Sportswear Sales Online JD Sports Sales Online

Source: Adapted from "Orbis Database.". 2023 accessed March 15th, 2025

Figure 1 above shows JD Sports' struggles in adapting to market shifts. While the UK

sportswear market rebounded post-pandemic, JD Sports’ market share declined as

competitors like Sports Direct expanded. Initially, e-commerce acted as a disadvantage for JD

Sports as it worsened digital sales, however by 2023 it had recovered and now seen success.

But with the online sales settled, there is a need for an omnichannel strategy. Further revenue

3
Ballesta Pérez, O. 2024. Análisis comparado de Sprinter Megacentros del Deporte, SL y JD Spain Soprts Fashion 2010,
SL.

4
"Nexis.Com | Comprehensive Online News & Business Research Tool | Lexisnexis®". 2023. Lexisnexis.Com

6
growth data shows too that Sports Direct outran JD Sports and it had a better strategic

positioning.5 To regain their market strength, JD Sports needs to increase digital integration

and brand exclusivity. This has been exacerbated by constraints from a regulatory

environment, economic downturn, and technological disruption on JD Sports’ market share.

Nevertheless, there is digital expansion, international growth, and sustainability initiatives

awaiting exploitation. Its success in the future will depend on how well it adapts to changing

consumer behaviours, improves its technological capability and the ever-changing regulatory

environment. The repositioning of JD Sports in these areas carries the opportunity for the

company to reverse its decline and stand out as a great player in the UK sports retail market.

2.2 Internal strengths and weaknesses

JD Sports' internal performance over the past five years highlights key strengths and

weaknesses shaping its competitive position. Strong brand recognition, exclusive product

offerings, and its expansion internationally have contributed to the company’s growth. But it

hasn’t been able to retain its market share because of its weaknesses like over reliance on

physical retail, late adoption of e commerce, and supply chain disruptions.6 The company

internal positioning is based on a critical analysis of financial performance, operational

efficiency and consumer trends.

Strengths

One of JD Sports' most significant strengths is its brand strength and exclusive partnerships

with major sportswear brands like Nike and Adidas. This exclusivity sets apart JD Sports

from the competition, including Sports Direct, which sells extensively discounted and non-

5
Wheatley, J., & Onita, L. 2024. JD Sports tumbles 23% after retailer cuts forecast. The Financial Times, 6-6.

6
Onita, L. 2024. JD Sports gets off on the wrong foot in 2024. Retail. Growth snag Investors ditch stock after consumer
retrenchment leads to profit warning. The Financial Times, 12-12.

7
exclusive products. This premium position has supported strong revenue growth, as the

following:

Gross Profit Margin (2019-2023)

60.00%

50.00%

40.00%

30.00%

20.00%

10.00%

0.00%
2019 2020 2022 2023

JD Sports Sports Direct Foot Locker Intersport

Source: Adapted from "Orbis Database.". 2023 accessed March 15th, 2025

Interpretation: JD Sports maintains the highest gross profit margin among competitors,

showcasing strong pricing power and brand exclusivity. However, the decline in the profit

margin post-pandemic reflects increasing operational expenses as well as competitiveness

pressures.7 Sports Direct has modestly enhanced its margin, narrowing the gap towards JD

Sports, whereas Foot Locker underperforms on more discounting as well as lower

profitability. Intersport remains stable but trailing behind JD Sports and Sports Direct.

In addition, the international growth by JD Sports has been the major revenue driver. The

company successfully entered the American and the European markets, increasing the global

revenue:

7
Brookfield, D., & Bridgewater, S. 2015. Sport Satellite Account for the UK 2010.

8
 Revenue in (£ Billion), (2019-2023)
4

3.5

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
2019 2020 2022 2023

UK Revenue Global Revenue

Source: Adapted from "sport trends.". 2023 accessed March 13th, 2025

Interpretation: The data highlights JD Sports’ successful international expansion, with

overseas revenue surpassing domestic growth from 2021 onward. While the revenue in the

UK grew modestly to £3.2bn in 2019 and £3.4bn in 2023, that in international markets rose to

£3.8bn in the latter year, up from £2.9bn in the former year. The shift reflects the extent to

which global market opportunities have been successfully tapped by the company.
8
International market dependency, however, entails currency fluctuations, the issues posed by

regulation, and incongruities in tastes, requiring localization strategies to ensure growth is

sustained.

Weaknesses

Despite strong branding, JD Sports has been slow to adapt to the digital shift. The firm's

online lag contributed to it losing market share to online-focused competitors like Intersport

8
Orunbayev, A. 2023. Globalization and sports industry. American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity
Research, 3(11), 164-182.

9
and Foot Locker.9 While the growth in online sales for JD Sports, growth that had accelerated

during the pandemic, the lag had less potential to benefit from the pandemic-fuelled e-

commerce boom.

And, also, over-reliance on physical retail remains is a concern. Having more relatively

bricks-and-mortar stores than digitally-first competitors, JD Sports has more to lose as the

store environment declines with declining store footfall and rising store operating expenses. 10

Supply chain inefficiencies are also a concern. World disruptions have increased costs and

reduced the speed of availability, affecting sales performance. JD Sports' inventory turnover

has slowed, highlighting inefficiencies:

Inventory Turnover (Times per Year), (2019-2023)

6

0
2019 2020 2022 2023

JD Sports Sports Direct Foot Locker Intersport

Source: Adapted from "sport trends.". 2023 accessed March 13th, 2025

9
Chikish, Y., Carreras, M., & García, J. 2019. eSports: A new era for the sports industry and a new impulse for the research
in sports (and) economics. Sports (and) economics, 477-508.

10
Kim, Y. H., Nauright, J., & Suveatwatanakul, C. 2020. The rise of E-Sports and potential for post-COVID continued
growth. Sport in Society, 23(11), 1861-1871.

10
Interpretation: JD Sports’ inventory turnover has steadily declined, indicating slower stock

movement and potential inefficiencies in supply chain management. Meanwhile, their

competitors, including Sports Direct, Foot Locker, and Intersport, have boosted their turnover

levels, which reflects more efficient inventory control. Foot Locker and Intersport, with their

strong online presence and enhanced supply chain responsiveness, are outpacing the pace of

JD Sports as far as the movement of stock goes. This reflects the need for JD Sports to

strengthen supply chain operations and adopt better forecasting techniques for inventory.

JD Sports' exclusive products, brand equity, and internationalization remain the factors that

fuel competitive advantage. Its belated digitization, over-reliance on bricks-and-mortar stores,

and supply chain inefficiencies are the issues, though.11 In the future, JD Sports must

concentrate on omnichannel retailing programs, supply chain, and digital capability to sustain

long-term growth.

2.3 Summary of the key challenges

JD Sports' declining market share and competitive position can be attributed to several key

challenges. Below is a ranked list of the most pressing issues, their interrelationships, and

their strategic implications.

# Key challenge Rationale for ranking

1 Slow Digital JD Sports was late in strengthening its e-commerce presence,

Adaptation allowing online-first competitors like Foot Locker and Sports

Direct to capture a larger share of digital sales. This translated

directly to market share and revenue growth, notably during and

in the aftermath of the pandemic.

2 Overreliance on In spite of online growth, JD Sports remains much more

11
"Orbis - Report". 2023. Orbis.Bvdinfo.Com.

11
 Physical Stores dependent on store counts, more so even than Sports Direct and

Intersport, with fewer visitors as a result of lower numbers

through the doors, higher costs to operate, and attitude shifts

towards omnichannel purchasing.

3 Inventory Lower relative inventory turnover by JD Sports, as against

Management competitors (3.7 versus Sports Direct at 5.1), indicates supply

Inefficiencies chain vulnerabilities. This has impacts on availability, cash

flows, and profitability overall, lowering the responsiveness to

changes in the marketplace.

