SportsPro
SportsPro Limited is the official UK licence holder for the hummel and Playerr sportswear brands, designing, manufacturing and distributing professional and amateur team kits, bespoke apparel and retro jerseys across the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What SportsPro does
SportsPro Limited is the official UK licence holder for the hummel and Playerr sportswear brands, founded in 2022 after the administration of hummel's previous UK partner, Elite Sports Group. The company designs, manufactures and distributes professional and amateur sportswear, training apparel and team kits across five core segments — TeamSport (inline multi-sport products), ProSport (fully bespoke professional team solutions), White-Label & Corporate (mono-branded and lifestyle apparel), Education (institutional bespoke garments), and Retro (licensed and mono-branded replica jerseys) — alongside a Supply Chain & Design service line and a Kit Builder (3D configurator) tool. Customers include professional football and rugby clubs (Coventry City FC, Kilmarnock FC, Sunderland AFC, Celtic FC, Wycombe Wanderers, Featherstone Rovers, Wigan Warriors, Hull FC, Everton, Southampton), esports organisations (Guild Esports, Team Vitality, Astralis, Oracle Red Bull Racing Esports), educational institutions, corporate clients, and fans; sports-pro.world and major UK retailers JD Sports, Sports Direct and Fanatics act as additional distribution surfaces.
The business is built on a 360-degree, vertically managed supply chain. Manufacturing is distributed across China (26.5%), Pakistan (21%), Vietnam (20%), Turkey (12.5%), India (12%), Portugal (2.6%) and other geographies, with quality control performed in-house. Finished goods are staged through a state-of-the-art warehouse in North Yorkshire for fast UK delivery and a fully automated warehouse in Padborg, Denmark for EU distribution. Differentiated product features include ECO8 recycled-polyester construction (each shirt from eight recycled plastic bottles), ZeroH2O dry-dye technology (zero water consumption, 50% lower energy use), a 3D Kit Configurator with print integration at designhummel.com, and STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX certification on more than 50% of hummel KIDS products. The company holds exclusive hummel rights across the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Commercial mechanics rely on multi-year (typically three-year) kit supply contracts with professional clubs, supplemented by shorter-cycle B2B and B2C e-commerce revenue from amateur teams, institutions, corporate clients and licensed retail. Pricing is unit-based with bespoke minimum order quantities, 30-day standard payment terms, and early-payment discounts; lead times range from 7-10 business days for inline products to 14-60 days for bespoke jobs. The leadership team comprises CEO Chris Kirby, co-founder and CFO Ian Russell, executive chairman and co-founder Brian Smillie, founder Chris Hammer and co-founder Sarah Connor; key operational staff were headhunted from Elite Sports Group UK, including kit designer Rob Revell. Operating geographies are UK-led with licence rights extending to Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, and EU distribution via Denmark.
SportsPro firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SportsPro
- Legal name
- SportsPro Limited
- Website
- https://sports-pro.world
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SportsPro Limited is the official UK licence holder for the hummel and Playerr sportswear brands, designing, manufacturing and distributing professional and amateur team kits, bespoke apparel and retro jerseys across the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SportsPro industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sportswear Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (339920), Apparel Manufacturing (315), Sporting and Recreational Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42391)
- SIC
- Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Athletic / Performance & Activewear Brands (CRAAAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Team Sports & On-Field Performance Apparel (CRAAAEAE), Team Sports Equipment & Apparel Distribution (CRAOAJAA), Sports & Outdoor Accessories Manufacturing (Performance Gloves/Headwear) (IMAOAFAI)
Keywords
Where SportsPro is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
SportsPro business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Team Sportswear Manufacturing and Sales: SportsPro designs, manufactures and sells professional sportswear, training apparel and team wear for sports clubs, players, athletes, and teams across all levels. Products include socks to gloves, polo shirts to base-layers, pro team-wear to training jackets. Revenue is generated through product sales to professional clubs, amateur teams, and individual consumers.
