Maxi Sport

What Maxi Sport does

Maxi Sport is an Italian premium multi-sport omnichannel retailer founded in 1989 and headquartered in Cernusco, Italy. The company operates 18 physical retail stores across Italy alongside a direct e-commerce platform at maxisport.com, distributing over 10,000 products spanning sports apparel, footwear, and equipment across disciplines including running, basketball, football/soccer, golf, skiing, snowboarding, mountain and outdoor sports, swimming, tennis, padel, scuba diving, and training. It also serves men's, women's, and children's fashion sportswear and casual athletic apparel, and controls a portfolio of specialty sub-brands — Space23, Frisco, Athletic, Special, and BSS — covering niche sports retail segments.

The company generates revenue primarily through direct retail merchandise sales via physical stores and its online channel, with free domestic shipping offered in Italy on orders exceeding €60. Pricing follows a standard retail model with promotional discounts ranging from 20% to 50% during seasonal sales events (including the recurring "Metà Prezzo" half-price section). Target customers include sports enthusiasts across multiple disciplines, outdoor and extreme sports participants — a key specialization in skiing, snowboarding, and mountain gear — and fashion-conscious consumers seeking athletic-lifestyle apparel. Distribution is exclusively domestic within Italy through owned retail stores and the company-operated e-commerce storefront, with headcount of 101-250 employees.

In February 2026, UK-based Frasers Group acquired a majority shareholding in Maxi Sport SpA, with the founding Sala family (Emanuele, Giovanni, Ester, and Giulia) retaining a minority stake and continuing in leadership roles. The acquisition positions Maxi Sport as Frasers Group's Italian platform for launching its Sports Direct retail format as part of a broader European expansion strategy, signaling a growth phase anchored in both the existing Maxi Sport premium positioning and the planned rollout of Sports Direct stores in Italy.

Name

Maxi Sport

Legal name

Maxi Sport SpA

Website

https://maxisport.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Maxi Sport is an Italian premium multi-sport omnichannel retailer founded in 1989, operating 18 physical stores across Italy and an e-commerce platform selling over 10,000 sports apparel, footwear, and equipment products across 30+ sport categories, now majority-owned by Frasers Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cernusco

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail merchandise sales: Maxi Sport generates revenue through retail sales of sports apparel, footwear, equipment, and accessories across multiple sport categories including running, basketball, football, golf, skiing, snowboarding, mountain sports, swimming, tennis, padel, and more. The store offers both in-store purchases and online shopping with free shipping across Italy for orders over €60.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Maxi Sport is an Italian premium multi-sport omnichannel retailer operating 18 physical stores across Italy and the e-commerce platform maxisport.com. It offers more than 10,000 curated products spanning sports apparel, footwear, and equipment across 30+ categories including running, basketball, football, golf, skiing, snowboarding, mountain sports, swimming, tennis, padel, scuba diving, and training, alongside fashion-forward athletic apparel and accessories for men, women, and children.

Product overview

Maxi Sport is an Italian premium multi-sport omnichannel retailer acquired by Frasers Group, operating 18 physical stores across Italy and a comprehensive e-commerce platform offering over 10,000 products. The company distributes sports apparel, footwear, and equipment across multiple disciplines including basketball, football/soccer, running, tennis, padel, golf, skiing, snowboarding, mountain/outdoor activities, swimming, scuba diving, and training. The product portfolio spans professional athletic gear, casual sports fashion, and lifestyle apparel for men, women, and children. Maxi Sport also operates several specialty sub-brands including Space23, Frisco, Athletic, Special, and BSS as part of its branded store portfolio. The retail format enables customers to purchase through both physical retail locations and online channels, with free shipping in Italy for orders exceeding 60 euros.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Space23: Specialty retail brand focused on extreme sports and outdoor gear
• Frisco
• Athletic
• Special
• BSS

Products and services

• Maxi Sport Retail (Physical Stores)
• Maxi Sport E-commerce Platform
• Space23
• Frisco
• Athletic
• Special
• BSS

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sala FamilycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2026The Sala family (Emanuele, Giovanni, Ester, and Giulia) retain a minority stake in Maxi Sport following the Frasers Group acquisition and continue in leadership roles, maintaining operational involvement in the business.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• JD Sports: Leading UK-based multi-brand athletic and sportswear retailer with strong European footprint. Overlaps with Maxi Sport in premium athletic footwear, apparel, and youth/streetwear-oriented sports fashion.
• Decathlon: Global multi-sport retailer offering apparel, footwear, and equipment across a wide range of sport categories at value price points. Operates large-format stores and a strong e-commerce platform, directly competing with Maxi Sport's breadth and price-value proposition in the Italian market.
• Cisalfa Sport: Italian multi-sport retailer operating a national store network and e-commerce site selling athletic apparel, footwear, and equipment. Closest direct competitor in Italy with overlapping sport categories, omnichannel model, and similar target customer.
• Intersport: Global sporting goods retail cooperative operating stores across Europe. Comparable in multi-sport breadth, store-based distribution model, and assortment of third-party athletic brands, serving similar consumer segments.
• SportScheck: German multi-sport retailer with a strong e-commerce and store presence, selling apparel, footwear, and equipment across many sport categories. Comparable product breadth, omnichannel model, and European premium-mid-market positioning.
• Foot Locker: Global multi-brand athletic footwear and apparel retailer. Comparable in carrying premium third-party athletic brands, with overlapping product categories (basketball, running, training) and similar target customer.
• Snipes: European streetwear- and sneaker-focused athletic retailer with significant presence in Italy. Comparable in premium athletic footwear, youth-oriented streetwear, and physical retail + e-commerce model.

Broad incumbents

• Sports Direct (Frasers Group): Parent company Frasers Group's flagship sports retail banner, operating large-format multi-sport stores primarily in the UK. Highly comparable product range and multi-brand model, and now the parent/strategic acquirer of Maxi Sport.
• Zalando: Major European fashion and lifestyle e-commerce platform with growing sportswear assortment. Competes with Maxi Sport on online apparel discovery, convenience, and breadth of third-party brands.

Regional players

• Olimpia: Italian regional sporting goods retailer serving the local market with multi-sport apparel, footwear, and equipment. Comparable in Italy-only footprint and broad sport-category assortment, though smaller in scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/maxisport_tweet
• Facebookfacebook.com/maxisportcom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maxi Sport