Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Athleisure Market Could Grow to $549B by 2028

  • The athleisure market could reach $549 million by 2028.
  • Emerging trends in “athflow” and “tactical fitness apparel” could drive continued growth in the space.
person_stretching_leg
Design: Alex Brooks

Earnings season has been tough on athletic apparel brands. The sector has seen widespread earnings misses, due in large part to global supply chain issues.

Athleisure is one area that’s been a bright spot. In the past 12 months, we’ve seen the following deals:

  • Spanx was valued at $1.2 billion after Blackstone bought a majority stake.
  • Vuori received a $400 million investment from SoftBank that values the clothing company at $4 billion.
  • L Catterton-backed Sweaty Betty sold to Wolverine Worldwide for $410 million.

The athleisure market is anticipated to grow to $549 billion by 2028 — and that’s not accounting for emerging sub-trends within the space.

Athflow — the convergence of athleisure and luxury — was one of the top trends in Pinterest’s 2021 business report.

Tactical sports fashion is on the rise, too. At the end of 2020, On Running’s Cloud X trainer ranked ninth on fashion search engine List — the first time any tactical fitness item had appeared on the index. Since then, each quarterly index has included tactical fitness apparel.

Want to learn more about this half-trillion dollar market? Check out Front Office Sports Insights.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Exclusive

Under Armour Did Not Renew WNBA Shoe Deal

Last year, Courtney Williams wore shoes without Moolah Kicks logos.
FILE PHOTO: Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) smiles on the court after defeating the Los Angeles Clippers during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome.

Curry’s Li-Ning Deal Is a Shot at His Own Jordan Brand

The NBA star signed a reported 10-year, $300 million deal with Li-Ning.
Lululemon

Lululemon Shares Pop After Agreeing to End Dispute With Founder

Chip Wilson in December called for a board shake-up.

Nike Under Fire Amid Growing Wave of Tariff Refund Lawsuits

Adidas and Lululemon also face proposed class actions from consumers.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

A Conversation with Tight End University’s Greg Olsen

0:00

Featured Today

Why U.S. Open Host Sites Are on a 25-Year Plan

The U.S. Open has already picked out 22 future sites through 2051.
Wisconsin Badgers forward Laila Edwards, left, and defender Caroline Harvey celebrate after Edwards scored against the Minnesota Gophers in the first period in a game Saturday, February 8, 2025, at LaBahn Arena in Madison, Wisconsin.
June 15, 2026

Two Rookies Are Rewriting Women’s Hockey Stardom

Their platforms are a mutual boon for the PWHL and its players.
Ai sports slop
June 5, 2026

How Sports Became Ground Zero for AI Slop

The category is the perfect breeding ground for AI content churn.
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group A - Germany v Luxembourg - Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim, Germany - October 10, 2025 Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann
June 4, 2026

‘Weird Corners of the World’: How to Find a World Cup Coach

National associations look for a winning record—and also hope for serendipity.
June 3, 2026

The Elite High Schools Hosting World Cup Teams

Spain, Morocco, Croatia, and Switzerland chose schools as their tournament base camps.

Sold-Out PGA Championship Tickets Drop Below Face Value Prices

The cheapest competition round ticket is $168 on Thursday.
April 29, 2026

Adidas’s First Quarter Free of Yeezy Inventory Beats Expectations

Adidas shares surge on strong quarter.
Apr 20, 2026; Boston, MA, USA; Sharon Lokedi (101) wins the women's division at the 130th running of the Boston Marathon.
May 12, 2026

Under Armour Pushes Sports Reset Amid Weak Earnings

Revenue was down 1% in the quarter.
Sponsored

How Daktronics Is Reshaping the Modern MLB Ballpark Experience

The technology powering baseball’s next chapter.
Adidas
April 27, 2026

Adidas Record Marathon Shoe Sold Out, Then Hit $3K on Resale Market

Resale listings for the high-profile shoe start at nearly $1,700 a pair.
April 26, 2026

Adidas Runners Break 2-Hour Barrier, Earn Nod From Nike

The milestone long thought unapproachable in competition is achieved twice.
April 21, 2026

Kelsey Plum Latest Star Endorser to Leave Under Armour

Plum wore Adidas at Unrivaled. 
April 20, 2026

Nike Competitors Pounce On Boston Marathon Ad Stumble

The company took down a display that read “Runners Welcome. Walkers Tolerated.”