- White-Label and Corporate Apparel: Competitive offering of hummel or mono-branded products with achievable minimum order quantities for professional clubs of all sizes. Also includes corporate apparel, promotional gifts, and accessories for primary and secondary partners.
- Education Garments B2C: Fully bespoke education garments for universities, colleges, and schools with B2C online store, allowing students to order directly with delivery to designated addresses.
- Retro Shirt Replicas: Using hummel's library of iconic retro jerseys, replicating originals for collectors and fans. Also offers mono-branded retro collections for non-hummel clubs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Pro and Professional Teams |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Inline TeamSport Products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Education SMU/Bespoke |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | White-Label Corporate |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
SportsPro product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SportsPro designs and manufactures professional sportswear, training apparel and team wear under exclusive UK licences for the hummel and Playerr brands. Its product lines serve professional sports clubs (pro team-wear, bespoke kits), amateur and local teams (inline teamwear), educational institutions (bespoke garments via B2C store), corporate clients (white-label apparel and accessories), and fans/collectors (retro jersey replicas).
Product overview
SportsPro is an official UK licence holder for hummel and Playerr brands, providing creative conceptual ideas and manufacturing of Pro sportswear, training apparel and team wear for sports clubs, players, athletes, local sports teams, junior teams, and fans. The product portfolio comprises TeamSport (inline products across multiple sports with EU and UK distribution), White-Label (corporate and lifestyle collections), Education (bespoke garments via B2C store), Retro (replica vintage jerseys), ProSport (fully bespoke professional team solutions), Supply Chain & Design (in-house design and UK warehousing), and Kit Builder (3D configurator). The company operates from distribution centres in Denmark (EU automated warehouse) and North Yorkshire, UK, serving pro, semi-professional and amateur clients nationally and internationally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SportsRetro: Retro shirt services replicating iconic hummel jerseys from the past
- TWERP
Products and services
- TeamSport
- White-Label & Corporate
- Education
- Retro
- ProSport
- Supply Chain & Design
- Service Process (Consultation to Delivery)
Quantifiable outcome
- Energy consumption reduced by 50% with ZeroH2O dyeing technology
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SportsPro
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
SportsPro technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
SportsPro partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Coventry City FCcoreThree-year kit supply agreement with iconic Danish sportswear brand hummel and SportsPro as UK licence holder. Includes playing kit, training kit, and bespoke kits each season. Partnership builds on previous success including iconic Two-Tone third kits and record-breaking shirt sales since 2019.
- Kilmarnock FCcoreNew three-year partnership signed with hummel, the most lucrative technical kit supplier deal to date for the club. Men’s, Women’s and Academy squads will be supplied with bespoke hummel playing and training wear until 2026. Club forms key part of hummel’s European community alongside Real Betis, FC Koln, Brondby, Saint Etienne and the Danish National Team.
- Guild EsportscoreBritish esports organisation Guild Esports partnered with hummel through SportsPro in a £700,000 deal expected to last at least three years. Hummel acts as Technical Kit Partner, providing jerseys, hoodies, sweatpants, headgear and luggage. This is the first time fans can buy premium quality Guild-branded products at major UK retailers. Partnership announced April 2023.
- Team VitalityminorHummel replaced Adidas as the official apparel partner for French esports organisation Team Vitality.
- Oracle Red Bull Racing EsportsminorEsports organisation featured as white-label client on SportsPro website.
- Sunderland AFCcoreFootball club featured as customer logo on SportsPro website.
- Celtic FCcoreFootball club featured as customer logo on SportsPro website.
- Wycombe Wanderers FCminorFootball club featured as customer logo on SportsPro website.
- Featherstone Rovers RLFCminorRugby league club featured as customer logo on SportsPro website.
- FanaticscoreGlobal sports merchandise and entertainment company featured as customer logo on SportsPro website.
- EvertoncorePremier League football club sponsored by hummel, part of hummel’s UK professional club portfolio.
- Southampton FCcorePremier League football club sponsored by hummel, part of hummel’s UK professional club portfolio.
