Sports
How Track&Field Merges Running and Retail to Drive Growth
The brand hosted over 2,300 events in the half and sees runners spend 50% more over time.
Track&Field has turned sporting events and community engagement into a powerful financial engine. With over 2,300 events held in the first half of the year, the brand posted a 20.7% growth in consumer sales.
Track&Field has long evolved beyond being just an athletic apparel and footwear retailer to establish itself as a complete ecosystem dedicated to the running and wellness community. In the first half of the year, the brand hosted an impressive 2,373 sporting events across Brazil—the vast majority being road races, but also encompassing disciplines like yoga, pickleball, and padel. Behind these significant figures lies a clear business logic: athletes who run with the brand spend substantially more.
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The power of the ecosystem and customer lifetime value
According to company data, the lifetime value generated by customers who buy products and participate in its races exceeds the spending of traditional in-store shoppers by more than 50%. The seamless integration of athletic apparel, proprietary apps, branded cafés, and in-person race circuits keeps athletes continuously engaged within the ecosystem.
This model reflects directly on the balance sheet. In the second quarter, Track&Field's consumer sales surged 20.7%, reaching R$ 493 million. The operation's solid financial health, marked by low leverage, positions the company as one of the most sustainable and profitable businesses in the domestic sports sector.
A heritage in racing and facing the competition
The brand's connection to road racing is nothing new. Since the mid-2000s, with iconic circuits such as those held in Villa-Lobos Park, the brand recognized the commercial power of in-store race kit pickups—moments when foot traffic and sales volume rivaled peak seasonal shopping periods like Christmas. Cultivating appreciation for race t-shirts and the overall event experience fostered loyalty across generations of runners who still cherish memories of races run nearly two decades ago.
Even with the expansion of direct competitors in the premium segment, such as LIVE!—which is also building its own road racing circuit—the company's roadmap remains steady. For CEO Fernando Tracanella, the Brazilian sports market still has ample room to accommodate multiple players, turning every runner into a closely nurtured customer with every mile.
(Note: This topic was discussed on episode 78 of Radar Stemma, which also covered other highlights from the athletics and sports business scene.)
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