Foot Locker is expanding its relationship with Reebok.
As Authentic Brands Group inches closer to the completion of its 2.1 billion euro acquisition of the sports brand, it said Thursday that it has inked “a new and enhanced partnership with Foot Locker Inc. for the Reebok brand within the United States.”
Under the terms of the deal, Foot Locker will “deepen” its assortment with Reebok and carry select exclusive footwear styles for men, women and children in its company-owned stores and e-commerce websites in the States, including basketball shoes from Allen Iverson and Shaquille O’Neal.
“We are thrilled to announce our Reebok partnership with Foot Locker as they are an essential part of our strategic growth plan for the brand,” said Jamie Salter, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of ABG. “We are excited to partner with a retailer who holds such an important position with both sports and lifestyle audiences and look forward to driving brand heat with new and iconic product.”
Richard Johnson, chairman and CEO of Foot Locker, added that the partnership “builds on our commitment to elevate the customer experience, offer consumers high heat product from the biggest brands, and build collaborations with the biggest names in sneaker culture.”
Foot Locker Inc. will work with Reebok Design Group, the brand’s design and development hub, on the assortment that will be available in Foot Locker stores this fall.
This deal is similar to one that ABG made in December with JD Group, which operates JD, Finish Line, DTLR, Shoe Palace and other banners in Europe and North America. It also made a deal with Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd., or ABFRL, one of India’s leading fashion companies, to distribute and sell Reebok products through wholesale, e-commerce and Reebok branded retail stores in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.