How popular isSports Direct?
In September 2026, people searched for Sports Direct by name about 3.4 million times in the United Kingdom, about the same as the previous year. These searches made up 51.8% of all United Kingdom shoe retailer searches, placing Sports Direct first out of seven retailers. When we asked both ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about shoe retailers, Sports Direct appeared in two of the four answers and was the fourth most recommended of the seven.
Sports Direct is the most searched of 7 competitors and the fourth most recommended in AI answers.
Sports DirectShare of searches 51.8%Mentioned in 2 of 4 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 4th
JD SportsShare of searches 23.2%Mentioned in 3 of 4 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 2nd
schuhShare of searches 8.5%Mentioned in 4 of 4 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 1st
ClarksShare of searches 7%Mentioned in 2 of 4 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 5th
Foot LockerShare of searches 4.7%Mentioned in 2 of 4 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 6th
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Top shoe retailers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Sports Direct was mentioned in two out of four: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Sports Direct is the fourth most recommended of the seven.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- schuh1st
- JD Sports2nd
Office3rd- Sports Direct4th
- Clarks5th
- Foot Locker6th
Kurt Geiger–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- schuh4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- JD Sports3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Office3 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Sports Direct2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Clarks2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Foot Locker2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Kurt Geiger0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about shoe retailers
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Where should I buy shoes and trainers in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best shoe shops in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which UK shoe shop has the best range of trainers?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“shoe shops”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“shoes”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 22, 2026.
Which shoe retailers compete with Sports Direct?
Share of searches by month for Sports Direct, JD Sports, schuh, Clarks, Foot Locker, Office. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Sports Direct | JD Sports | schuh | Clarks | Foot Locker | Office | Kurt Geiger |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 47.4% | 25.9% | 9.5% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 2.8% | 1.6% |
| Nov 2025 | 43.7% | 29.3% | 10.7% | 4.8% | 7.2% | 2.6% | 1.8% |
| Dec 2025 | 41.5% | 34% | 10.2% | 4.6% | 5.6% | 2.5% | 1.7% |
| Jan 2026 | 50.2% | 22.5% | 10.1% | 6.7% | 5.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Feb 2026 | 51.2% | 22.8% | 8.4% | 6.9% | 5.6% | 3.1% | 2.1% |
| Mar 2026 | 49.9% | 27.3% | 8.2% | 5.5% | 4.5% | 3% | 1.6% |
| Apr 2026 | 48.8% | 26.7% | 8% | 6.6% | 5.4% | 2.9% | 1.6% |
| May 2026 | 53.6% | 24% | 7.2% | 5.9% | 4.8% | 2.6% | 1.8% |
| Jun 2026 | 45.9% | 30.7% | 7.5% | 6.2% | 5% | 2.8% | 1.9% |
| Jul 2026 | 48% | 26.2% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 5.3% | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| Aug 2026 | 47.9% | 26.3% | 7.9% | 9.6% | 4.3% | 2.4% | 1.6% |
| Sep 2026 | 51.8% | 23.2% | 8.5% | 7% | 4.7% | 3.1% | 1.7% |
| Rank | Brand | Share of searches | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 51.8% | 3.4M | -18.1% | +3.9 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 23.2% | 1.5M | -33% | -3 points | |
| 3, moved from 4th to 3rd | 8.5% | 550K | -18.3% | +0.6 pointsmoved from 4th to 3rd | |
| 4, moved from 3rd to 4th | 7% | 450K | -45.3% | -2.7 pointsmoved from 3rd to 4th | |
| 5, held 5th | 4.7% | 301K | -18.2% | +0.3 points | |
| 6, held 6th | 3.1% | 201K | 0% | +0.8 points | |
| 7, held 7th | 1.7% | 110K | -18.5% | +0.1 points |
51.8%
Held 1st. 3.4M estimated branded searches, -18.1% vs prior month. Share +3.9 points.
23.2%
Held 2nd. 1.5M estimated branded searches, -33% vs prior month. Share -3 points.
3.
schuh8.5%
Moved from 4th to 3rd. 550K estimated branded searches, -18.3% vs prior month. Share +0.6 points.
4.
Clarks7%
Moved from 3rd to 4th. 450K estimated branded searches, -45.3% vs prior month. Share -2.7 points.
4.7%
Held 5th. 301K estimated branded searches, -18.2% vs prior month. Share +0.3 points.
6.
Office3.1%
Held 6th. 201K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +0.8 points.
1.7%
Held 7th. 110K estimated branded searches, -18.5% vs prior month. Share +0.1 points.
Compare popularity between Sports Direct and its closest rivals
Every comparison with Sports Direct
9 comparisons
How has branded search demand for Sports Direct changed in the United Kingdom over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for Sports Direct in the United Kingdom held steady at 3.4M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sports Direct’s share of searches among shoe retailers in the United Kingdom increased from 47.4% to 51.8%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sports Direct’s share of searches among shoe retailers in the United Kingdom peaked at 53.6% in May 2026 and was lowest at 41.5% in December 2025.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom shoe retailers in September 2026?
6 changes
In September 2026, schuh overtook Clarks to rank 3rd among shoe retailers in the United Kingdom, with 8.5% of the searches.
In September 2026, Sports Direct gained share of searches among shoe retailers in the United Kingdom, from 47.9% to 51.8%.
In September 2026, Office gained share of searches among shoe retailers in the United Kingdom, from 2.4% to 3.1%.
In September 2026, JD Sports lost share of searches among shoe retailers in the United Kingdom, from 26.3% to 23.2%.
In September 2026, Clarks lost share of searches among shoe retailers in the United Kingdom, from 9.6% to 7%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Foot Locker in the United Kingdom fell 33.1% over 12 measured months, from 450K to 301K in September 2026.
How are Sports Direct’s branded searches counted?
1 search term
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Sports Direct’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for this branded term can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.
- sports direct
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Where does Sports Direct compete?
| Competitor set | Rank | Share of searches | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoe retailers | 1st of 7 | 51.8% | Shown above |
| Sports retailers | 1st of 6 | 53.8% | Show ranking |
Is Sports Direct your brand?
Put your own campaigns, spend and outcomes next to this demand line, so you can see which of your marketing lined up with the movements above.