Sports Direct has opened a brand-new flagship store in the heart of Manchester, bringing a modern and innovative destination to the sports-mad city.
Set across five floors and located in Manchester’s famous Arndale Centre, the new store is the ultimate sport and lifestyle shopping experience – with dedicated areas for football, running and specialist sports, alongside men’s, women’s and kids wear.
Combining interactive experiences and unrivalled product choice for customers, the store also has specialist sporting zones, including a golf putting green, running gait analysis, a Jordan basketball performance challenge, and a dedicated bra studio.
Alongside Sports Direct, the store also houses:
- USC: a dedicated area set out for trend-focused consumers to explore and shop the most iconic premium lifestyle brands in one space – from authentic branded denim and urban fashion to accessories and footwear.
- GAME: the leading games retailer will provide extensive and expert knowledge to consumers, offering the latest games, consoles, and accessories.
- Belong: an enhanced gaming and social experience in the city centre, allowing fans to join the growing gaming community. The area will also offer games, consoles, and accessories, catering for a variety of appetites, from casual players to aspiring professionals.
The new flagship location introduces Sports Direct’s running concept to the city of Manchester for the first time. Sports Direct Manchester Arndale boasts a state-of-the-art experiential space dedicated to runners, that will become the go-to destination for getting accessible advice, whilst helping consumers achieve the most out of their training. With the Manchester marathon round the corner, there’s never been a better time to visit the new running concept space in store.
The space features brand new Gait Analysis technology, also known as walking or motion analysis. This helps runners identify whether they have pronation, supination or a neutral gait so they can find the best running shoe for them, reduce injury and improve running efficiency – all without having to run on a treadmill instore. The Footwear Tap Guide provides runners with accessible insight as they shop, with scannable QR codes unlocking valuable knowledge on running footwear throughout the store.
To kick-start the space, a panel of running experts, including: Beth Potter (Olympic triathlete & 2022 Commonwealth Games Bronze medallist), Laviai Nielsen (British sprinter and hurdler), Lina Nielson (British 400m hurdler) and Phil Sesemann (British marathon runner and part-time doctor), were on hand at the store opening to share their top tips.
Michael Murray, Chief Executive of Frasers Group, at the launch of the new store, said: “Our third Sports Direct flagship, marks another step towards our strategic goal to become the number one sports retailer in EMEA. Each new store opening is pivotal to the next phase of growth for the Group, as we continue to bring the very best brands, environment, product innovations, and experiences to the high street. Manchester is a significant location for the Group, and we’re excited to be opening our next flagship in the city.”
The new Manchester store follows the success of Sports Direct’s first two flagship stores in London and Birmingham which opened in 2021 and 2022, respectively. The flagship strategy is an all-new proposition for Sports Direct, bringing the best of sports to the consumer with an unrivalled product choice and world-class experiences through Sports Direct’s new design and brand vision.