4 Competitive Pricing JD Sports' premium pricing stance, as much as it has reinforced

Pressure brand value, has restricted the scope to align prices with

discount-focused retailers such as Sports Direct. Savvy price-

conscious buyers have switched allegiances, denting sales.

5 Market Saturation & As there is growing competition in the sportswear retail

Brand Differentiation business, JD Sports is struggling to preserve brand exclusivity.

Challenges Competitors Foot Locker and Intersport are also creating the

same brand partnerships, which decrease JD’s competitive

edge.

Strategic Implications

These challenges require JD Sports to enhance its digital transformation, optimize inventory

management, and adopt a flexible pricing strategy. Stakeholders, including investors, and

suppliers, may possess opposing interests to be price-competitive as well as profitable, and to

ensure the availability of products as well. Resolving these issues becomes the solution to

regaining market power.

12
 3. Strategy recommendation

3.1 Existing Overall Strategy

JD Sports has traditionally pursued a differentiation strategy focused on premium branding,

exclusive product offerings, and a strong physical retail presence.12 The company has secured

partnerships with major sports brands like Nike and Adidas, providing exclusive sneaker

releases that differentiate it from budget-oriented competitors like Sports Direct. In addition,

JD Sports has expanded internationally through acquisition, making its brand more powerful

in Europe, the United States, and Asia.

However, the rise in e-commerce and changing customer behavior has posed the model with

significant threats. Despite the efforts by JD Sports to boost its online presence, it has fallen

behind online-oriented competitors like Foot Locker. Additionally, overdependence on

physical stores has made it vulnerable to declining mall patronage, particularly following the

pandemic. The firm must, therefore, become more agile and forward-looking in its model to

regain market share and remain relevant.

3.2 Alternative Future Strategic Options

To improve JD Sports’ market position over the next three years, two strategic options are

proposed:

Option 1: Digital Transformation and E-commerce Expansion

Key Actions:

 Strengthen JD Sports' digital presence by enhancing website functionality, mobile app

experience, and omnichannel integration (e.g., buy-online-pick-up-in-store).

12
"Orbis - Report". 2023. Orbis.Bvdinfo.Com.

13
  Expand social commerce plans with the integration of influencer endorsement and

live shopping on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

 Invest in AI-driven personalization to provide customers with tailored product

recommendations, mimicking online-first retailers like Footlocker.

 Refining supply chains and fulfillment systems to speed up and make delivery more

efficient, modelling Foot Locker's solid digital supply chain.

 Use data-driven inventory management to reduce inventory inefficiencies and

maximize turnaround rates.

Rationale

This strategy aligns with the broader industry trend of digitalization. JD Sports' online efforts

are currently underdeveloped compared to the market, and a strong online presence must be

created in order to recapture ground share that has been lost.13 Competitors such as Foot

Locker have managed to utilize AI and targeted marketing to successfully drive online sales,

indicating the success of this method.

Challenges & Considerations:

 Requires substantial investment in technology and digital infrastructure.

 Potential stakeholder opposition who value JD's in-store experience.

 Increased dependency on online sales could lead to reduced differentiation from

online-first competitors.

Option 2: Diversification into Affordable & Sustainable Product Lines

Key Actions

13
RAZIF, M.S.B.M., 2018. SPORT ONLINE SHOPPING.

14
  Introduce private-label, low-cost, high-margin goods to appeal to price-sensitive

shoppers who are defecting to value competitors like Sports Direct.

 Partner with sustainable sportswear brands and implement eco-friendly product lines

to appeal to environmentally conscious Gen Z and millennial shoppers.

 Lifestyle and athleisure expansion, drawing on the brand recognition for sportswear

outside performance sportswear.

 Strengthen JD’s presence in emerging markets (e.g., Asia-Pacific and the Middle

East), where demand for branded sportswear is rising.

