Sport Sperk leaves, Intersport dealers take over

The Intersport flag will soon be flying over the Sport Sperk branches.

It was a withdrawal in installments, now the end for the Ochsner Sport subsidiary Sport Sperk is sealed. Six of the current nine locations will remain as sports locations. However, under a new flag: They will be taken over by Intersport dealers.

Six Sport Sperk branches get new owners. More precisely, five new owners: The Sport Sperk branch in the Munich shopping center Pep has been operated by Intersport Siebzehnrübl since June 1st – currently still under the name Sport Sperk. Five more branches will change hands on August 1st: The Weiden location will go to Intersport Giessübel, Heidenheim to Intersport Schoell, and Intersport Voswinkel will be located above the Kassel branch. Hamburg goes to Intersport Knudsen. Ottobrunn is the second location that Siebzehnrübl takes over. The Intersport association gains a total of around 7500m² of retail space.

“These five retailers are thus driving the growth of the Intersport cooperative,” comments Intersport CEO Alexander von Preen. “That is a great signal and a clear sign of growth in stationary retail.”

Sport Sperk was taken over by the Deichmann subsidiary Ochsner Sport at the beginning of 2016. Until 2019, the company was represented on the German market with both Ochsner Sport and Sport Sperk branches. Then the format Ochsner Sport said goodbye to the German market, the three branches were flagged to Sport Sperk, the number of which increased again to eleven.

“The profile of the new stores fits into the dealer-oriented expansion concept under the Intersport brand,” says Intersport Germany boss Alexander von Preen.

Now Ochsner Sport is withdrawing completely from the German sports trade. And Intersport takes over. “In principle, Ochsner Sport does the same as we do: They concentrate on their core market, Switzerland,” says Knud Hansen, dealer and also chairman of the Intersport supervisory board. His dealer colleague Udo Siebzehnrübl emphasizes: “Sport Sperk has a good name in Germany.”

A positive signal, also for our own employees

To date, Intersport Siebzehnrübl operates five branches. The two new shops should also be branded as quickly as possible. “The company should be made of one piece.” The employees were particularly surprised when they were informed about the expansion. “During this time, in which we all suffered massive losses, of course. That we have the trust of Intersport, that we have the trust of the banks. Not only do we believe in brick-and-mortar retail, we were also able to convince the banks that we have a future. ”The new former Sport Sperk employees in the branches are delighted that they are joining a family-run company. “You enjoy the shorter ways and faster decisions.”

“The profile of the new stores fits into the dealer-oriented expansion concept under the Intersport brand,” says von Preen. “The six areas, some of which are more than 1000m², are ideally suited to competently implement the focused categories of urban sports with running and training as well as outdoor.”

With the new locations in Munich and Hamburg, the dealers also send a clear signal for the Intersport brand in the “key cities”. “The location in the AEZ shopping center in the north of Hamburg fits us very well logistically,” says Hansen. “And it is also a clear signal to our employees that we are committed to stationary retail. We are very happy that we have now been given the opportunity to work in a metropolis. ”At the same time, filling“ blank spots ”with six new contact points is also a push for the omnichannel business, according to von Preen. The Sport Sperk locations in Koblenz, Neu-Ulm and Regensburg have no future for Intersport.

Sport Sperk employees will be taken over

“We had our first discussions last year, really in the middle of the pandemic,” reports Niko Varwig, Head of Business Partnering at Intersport. “The Deichmann Group approached us and informed us that they would like to withdraw from the German market with Ochsner Sport, i.e. Sport Sperk.” All five Intersport entrepreneurs have now individually concluded a purchase agreement with the Deichmann Group.

The existing employment relationships of the employees will be transferred to the Intersport dealers. So they not only take over the lease, but also the employees, parts of the shop fitting and goods. “So everything that is necessary to be able to take over a turnkey business and continue to run it.”

Niko Varwig, Head of Business Partnering at Intersport, is convinced that “future growth in retail will primarily be achieved through concepts for branch stores.”

For each location, the Heilbronn headquarters approached several dealers who could apply, reports Knud Hansen. The linchpin in the evaluation of the locations was the transfer of the lease. “The discussions with the landlords were not quite as easy as you would imagine in times of a pandemic. But the willingness to talk was there. “

All five companies already operate several branches. “That is something that sets us apart,” emphasizes Varwig. “And with this project in particular, we can show that it is possible for us to fill attractive locations nationwide with our entrepreneurs who can set up branches relatively flexibly in their catchment area.” Intersport has around 30 chain stores in the network that operate at least three locations. “That is a unique selling point. Because of this branch structure, we have the best prerequisites to continue scaling this up. ”

The best conditions thanks to the branch structure

“For us as regional chain stores, the Heidenheim location is easily feasible in terms of logistics,” says Andreas Schoell. “This is a very well run business, with good merchandise management and very friendly, attentive employees. To distinguish it from the very textile-heavy Sport Sperk, we will bring more competence products to the store: skiing, tennis, running with running analysis and test track. And we can play the regional map, which may have been lost with Heidenheim customers. ”In Heidenheim, too, Sport Sperk will initially continue“ in order to make two special sales and thus sales ”. Intersport Schoell will then open in March after a small renovation.

Voswinkel Managing Director Anna-Lena Schulte-Angels also emphasizes that the location has been looked at very carefully and checked for its profitability and potential. “We don’t expand for the sake of expanding. Kassel fits perfectly into our portfolio. We are already represented in the city center and can now complement this perfectly with the DEZ as a center on the outskirts of the city. We firmly believe that this location has a future. And it’s great how the branch team is already working with us. “

Varwig is convinced that this will not be the last growth project for Intersport this year. “This is the starting shot.”

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