Sports brands are among the most popular and profitable franchises in the world, especially because Sports is a big part of human lives.
Whether you’re a fan of traditional sports like football or basketball, or you do it for recreational purposes either on the track or off it, there are a number of sports brands providing apparel and accessories for individuals and teams alike.
The multi-billion-dollar industry is one of the largest in the world market, boasting incredible popularity and even forming global communities worldwide.
In this article, we review the list of the top 10 biggest sportswear brands that are currently ranking on top along with their financial stats.
However, the decision on which brand you consider as the best is entirely based on your preference as well as what works for you.
1 Nike
The name needs no introduction as the popularity of the brand and its identity speaks for itself.
Nike is evidently one of the most iconic sportswear brands of all time and with a global following of over 205 million on social media. It's not hard to see why. According to reports, the American sportswear giants made around $17.36 Billion in revenue in 2021.
Every year, they have been estimated to have made more than $27 million worth of sales only from sports shoes which is their main product. They might not be number one in terms of revenue, but they will always be on top of their game.
Nike is home to some of the biggest sports stars on the globe including, NBA stars Le Bron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, PSG's Kylian Mbappe, and Super Falcons and Barca Femeni star Asisat Oshoala amongst others.
2 Adidas
If Nike is number one, then I'm pretty much sure you guessed correctly who comes next on the list.
Although the debate for the greatest sportswear brand on the planet will not end anytime soon, Adidas is the definition of class and it's why they are still Nike's strongest competitors in the market with over 26 million followers on social media.
The German sportswear brand reportedly earns around $19.5 billion on average in yearly sales. They mainly provide shoes, apparel, and sporting goods and also generated around $2.42 Billion in revenue in 2021.
Adidas is home to some of the biggest stars in football including PSG superstar Lionel Messi, Arsenal's Thomas Partey, Real Madrid's Karim Benzema. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah amongst a host of others.
3 Reebok
The interesting fact about Reebok which people might not know is that Reebok is also owned by Adidas and is actually a subsidiary of Adidas AG.
Having expanded its product portfolio from shoes to sports apparel, it's no surprise to see them high up on this list.
According to reports, the company generated around $21 Billion in revenue in 2021 (more than Nike and Adidas) and it’s even expected to be even more successful in 2022.
Reebok has also made a couple of investments that have nicely paid off, acquiring fitness brand Asics for $3.2 billion in 2016 and then merged it with its fitness brand Reebok Fitness in 2018.
Another strategic investment from them was the purchase of game-changing sports technology company Matrick Sports for $340 million in 2017.
Matrick Sports is known for its innovative sensor technology that helps athletes track their performance data and improves training programs.
This has now put the brand a mile ahead of its competitors. Rerbok is home to some global stars like Game of Thrones star Nathalie Emmanuel, American popstar Ariana Grande and Hollywood actor Nina Dobrev.
4 Puma
It might interest you to know that the founder of Puma was actually the brother of Adidas founder Adolf Dassler.
The Dassler brothers - Rudolf and Adolf originally founded the company Adidas.
However, they went their separate ways due to internal disagreements, forcing Rudolf to establish the Puma brand.
Puma's main products are footwear, apparel, and accessories and they are also home to some big names in the sports as well as music industry like PSG superstar Neymar, Barcelona forward Memphis Depay, Afrobeats superstars Davido, and also Tems, just to mention but a few.
According to reports, Puma made around €6.81 Billion in revenue last year.
5 Jordan
Jordan is another popular brand notorious for its exotic shoe line collection.
But it might interest you to know that this shoe brand is actually owned by Nike.
The brand came into the establishment when Basketball legend Michael Jordan created Air Jordan 1 with Nike.
After that, the brand has grown into one of the biggest sportswear brands in the world.
According to reports, Jordan alone managed to make over $4.7 billion in revenue in 2021.
6 Under Armour
Under Armour is one of the leading athletic apparel companies in the world, with a portfolio that includes running shoes, basketball shoes, shirts, pants, and even eyewear.
The company signed a $2 billion deal with Nike to become its official sportswear supplier. That partnership has since helped Under Armour increase its revenue by 50% each year since then.
Under Armour has also invested heavily in technology and digital marketing by creating an app called MyFitnessPal that tracks users’ fitness data and builds custom workout plans for them.
They have also partnered with global music streaming service Spotify, to create an exclusive audio channel for athletes called 'UA Sport' that offers exclusive content not available on any other platform.
Under Armour reportedly made over $5.7 Billion in revenue last year.
7 Fila
Fila remains one of the world’s leading sportswear brands, regardless of the level of clout it has.
The Italian sportswear brand continues to push their growth by innovating bold graphic designs and cutting-edge technologies that make its clothes look and feel amazing.
They are expected to generate more revenue in 2022 than the €374 Million they earned last year.
8 ASICS
In the US, ASICS is one of the most popular brands of running shoes, with sales rising steadily year after year.
Also in China, ASICS is one of the leading brands when it comes to tennis shoes and running shoes.
It designs and manufactures only a limited number of each type of shoe, because they are focused more on quality over quantity.
According to reports, the company made around $2.8 Billion in revenue in 2021 and it's expected to increase significantly by the end of 2022.
9 Columbia Sportswear
This sportswear brand makes and sells clothing, accessories, equipment, and shoes primarily in North America and Europe.
It also boasts a strong presence in both markets, and its products are popular among athletes as well.
Reports claim the company made around $2.91 Billion in revenue in 2021.
10 Kappa
At the moment, Kappa is one of the world’s leading sportswear brands, boasting a wide range of products that are used by athletes all over the world.
Kappa also has a strong presence in both Europe and North America.
The Turin-based brand has also been successful in other regions, like Asia and Latin America.
According to reports, Kappa racked in around $1.04 Billion in revenue last year and are expected to be one of the wealthiest sportswear brands in 2022.