Rationale

The global sportswear industry is experiencing a shift towards affordability and

sustainability. Sports Direct has managed to win price-conscious shoppers, and the exclusive-

brand model does not currently fit with this target market. Adidas and Nike, on their side, are

also moving towards sustainability, and this presents the opportunity for JD Sports to board

the bandwagon and make their products more distinct.

Challenges & Considerations

 Risks diluting JD Sports' premium brand reputation.

 Growth in private-label brands may result in conflicts with big partners, including

Adidas and Nike.

 Expansion to new markets requires significant supply chain and adaptation

investments.

3.3 Evaluation of Strategic Options

15
Both strategic options have strengths and trade-offs. A structured evaluation using the SAF

(Suitability, Acceptability, Feasibility) model helps determine the best approach.

Digital Transformation & E- Affordable & Sustainable Product

Criteria
commerce Expansion Diversification

Highly suitable given industry

Suitable for capturing new consumer
digitalization trends and shifting
Suitability segments and aligning with
consumer behaviour towards online
sustainability trends.
shopping.

May be welcomed by budget-

Likely to be accepted by digital-savvy
conscious and eco-conscious
Acceptability consumers but may face resistance from
consumers, but risks alienating
store-focused investors.
premium-brand loyalists.

Requires significant upfront investment Feasible but requires brand

in technology and supply chain repositioning and negotiation with

Feasibility
improvements, but JD has the financial suppliers to ensure product quality

capacity. and differentiation.

3.4 Recommended Strategy

Based on the evaluation, the Digital Transformation & E-commerce Expansion strategy is the

recommended approach. Though both options have strong potential, strengthening JD Sports'

16
online presence is the more critical option amidst the accelerated transition to online shops. 14

Developing e-commerce functionality will enable JD Sports to recapture lost market share,

deepen customer interaction, and render its stock management more effective.

Implementation Steps (Next Three Years):

1. Year 1: Strengthen Digital Infrastructure – Invest in website and app enhancements,

AI-powered recommendations, and quicker fulfillment networks.

2. Year 2: Expand Social Commerce & Personalization – Leverage influencer

marketing, live shopping, and personalized offers.

3. Year 3: Optimize Inventory & Omnichannel Integration – Leverage AI-driven

demand forecasting and frictionless store-digital integration.

This strategy ensures profitability (profit), enhances customer experience (people), and aligns

with responsible business practices (planet) by reducing inefficiencies and optimizing

inventory turnover.15 Through the effective execution of this plan, JD Sports can halt its

declining market share and resume its position as a digital leader in the sportswear sector.

4. Strategy implementation

Implementing JD Sports’ Digital Transformation & E-commerce Expansion Strategy over the

next three years requires a structured approach that integrates technological investment,

organizational restructuring, cultural adaptation, performance tracking, and leadership

alignment. The success of this strategy depends on JD Sports' ability to evolve from a store-

based business model to a digital-first, omnichannel business.

Organizational Structure and Leadership Changes

14
Hughes, M., 2021. JD Sports reports huge boom in sales as Brits make dash for post-pandemic fitness. Northern Echo (Darlington, England),
pp.NA-NA.

15
Jorgenson, D.W., JD Sports Fashion: A Good Long-Term Investment, But Hold for Now. AC Investment Research, 220(44).

17
To support the shift toward a stronger e-commerce presence, JD Sports must adjust its

organizational structure. Currently, the firm is deeply invested in physical retailing business,

and it is difficult for it to scale digital innovation successfully. A new position—a Chief

Digital Officer (CDO)—must be created to lead all digital transformation efforts, with the

outcome being frictionless coordination between technology, marketing, and supply chain

activities. Current IT and e-commerce personnel also must be restructured and augmented to

manage higher website traffic, AI-powered personalization, and logistics optimization. A

more agile and cross-functional team structure is required to drive this change.

