Sport Direct unveils “elevated” flagship in Liverpool

Sports Direct, Europe’s biggest retailer of sports and fitness footwear, clothing and equipment, which is part of the Frasers Group, has unveiled a new elevated store format in Liverpool, offering consumers a retail space to both shop and workout.

The new store opening on Liverpool’s Church Street marks the next phase in the brand’s vision to redefine the future of the British high street by offering a multi-purpose-built flagship to serve how today's consumer shops, trains and lives to offer “a destination where sport, performance, wellness and style are part of the same experience”.

Since 2022, Frasers Group has invested significantly in elevating Sports Direct as part of its wider elevation strategy across all its brands, led by the group’s chief executive, Michael Murray. To date, over 50 percent of Sports Direct’s stores have been “elevated” across the UK.

The 90,000 square foot Liverpool flagship spans across three floors and includes a full Everlast Gym+ complete with premium facilities, as well as the UK’s first-ever HYROX Performance Centre, one of only four in the world.

The Sports Direct flagship brings together leading sportswear giants, such as Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Asics, On, and Puma, alongside contemporary brands C.P. Company, Hugo, Levi’s, New Balance and Paul Smith. Each floor has been "carefully zoned by sport and training type," allowing customers to navigate with ease and shop by their specific interests, from running, football and swimming to outdoor adventure and racket sports.

Commenting on the Liverpool opening, Murray said in a statement: “Liverpool is a case study of how our Elevation Strategy is winning. It’s where ambition meets execution: a destination that showcases our strategy’s momentum. With every new opening, we’re not just adding stores, we’re transforming the retail landscape, creating spaces that energise communities and redefine the high street experience.

“This Sports Direct and Everlast Gyms+ opening captures everything our strategy stands for - confidence, innovation, and belief in the future of physical retail. We’re building momentum across the UK and beyond, and Liverpool is the latest example of that success.”

Inside Sport Direct’s Liverpool Church Street flagship store

Highlights from inside the flagship include the brand’s first elevated outdoor retail experience, incorporating advanced technology and information to educate consumers about products and outdoor activities, alongside a consumer-centric running concept to help shoppers find the right product for their running journey. This zone includes a cutting-edge gait analysis machine providing consumers with personalised recommendations for the perfect running footwear based on their unique foot structure and running style.

The store also has a dedicated women’s training area with brand personalisation zones from partners, such as Nike, Under Armour, Adidas, and USA Pro, alongside an ambassador-led outfit builder, connecting in-store experiences to the retailer’s digital platform, which combines curated brand looks utilising AI-driven recommendations to offer “a seamless path to the full Sports Direct assortment online”.

There is also an Adidas football skill zone, featuring an interactive challenge where participants have 30 seconds to test their precision by kicking a ball at a series of light-up targets, and an immersive Under Armour agility test, which challenges consumers with self-powered agility drills on a digital floor to test stamina, encourage self-belief, and inspire a resilient mindset.

Sports Direct combines retail with premium workout facilities

Alongside the retail offering, Everlast Gyms, also part of Frasers Group, has opened a premium fitness destination across the entire third floor, featuring a HYROX Performance Centre, which is designed to replicate race-day conditions and elevate functional fitness training for athletes of all levels. The gym also includes a Reformer Pilates Studio, featuring 16 Allegro 2 beds, alongside a dedicated Recovery Zone, offering Brass Monkey ice baths, herbal and dry salt saunas, and a modern, elevated space for post-training reset.

The gym will also offer more than 60 classes focused on 5 key areas: strength, cardio, HIIT, combat, and holistic, and features a MyProtein Kitchen, featuring a curated menu of freshly made smoothies, nutritious snacks and performance-focused supplements.

Murray added: “Bringing HYROX Performance Centres to the UK is a big milestone for Everlast Gyms and for the fitness community. Our ambition is to create aspirational training environments and be at the forefront of performance-led functional fitness and recovery, all at an accessible price.

“Becoming the official UK Home of HYROX does exactly that - connecting us with the HYROX community in an integrated way.”

Sports Direct hosts three-day festival to open newest flagship store

To launch the Liverpool flagship, Sports Direct is hosting a festival of sport and culture, until October 18, featuring activities spanning sport, lifestyle, fitness and wellness, as well as in-store appearances from Liverpool and Everton FC players past and present, including England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, Everton Women FC players Courtney Brosnan, Toni Payne and Maz Pacheco.

Other festival highlights will include the celebration of women’s rugby with the England Women's Rugby team, following their recent Rugby World Cup win, featuring players Maddie Feaunati and Tatyana Heard, freestyle football exhibitions from Under Armour, and a live recording of Spencer Matthews’ Untapped podcast with Frasers Group CEO Michael Murray.

There will also be community-run clubs from Adidas and On, and HYROX master classes, Reformer Pilates and Nike Strength classes throughout the opening weekend from the store’s in-built Everlast Gym+.