- Wigan WarriorsminorSuper League rugby team partnered with hummel.
- Hull FCminorSuper League rugby team partnered with hummel.
- AstralisminorHummel extended partnership with Danish esports brand Astralis until 2025 through SportsPro facilitated deal.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights8 records
SportsPro competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Joma: Spanish manufacturer of football boots, kit, and teamwear, supplying clubs across La Liga and lower-tier European leagues. Comparable business model to SportsPro's TeamSport and ProSport segments targeting semi-pro and amateur clubs.
- Macron: Italian manufacturer of technical sportswear and team kits for football, rugby, basketball, and handball clubs across Europe. Direct competitor to SportsPro in supplying mid-tier professional clubs with bespoke playing and training wear.
- Uhlsport: German sportswear manufacturer specializing in team kits (handball, football, hockey) and goalkeeping gear. Comparable manufacturer profile to SportsPro with similar sub-segment focus on team-level apparel and accessories.
- Le Coq Sportif: French sportswear brand producing kits for football clubs (e.g., Saint-Etienne historically, RC Lens) and rugby teams. Heritage brand in same competitive segment as hummel for kit supply deals in European football.
- Erreà Sport: Italian sportswear manufacturer producing kits for professional football and rugby clubs across Europe (e.g., Parma, Atalanta historically, several national federations). Comparable vertical model to SportsPro, competing for club-level kit contracts.
- Admiral Sportswear: British heritage sportswear brand producing retro and modern kits for football clubs, particularly in the lower English tiers. Closest UK direct competitor in heritage/retro football kit, mirroring SportsPro's Retro and TeamSport offerings.
- Castore: Premium British sportswear brand designing and manufacturing kits for professional football and rugby clubs (e.g., Rangers, McLaren, England Cricket). Directly competes with SportsPro for premium pro-club technical kit supply contracts in the UK and Ireland.
Regional players
- Patrick (Irish brand): Irish heritage sportswear brand producing footwear and teamwear primarily for UK and Ireland market. Comparable in scale and regional footprint to SportsPro's UK & Ireland license territory, with overlapping client base in amateur and pro sports clubs.
Broad incumbents
- Kappa (BasicNet): Italian sportswear brand owned by BasicNet, producing kit for professional football clubs across Europe (e.g., Leeds United historically, Monza, Aston Villa historically). Larger portfolio brand with broader retail distribution, comparable to hummel's positioning.
- Puma: Global sportswear giant supplying major football clubs (Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund) and national teams. Competes with SportsPro in the broader teamwear category and serves as an incumbent benchmark for sponsorship-led club deals.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SportsPro social profiles
Digital presenceSportsPro financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SportsPro leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
SportsPro funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SportsPro M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SportsPro
What does SportsPro do?
SportsPro designs and manufactures professional sportswear, training apparel and team wear under exclusive UK licences for the hummel and Playerr brands. Its product lines serve professional sports clubs (pro team-wear, bespoke kits), amateur and local teams (inline teamwear), educational institutions (bespoke garments via B2C store), corporate clients (white-label apparel and accessories), and fans/collectors (retro jersey replicas).
Is SportsPro a public or private company?
SportsPro is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SportsPro founded?
SportsPro was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SportsPro based?
SportsPro is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does SportsPro make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Team Sportswear Manufacturing and Sales are the primary driver. The others are white-Label and Corporate Apparel, education Garments B2C and retro Shirt Replicas.
Who are SportsPro's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Joma, Macron, Uhlsport, Le Coq Sportif, Erreà Sport, Admiral Sportswear and Castore. Patrick (Irish brand) is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Kappa (BasicNet) and Puma.
Does SportsPro have an API?
No public API is recorded for SportsPro.
What industry is SportsPro in?
SportsPro's product category is Sportswear Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAAAD, Athletic / Performance & Activewear Brands, with a secondary code of CRAAAEAE, Team Sports & On-Field Performance Apparel. Its NAICS code is 339920 and its SIC code is 3949.