Reebok, the American sportswear brand owned by Authentic Brands Group (ABG), had been struggling in China for years. By early 2026, almost all of Reebok's physical stores in mainland China had disappeared, and its Tmall flagship store was set to close on June 30, 2026. The brand had logged three consecutive years of losses in the Chinese market.
On March 6, 2026, ABG announced it was replacing Reebok's core operating partner for mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. The new operator, Xinrui Sports (Shanghai), took over product manufacturing, import, distribution, and sales. The previous operator, Hong Kong's Lianya Group, had been unable to turn the business around.
Reebok's China decline was part of a broader global story. ABG had acquired Reebok from Adidas in 2021 for $2.5 billion, but the brand struggled to compete against Nike, Adidas, and fast-growing Chinese sportswear brands like Anta and Li-Ning. At its peak, Reebok had hundreds of stores across China; by 2026, the physical retail presence was effectively zero.
Three consecutive years of losses in China, nearly all physical stores gone, and the operating partner replaced.
Reebok could not compete against Nike, Adidas, and domestic Chinese brands Anta and Li-Ning, which owned the market positioning and consumer mindshare
ABG's licensing model relied on local operators to build the brand, but neither Lianya Group nor Xinrui Sports could reverse a decline that was structural rather than operational
After the Adidas acquisition era (2006–2021), Reebok had no clear brand identity in China — too premium for mass, too cheap for status
A brand that loses its identity in a market cannot be saved by swapping operators. The license model only works when there is a brand worth localizing.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE