Elite Pro Sports

What Elite Pro Sports does

Elite Pro Sports Ltd is a privately held, Yorkshire-based sports apparel manufacturer and retailer operating primarily under its proprietary Oxen and Steeden brands. Founded approximately 30 years ago and headquartered in Doncaster, the company designs, sources and distributes performance sportswear, footwear, accessories and balls, with a particular focus on rugby (league and union), football, netball, ice hockey and speedway. Its footwear line includes the Metasock, Raptor Elite and Raptor Pro boot families, distinguished by named in-house technologies such as D2 Flex, 3DST stability truss, a 10mm heel lift and kangaroo leather uppers.

The business runs a hybrid B2B/B2C model. On the B2B side, it serves as official technical kit supplier and, in several cases, managed-retail operator for 10+ professional clubs and national governing bodies — including England Rugby League (to 2028), Hull KR (to 2030), Club Doncaster's football, women's football and rugby league franchises (to 2033), Lincoln City, Leeds Rhinos, Castleford Tigers, Huddersfield Giants, Coventry Rugby, Army Rugby Union, Great Britain Ice Hockey and Great Britain Speedway. On the B2C side, it sells directly through the eliteprosports.co.uk e-commerce platform with worldwide delivery and a growing physical footprint anchored by its first Oxen Sports concept store at Junction 32 in Castleford (opened August 2024), which features sports-zoned retail and houses the England Rugby League shop.

Revenue is generated through four streams: wholesale/hardware supply under long-term kit partnerships, direct-to-consumer e-commerce transactions, paid personalisation services (£15 for shirt name/number, £5 for training-range names) and managed online-retail services for partner organisations. Pricing is unit-based, ranging from ~£5 socks (with multi-pair promotions) to ~£160 performance boots (heavily discounted in outlet), and is supplemented by ancillary services such as e-gift cards and a 28-day money-back guarantee. The company is led by CEO Lee Jenkinson, has no disclosed parent, no funding rounds and no publicly disclosed revenue.

Name

Elite Pro Sports

Legal name

Elite Pro Sports Ltd

Website

https://eliteprosports.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Elite Pro Sports Ltd is a UK-based sports apparel manufacturer and retailer operating the proprietary Oxen and Steeden brands, supplying long-term official kit partnerships with 10+ professional clubs and national governing bodies while selling direct-to-consumer through e-commerce and a flagship concept store.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Apparel & Footwear

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (339920), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Footwear Manufacturing (3162)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail (CRAMABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rugby Equipment Retail (CRAMAEAI), Team Sports & On-Field Performance Apparel (CRAAAEAE), Athletic Footwear & Sport Apparel Retail (CRAMABAC)

Keywords

• Performance sportswear
• Rugby boots
• Teamwear manufacturing
• Official kit supplier
• Sports apparel retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Doncaster

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Retail Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales of sports apparel, footwear, accessories, and official club merchandise through the e-commerce platform
2. Official Kit Supplier Partnerships: Long-term exclusive partnerships with sports clubs providing playing kits, training wear, and merchandise. Revenue generated through supply of team apparel and retail operations management
3. Personalisation Services: Custom name and number printing on official kit shirts (£15) and training range products (£5)
4. E-commerce Partner Services: Operating online retail platforms for partner sports organisations (e.g., England Rugby League shop, Great Britain Ice Hockey)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Elite Pro Sports designs, manufactures and retails performance sportswear and footwear under its proprietary Oxen brand, with a particular focus on rugby boots. It supplies playing kits, training wear and merchandise to professional sports clubs as their official technical kit partner and sells the same product ranges directly to consumers through an e-commerce platform, a flagship concept store, and partner-operated retail channels.

Product overview

Elite Pro Sports is an online sports retailer and manufacturer based in Yorkshire, UK, with over 30 years of industry experience. The company operates a multi-brand portfolio centered around its proprietary Oxen Sports sub-brand, which offers performance sports apparel and footwear including the Metasock (sock-like boot technology), Raptor Elite, and Raptor Pro boot lines. The product suite encompasses men's, women's, and children's activewear and casualwear across ranges such as Endure, Vital, and Oversized, complemented by accessories (balls, socks, headguards, luggage) and teamwear manufacturing services. Additional offerings include Steeden rugby league balls, personalisation services for kit customisation, and e-gift cards. The company serves both direct consumers through its e-commerce platform and wholesale through official kit supplier partnerships with professional sports clubs across rugby league, rugby union, football, ice hockey, and netball.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oxen: Primary sportswear and apparel brand of Elite Pro Sports, offering performance sports apparel, footwear, and accessories. Features sub-ranges including Endure (activewear), Vital (womenswear casual), and Metasock/Raptor (footwear).
• Oxen Sports
• Steeden

Products and services

• Oxen Sports apparel and footwear range Proprietary performance sportswear brand offering men's, women's and children's activewear, casualwear, footwear (rugby boots, trainers, sliders, studs) and accessories. Sold direct to consumers and supplied to partner clubs.
• Oxen Metasock rugby boots Rugby boot line featuring sock-like boot construction for snug fit, D2 Flex Technology, 3DST stability truss, 10mm heel lift, EVA perforated airflow innersole, and mixed soleplate. Available in FG and AG variants.
• Oxen Raptor Elite rugby boots Premium rugby boots with kangaroo leather upper for a moulding fit, wide-fitting last, 10mm heel lift, D2 Flex Technology, 3DST stability truss and lightweight aluminium alloy studs.
• Oxen Raptor Pro rugby boots Elite performance rugby boots with soft calf leather front and microfibre rear, traditional 6-stud soft-ground soleplate, internal heel counter, fibre inner board and moulded perforated EVA innersole.
• Teamwear manufacturing service Custom team apparel and kit manufacturing for sports clubs, including playing kits, training wear and leisurewear supplied under multi-year official kit supplier deals.
• Personalisation services Custom name and number printing on official kit shirts (up to 20 characters, £15) and name personalisation on training range and accessories (up to 3 characters, £5), with 5-10 working days delivery.
• Steeden rugby league balls Rugby league ball brand offered through Elite Pro Sports' e-commerce platform and to partner clubs.
• E-Gift Cards Digital gift cards allowing recipients to purchase any product on the Elite Pro Sports website.
• Oxen Sports Concept Store (Junction 32, Castleford) Flagship retail location opened August 2024 offering in-store and online shopping with zones dedicated to specific sports and home to England Rugby League merchandise.

