Friday, August 7, 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

Nike store

Nike’s Rumored China E-Commerce Gamble Could Be a Misstep

Nike will reportedly stop letting other companies sell its products online in China.
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.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

8/7/26 – Aikman and Buck Talks, Fox Won’t Renegotiate NFL Rights Until 2028, and Yankees’ Polymarket Deal

0:00

Featured Today

Joey Spallina of the Maryland Whipsnakes

How Eye Black Became ‘War Paint’ on the Field

“You’re going into battle, doing something you only do on game days.”
August 6, 2026

Tom Brady Explains His Aggressive Push Into Trading Cards

Brady talked to FOS about his eponymous card company.
FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Indian Premier League - IPL - Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India - April 23, 2026 Mumbai Indians' Suryakumar Yadav in action
August 5, 2026

India Is Stealing Cricket’s Throne From England and Australia

India’s insatiable appetite for cricket has shifted the traditional locus of power.
WPBL
July 30, 2026

Who’s Playing Women’s Professional Baseball?

Sixty players from 11 countries are descending on Illinois for six weeks.
Tom's Watch Bar
July 17, 2026

Sports Bars Are Cashing In From Summer of Soccer

The World Cup has brought a windfall to America’s biggest sports bars.

Golf Brands Are Cashing In on America250-Themed Equipment

Callaway and TaylorMade rolled out collections with significant markups.
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.
May 13, 2026

Sold-Out PGA Championship Tickets Drop Below Face Value Prices

The cheapest competition round ticket is $168 on Thursday.
Sponsored

Saints Great Turns to Ownership

Marques Colston discusses his Champions Fund launch and finding success after football.
April 29, 2026

Adidas’s First Quarter Free of Yeezy Inventory Beats Expectations

Adidas shares surge on strong quarter.
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.