Cultural Transformation and Overcoming Resistance to Change

Cultural resistance is one of the biggest barriers to implementing digital transformation in

traditional retail companies. There should be a training and development program to enable

employees to move into digitally-oriented positions. For instance, retail staff in stores can be

trained to carry out virtual sales support, for instance, assisting customers buying online via

live chat, video call, or social media.16 In so doing, digital growth will not be at the expense

of losing good staff but through maximizing their store experience into new positions.

Performance Tracking and Key Metrics

Measuring the success of the strategy requires defining key performance indicators (KPIs)

that align with the company’s digital goals. The following metrics should be closely

monitored over the three-year period:

 E-commerce Revenue Growth – Aiming to reach 15% year-on-year online sales

growth.

16
"PESTLE Analysis of The Global sports Industry". 2023. Managementstudyguide.Com.

18
  Customer Engagement & Conversion Rates – Monitoring website and application

conversion rates, with a target of 30% growth in digital engagement.

 Omnichannel Sales Contribution – Tracking the proportion of sales that occur via

click-and-collect and buy-online-pick-up-in-store (BOPIS) programs.

 Supply Chain Efficiency – Reduction in average delivery time from 5 days to 3 days

by streamlining logistics.

 Customer Satisfaction & Retention – Enhancing Net Promoter Score (NPS) and

repeat customer levels by a minimum of 10%.

Speed of Change and Resource Allocation

The speed of implementation must be carefully managed to ensure smooth transitions without

disrupting JD Sports’ core business. The transformation should occur in three phases over

three years, with each phase focused on specific areas:

1. Year 1: Digital Infrastructure & Omnichannel Setup – This includes website and

mobile application refresh, integration of AI-driven personalization, and improvement

in logistics capability.

2. Year 2: Customer Engagement & Supply Chain Optimization – This stage is aimed at

boosting social commerce, last-mile delivery efficiency, and omnichannel shopping

experiences.

3. Year 3: Scaling & Market Expansion – The last stage entails the expansion of JD

Sports' online digital market scope, international digital expansion, and additional AI-

powered automation.

19
Needs large-scale financial investment, particularly in technology development, e-marketing,

AI integration, and logistics partnership agreements. JD Sports requires investing a £100-

£150 million fund over three years taken primarily from internal cash generation and

potential strategic linkages with technology firms.

GANTT Chart for Strategy Implementation

The GANTT chart below outlines the key activities required for successful strategy

implementation, along with their timeline and dependencies.

Implementing the Digital Transformation & E-commerce Expansion Strategy requires a

multi-faceted approach involving organizational restructuring, cultural shifts, performance

tracking, and strategic investments. To recover market share and transform into a market

leader in sports retailing, JD Sports can build a strong digital foundation in Year 1, optimize

customer and logistics engagement in Year 2, and grow its market footprint in Year 3.

Having address some of the risks like internal resistance, financial investments, and

implementation risks, it’s worth mentioning that a clear roadmap, strong leadership, and

continuous performance monitoring will lead to successful implementation. If JD Sports can

20
pull this off, it can recover lost competitive ground in order to achieve sustainable growth and

future proof its businesses against future digital disruption in the retail industry.

5. Reflection

The research and learning process for this project provided valuable insights into strategic

analysis and competitive positioning, particularly in the evolving digital retail landscape. JD

Sports’ market share decline was analysed in order to illustrate the challenge of developing

exponential capability in e commerce competition. This only highlights the importance of

organizational agility, digital transformation as well as omnichannel strategies in the current

retail environment.

One of the key challenges was data collection and interpretation. Financial reports and

industry analysis offered quantitative insights, whereas understanding consumer behavior

shifts and competitive dynamics needed more quantitative analysis. In addition, synthesis of

various sources needed to be done in order to compare JD Sports with competitors such as

Foot Locker and Sports Direct was time consuming.

