JD Sports

JD Sports Fashion Plc
	File:Jd-sports.gif
Company type	Limited
Industry	Retail
Founded	1981
Headquarters	Bury, Lancashire
Key people	John Wardle and David Makin, Founders; Barry Bown CEO
Products	Clothing; Sportswear; Footwear; Accessories
Operating income	3.80%
Net income	2.16%
Number of employees	8,942
Parent	Pentland Group
Website	JD

JD Sports, part of the John David Group and now more commonly known as just JD, is a sports-fashion retail company based in Bury, England with shops throughout the UK and the Republic Of Ireland.

The JD Sports Fashion Plc has long been established as the leading UK specialised multiple retailer of fashionable branded and own brand sports and casual wear, principally through the growth of its main retail fascia; JD.

The group now has over 400 stores but it all started when John David Sports was founded in 1981 with one shop.

John (J) Wardle and David (D) Makin set up the independent branch in the Millgate shopping centre in their home town of Bury. This shop is still there to this day and is known in the company as Bury 003, the first on the branch listings, 001 being the warehouse situated in Heywood Bury 002 was Manchester Arndale store.

By 1983 the fledgling business was expanding into the Arndale Centre in Manchester and throughout the 1980s there were further openings, largely in the North and Midlands. The first London store was opened in Oxford Street in 1989 and by the time of JD's stock market flotation in 1996 there were 61 stores. Maximum advantage was being taken from the growth in sales of international sports brands such as Adidas, Nike, Reebok and Puma and the trend to wear sportswear more and more in everyday life rather than largely on sports fields. Additionally, JD had already developed its reputation as the most innovative visual merchandiser of sportswear with the best and most exclusive and stylish ranges.

The business continued to grow organically until 2002 and then acquired nearly 200 further stores with the acquisition of First Sport from Blacks Leisure Group. Nearly all the stores retained from this acquired portfolio have subsequently been converted to the JD Sports fascia. In 2005 JD also purchased over 70 stores from the Administrators of Allsports (Retail) Limited thereby further consolidating its position as the leading UK retailer of fashionable sports and casual wear.

In May 2005, Pentland Group bought Wardle's and Makin's shares for £44.6m^[1], with Makin reportedly making £30.1m and Wardle £14.5m. The pair later resigned from the board.

David Makin subsequently has a number of business interests including Footasylum, the concept of which was conceived by brother Steve Makin. The retailer focuses mainly on unique styles of trainers however also stocks a complementary range of clothing. The business which opened its first store in Wilmslow, Cheshire in April 2006 has seen rapid growth now operating 12 stores across the UK (excluding subsiduries).

Contrary to popular belief, JD is not a sports company as such, that is to say they don't sell equipment and kit in the same way that for example, JJB Sports or Decathlon do. They exist to sell clothing by sports brands as fashion items, and their main strengths lie in trainers where they are the British industry leaders.^{[citation needed]}

In December 2007 the company bought out Bank, which sells fashion clothing such as Firetrap, Henleys and Adidas Originals among others for around £19M.

The company are currently undergoing a major rebranding of their stores, at two levels. Basic level refits give smaller stores and stores with a smaller profit margin a fresher, sharper feel with new signage and flooring, as well as new display units and till points.

Major stores, out of town stores and high turnover branches are getting what is termed as a "D&P" refit, named after the company who carries them out. These bring the stores onto a par with other major fashion retailers, and involve gutting the entire shop unit and re-cladding the walls, re-flooring and installing neon signs and lightboards amongst other things, to give each store a consistent but unique feel.

The groups Oxford Street store has just undergone the "D&P" scheme, and hundreds more are expected to follow suit in 2007/8.

Among JD's stores are Size? that stocks American import trainers to JD stores as well as different manufactures such as DVS, Vans, Gravis, Lakia, New Balance, One True, Pointer and Saucony.

On June 13, 2008 and June 6, 2008 JD Sports announced two new sponsorship deals with Dundee United FC and Charlton Athletic FC. Barry Bown CEO of JD Sports commented "We are very pleased to be sponsoring Dundee United and Charlton Athletic for the forthcoming season. The deal is a significant step in developing the JD Sports and Carbrini Sportswear brands in Scotland and we'll be working very closely with the club to make the partnership a success."

On July 21, 2008 AFC Bournemouth announced that JD Sports had agreed to a "groundbreaking" 3 year sponsorship deal with the club using the Carbrini brand. The "sponsorship deal is the biggest in the clubs history" according to AFC Bournemouth CEO, Alistair Saverimutto.

Brands stocked by JD

Amongst many others in smaller quantities

JD also stocks ten exclusive brands:

McKenzie — Men's, Women's and Junior clothing and footwear
Carbrini Sportswear — Junior fashion clothing and soccer apparel
Animal — Men and Women's Surf clothing and footwear
Brookhaven — Men's and Women's clothing
Boxfresh — Men's Clothing
Rivington — Men's and Women's clothing
O' Neill — Men and Women's Surf clothing and footwear
Pure and Simple Basics - Women's clothing
Frisk - New Women's clothing components

References

2. JD Sports change company name

^ "JD Sports founders sell out for £44.6m". Times Online. 2007-05-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

[1] "JD Sports founders sell out for £44.6m". Times Online. 2007-05-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[1]