{{Short description|International sporting goods retailer}}{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}} {{Infobox company | name = INTERSPORT International Corporation | logo = Intersport logo 2022.svg | logo_size = 250px | type = Limited | foundation = 1968 | hq_location = Bern, Switzerland | num_locations = 5,260 | key_people = Tom Foley (CEO)<ref>https://intersport.com/2025/04/10/iic-intersport-international-corporation-appoints-tom-foley-as-its-new-chief-executive-officer/</ref> | industry = Retail | products = Clothing<br/>Sportswear<br/>Footwear<br/>Accessories | revenue = €14.1 billion (2025)<ref>https://intersport.com/2026/03/31/intersport-group-announces-positive-financial-results-for-2025/</ref> | operating_income = | net_income = | num_employees = | subsid = | website = {{URL|https://intersport.com}} | footnotes = }} '''INTERSPORT International Corporation''' ("IIC"), commonly known as '''INTERSPORT''', is an international sporting goods retailer with its headquarters based in Bern, Switzerland.
IIC is the purchasing and brand management company of the INTERSPORT group and is considered one of the largest sporting goods retailers in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The world's biggest sports retailers |url=https://www.sgieurope.com/market-analysis/latest-industry-analysis/largest-sporting-goods-retailers |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Sporting Goods Intelligence |language=en}}</ref>
INTERSPORT has 5,260 specialist stores in 40 countries around the world.<ref>https://sgbonline.com/exec-intersport-posts-modest-growth-in-2025/</ref>
==History== {{Unreferenced section|date=December 2023}} Founded in 1968 in Bern, Switzerland, INTERSPORT grew out of the alliance of ten national purchasing centers to create an international organization around the sporting goods. The founding members were Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Sweden, and Switzerland.<ref name="Encyclopedia1968">{{cite encyclopedia |title=INTERSPORT International Corporation |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia.com |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/intres-bv |access-date=2026-02-19}}</ref><ref name="Berninvest2015">{{cite journal |year=2015 |title=INTERSPORT – Global success with local roots |url=https://www.berninvest.be.ch/content/dam/berninvest/dokumente/en/magazin/Magazin_2015_2_EN.pdf |journal=Berninvest Magazine |access-date=2026-02-19}}</ref>
During the 1980s, the group expanded its activities beyond collective purchasing and began developing private-label product brands as part of its long-term growth strategy. One of its best-known private-label brands, McKinley, was launched in 1984 and later became a core part of the company’s international offering.<ref name="McKinley40">{{cite news |date=2024 |title=INTERSPORT celebrates 40 years of private label McKinley |url=https://www.oicompass.com/corporate-and-manda/intersport-celebrates-40-years-of-private-label-mckinley/109616.article |access-date=2026-02-19 |work=Outdoor Industry Compass}}</ref>
Since its foundation, INTERSPORT has been the official sports retailer at several Olympic Games and has sponsored major sporting events all over the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Intersport extends its commitment at the Vierschanzentournee |url=https://www.infront.sport/news/sports-sponsorship/intersport-extends-its-commitment-at-the-vierschanzentournee |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=www.infront.sport |language=en}}</ref>
In January 2026, it was announced that INTERSPORT Austria acquired the INTERSPORT Slovenia Group, expanding its retail operations across Central and Southeast Europe. The acquisition, which is subject to regulatory approval, brought more than 500 stores in twelve countries under INTERSPORT Austria GmbH, with local management teams remaining in place.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-15 |title=INTERSPORT Austria purchases INTERSPORT Slovenia Group |url=https://www.businessmole.com/intersport-austria-purchases-intersport-slovenia-group/ |access-date=2026-01-15 |website=BusinessMole |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Brands== In addition to offering major sporting brands products, INTERSPORT also owns several of their own brands, which fall under the Private Label Brand (PLB<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.shopify.com/blog/what-is-private-label | title=What is a Private Label? How Private-Label Products Work (2024) }}</ref>) umbrella.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-23 |title=Intersport International revises strategy and organisation to become more efficient |url=https://www.sportinggoodsreport.com/2023/05/23/intersport-international-revises-strategy-and-organisation-to-become-more-efficient/ |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=Sporting Goods Report |language=en-US}}</ref>
PLBs offer a wide range of sporting brands accessible to all consumers for their everyday sporting needs such as PRO TOUCH (running & ball sports), FIREFLY (water & urban sports), NAKAMURA (biking), McKINLEY(outdoor) and energetics<ref>{{Cite web |title=Intersport launches new Energetics brand, bearing new sustainability logo |url=https://www.sgieurope.com/product-and-marketing/intersport-launches-new-energetics-brand-bearing-new-sustainability-logo/98144.article |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=Sporting Goods Intelligence |language=en}}</ref> (fitness & training).
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Sporting goods retailers Category:Retail companies established in 1968 Category:Companies based in Bern Category:Franchises Category:Multinational companies headquartered in Switzerland Category:Swiss brands Category:Retail companies of Switzerland
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