Through this research, my understanding of PESTEL, SWOT, and strategic frameworks has

evolved. I learned the value of squashing first thoughts and assumptions, considering other

arguments, and aligning strategic recommendations with financial viability, organizational

capability. Feedback was received from seminars on the need of having a balanced approach

where the proposed strategies should address profitability, market positioning and

sustainability. Overall, this project strengthened my ability to develop data-driven, future-

oriented business strategies.

21
References

1. Hughes, M. 2021. JD Sports reports huge boom in sales as Brits make dash for post-
pandemic fitness. Northern Echo (Darlington, England), NA-NA.
2. Eley, J., & Klasa, A. 2022. JD Sports moves to reassure over boss's exit; Retail
Investors told there is no'skeleton in the closet'as chain plans for future. The Financial
Times, 14-14.
3. Ballesta Pérez, O. 2024. Análisis comparado de Sprinter Megacentros del Deporte, SL
y JD Spain Soprts Fashion 2010, SL.
4. Wheatley, J., & Onita, L. 2024. JD Sports tumbles 23% after retailer cuts
forecast. The Financial Times, 6-6.
5. Onita, L. 2024. JD Sports gets off on the wrong foot in 2024. Retail. Growth snag
Investors ditch stock after consumer retrenchment leads to profit warning. The
Financial Times, 12-12.
6. Brookfield, D., & Bridgewater, S. 2015. Sport Satellite Account for the UK 2010.
7. Orunbayev, A. 2023. Globalization and sports industry. American Journal Of Social
Sciences And Humanity Research, 3(11), 164-182.
8. Chikish, Y., Carreras, M., & García, J. 2019. eSports: A new era for the sports
industry and a new impulse for the research in sports (and) economics. Sports (and)
economics, 477-508.
9. Kim, Y. H., Nauright, J., & Suveatwatanakul, C. 2020. The rise of E-Sports and
potential for post-COVID continued growth. Sport in Society, 23(11), 1861-1871.
10. "Orbis - Report". 2023. Orbis.Bvdinfo.Com.
11. "Nexis.Com | Comprehensive Online News & Business Research Tool |
Lexisnexis®". 2023. Lexisnexis.Com.
12. "PESTLE Analysis of The Global sports Industry". 2023.
Managementstudyguide.Com.
13. "Sports Trends". 2023. Academic.Mintel.Com. http://academic.mintel.com/.
14. García Teruel, J., 2020. Análisis económico-financiero de FOOT LOCKER SPAIN SL y JD
SPAIN SPORTS FASHION 2020 SL mediante la revisión e interpretación de sus cuentas
anuales.
15. Jorgenson, D.W., JD Sports Fashion: A Good Long-Term Investment, But Hold for Now. AC
Investment Research, 220(44).
16. Hughes, M., 2021. JD Sports reports huge boom in sales as Brits make dash for post-
pandemic fitness. Northern Echo (Darlington, England), pp.NA-NA.

22
17. RAZIF, M.S.B.M., 2018. SPORT ONLINE SHOPPING.

23
 6. Appendices

Appendix A: Summary of External Analysis (PESTEL)

Factor Key Trends & Developments Implications for JD Sports

Potential supply chain disruptions and

Political Brexit impacting UK-EU trade regulations.
increased tariffs.

Inflation reducing consumer spending Lower demand for premium

Economic
power. sportswear and footwear.

Increased preference for sustainable and Need to align product offerings with
Social
ethically sourced products. consumer expectations.

Growth of AI-driven personalization and Requires investment in digital and

Technological
online retail. omnichannel retail strategies.

JD Sports must enhance eco-friendly

Environmental Rising focus on sustainability in fashion.
product lines.

Stricter labor and sustainability Compliance challenges and potential

Legal
regulations. reputational risks.

Appendix B: Alternative Future Macro Scenarios

24
Appendix C: Benchmarking JD Sports Against Key Competitors

Appendix E: Competitive Resource & Capability Assessment

25