Quantifiable outcome

• Long-term partnership extensions (8 years for Doncaster, until 2030 for Hull KR) indicate high customer satisfaction and retention
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered secondary, core and minor.

• Bournemouth 7ssecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2025Official sportswear partner of the world's largest sport and music festival. Oxen becomes exclusive provider of Bournemouth 7s merchandise with dedicated online store and on-site retail presence during the festival weekend.
• RL Commercial / England Rugby LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Extended partnership to 2028 for England Men's, Women's and Wheelchair teams including 2026 World Cup. Oxen supplies all squad apparel, match officials, and community development programmes. England RL retail sales have grown substantially with record-breaking Replica Shirt sales.
• Club DoncastercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Eight-year extension until summer 2033 for Doncaster Rovers, Doncaster Rovers Belles, and Doncaster Rugby League. Elite Pro Sports operates the club store, providing fans with official merchandise combined with box office. Includes dedicated fan engagement clause for annual joint projects.
• Hull KRcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Extended partnership until 2030, making Oxen the club's longest-serving technical kit supplier in the Super League era. OXEN appears on all teams' training and playing kits across 14 teams including Netball.
• Lincoln City Football ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Initial two-year agreement for men's and women's playing kits, training and leisurewear from 23/24 season. Oxen working with performance department and community programme for grassroots and education partners.
• Great Britain Speedway TeamsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Multi-year agreement for training kit for GB's senior, U23 and U21 teams plus management staff. OXEN becomes GB's official e-commerce partner with new online retail platform. 5-year agreement.
• Great Britain Ice HockeycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Off-ice apparel partnership. Elite Pro Sports takes over all retailing provisions. New merchandise range launched. Oxen to involve fans in certain design projects each year.
• Junction 32secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 August 2024Partnership with retail outlet centre for opening of first Oxen Sports concept store at Junction 32, Castleford. Location significant in brand's growth journey, right in heart of professional club partners.
• Evri (formerly Hermes)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational parcel delivery brand used for order fulfillment.
• DPDminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational parcel delivery brand for order fulfillment.
• Royal MailminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK delivery services for order fulfillment.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kukri Sports: UK-based teamwear manufacturer supplying custom kits and apparel to rugby, football, netball, hockey, and other sports clubs. Closely comparable to Elite Pro Sports' Teamwear division, with similar B2B club partnership model and D2C online retail.
• Gilbert Rugby: Iconic rugby equipment brand producing rugby balls, boots, training kit, and protective gear. Comparable to Oxen's rugby boots (Metasock, Raptor) and Steeden ball distribution, with stronger global brand recognition in rugby circles.
• Castore: UK-based premium sportswear brand that designs and manufactures technical kits and apparel for professional sports clubs. Directly comparable to Elite Pro Sports / Oxen in serving as official kit supplier to UK rugby league and football clubs, with a similar B2B partnership-led GTM motion and D2C e-commerce channel.
• Canterbury (New Zealand Rugby): Global rugby apparel and equipment brand owned by New Zealand Rugby, with deep roots in rugby boots, jerseys, and training wear. Comparable to Oxen's Raptor/Metasock rugby boot range and teamwear business, with broader international distribution but a similar rugby-first product philosophy.

Broad incumbents

• Adidas Rugby: Global sportswear giant with a dedicated rugby division producing performance boots, jerseys, and training kit. Competes head-to-head with Oxen's rugby boots and teamwear, with far larger marketing and athlete endorsement budgets.
• Macron: Italian teamwear manufacturer and official kit supplier to hundreds of professional and amateur football, rugby, and basketball clubs across Europe. Comparable to Elite Pro Sports' teamwear and club partnership business but at significantly larger scale and with broader European geographic coverage.
• Puma Rugby: Global athletic brand with active rugby sponsorship and product lines across boots, apparel, and training wear. Comparable as a competing brand in rugby footwear and team kit, with broader geographic reach than Oxen.
• Nike Rugby: Global sportswear brand with a rugby-specific product line and major sponsorship portfolio. Competes with Oxen in rugby boots and teamwear, leveraging unmatched brand awareness and athlete endorsement reach.

Emerging players

• Kooga: UK-based rugby specialist apparel brand producing on-field and training kit for grassroots and professional rugby clubs. Comparable to Oxen's rugby-specific teamwear offering, with overlap in customer base among UK rugby clubs.
• Mizuno Rugby: Japanese sports brand with a strong rugby boot heritage (e.g., Morelia series), competing directly with Oxen in the rugby performance boot category. Smaller in apparel than Oxen but technically respected in rugby footwear.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EliteProSports_
• Facebookfacebook.com/EliteProSportsUK
• Instagraminstagram.com/eliteprosportsuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/xblades-sports-uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Elite Pro Sports