Fiba Retail and İş Private Equity Joined Forces with Sportive Partnership

Sportive has demonstrated rapid growth as part of İş Private Equity's portfolio and one of Türkiye's leading 360-degree active sports companies. The process of transferring 50% of Sportive to Fiba Retail has now been completed.

Sportive, which continues to increase its accessibility through online sales and stores, contributes to the development of sports and athletes through collaborations with mass sports organizations, sports federations, and elite athletes.

With this partnership, the goal is to double the current number of stores, which stands at 31, and expand operations to more cities. Additionally, the aim is to maintain growth through new brands added to the portfolio and an expanded range of Sportive-branded products. Moreover, the plan includes creating new job opportunities, particularly for young people, by opening new stores and expanding existing ones in areas such as sales, marketing, and operations.

“This partnership will be a significant step for Türkiye's sports retail sector.”

Fiba Group Chairperson Murat Özyeğin emphasized the importance of building strong partnerships and shaping growth strategies with a broader perspective that includes stakeholders and the national economy. He stated:

“As Fiba Group, we are adding new investments with a strategy of deepening in the sectors we operate in, and we place great importance on taking innovative and strategic steps in the retail sector. With our existing brands, we aim to increase our volume, currently around $150 million, to $500 million within the next seven years through new investments and brands. Sports retail, which has achieved double-digit growth worldwide and in Türkiye in the last four years, has been an area where we have evaluated opportunities for some time. In 2023, while the total textile market reached almost 412 billion TL, the sportswear sector accounted for 17% of the market, with a value of 70.6 billion TL. We are delighted to manage one of the leading active sports brands, Sportive, with 31 stores and online sales channels, through a strong partnership with Isbank Group. We firmly believe that Fiba Retail’s experience in fashion retail and customer-centric approach, combined with İş Private Equity's investment vision, will position Sportive as a leader in Türkiye’s active sports retail sector. This partnership will be a significant step not only for Fiba Retail and İş Private Equity but also for Türkiye’s sports retail sector.”

Özyeğin also highlighted the value of adding Sportive, a brand that hosts many different sports brands, to Fiba Retail’s portfolio, stating: “With Sportive, our retail group will operate in a more powerful and dynamic structure, expanding beyond fashion retail to include sports retail. I believe our retail group, which aims to provide customers with the best shopping experience, will significantly contribute to Sportive’s sustainable growth goals. Through this collaboration, we aim to provide the best service to our customers while contributing to the Turkish economy and creating more job opportunities.”

“Sportive’s growth journey will continue to accelerate.”

General Manager of İşbank Hakan Aran noted that İşbank, celebrating its 100th anniversary, contributes to the development of the national economy through its investments in subsidiaries, alongside its banking activities, in line with its founding mission. He mentioned that since its early years, İşbank has invested in over 300 companies across different sectors, from the glass industry to insurance, textiles, and port operations. He added, “Our subsidiary, İş Private Equity, with its ‘smart capital’ approach, aims to provide financing and added value by partnering with mid-sized companies, particularly in high-growth potential sectors. Through the growth financing provided, improvements are aimed in areas such as institutionalization, strategy setting, good management, effectiveness, and efficiency. In this way, we contribute to increasing the competitiveness and market value of the companies we partner with. As one of Türkiye’s first private equity companies, İş Private Equity has invested approximately $160 million in 17 companies to date. Currently, besides Sportive, İş Private Equity also has investments in companies with high potential in sectors such as IT, tourism, and healthcare.”

Pointing out that Sportive, which was invested in 2012, has achieved a significant growth momentum in the intervening 12 years, Aran continued his words as follows:

“In both our direct investments and those made through our subsidiaries, our criteria has always been to contribute to the economy and create value. In all these areas outside of our core business, we place importance on bringing companies with potential to a certain maturity level and then establishing partnerships with experienced groups and investors. I hope that Sportive, which has established a strong position in active sports, will accelerate its growth journey by benefiting from Fiba Retail’s experience and infrastructure in this field. I believe that this collaboration at Sportive, which acts with the mission of instilling a sporting habit in people of all ages, will contribute to Türkiye’s retail sector and the sports world.”

A significant contribution to the development of active sports

Sportive, with its wide range of products and professional sports equipment, collaborates with many athletes and sports federations and plays an important role in mass sports organizations, contributing significantly to the development of sports and athletes. Meanwhile, Fiba Retail, which has been serving customers in Türkiye for 25 years with nearly 90 retail stores, currently represents three major international brands. With its management of digital channels, it has deep experience in multi-channel management, infrastructure, and a highly skilled team. The synergy and expertise of these two major groups are expected to contribute significantly to the development of active sports in Türkiye.