Dick’s Sporting Goods has solidified its position as the undisputed heavyweight champion of American sports retail, and it’s not resting on its laurels. In fact, it’s doing the opposite. With a massive $800 million capital expenditure budget for 2024-2025, Dick’s is aggressively investing in the one thing Amazon can’t compete with: experiential, destination retail.
The current story at Dick’s is one of strategic evolution, moving from a “big-box store that sells sports equipment” to a “community-focused hub for athletes.” The crown jewel of this strategy is the “House of Sport.”
These are not your father’s sporting goods stores. The House of Sport locations—with several new ones opened in 2024 and more under construction for 2025—are massive, multi-level athletic compounds. They are retail as “sport-topia.” These stores feature rock-climbing walls, batting cages, golf-hitting bays with TrackMan simulators, and even outdoor turf fields that double as ice rinks in the winter.
The idea is simple: don’t just sell the gear, let people experience the sport. A customer doesn’t just buy a baseball bat; they take 20 swings in the cage to find the one with the perfect feel. A family doesn’t just buy a tent; they see it fully set up in a lifelike camping display. This “try-before-you-buy” model builds community, creates a destination, and drives sales of high-margin, premium products.
The financial results show this bet is paying off. The company posted $13 billion in sales in 2023 and continued its hot streak into 2025, with strong Q2 results and a raised full-year outlook. The new House of Sport stores are so successful that they are a key driver of this growth.
But Dick’s isn’t just focused on its marquee locations. It’s also rolling out a new “next-gen 50K” store format. This is a modernized, more premium, and more efficient version of its standard 50,000-square-foot store. It takes the key learnings from House of Sport—better brand displays, more intuitive layouts, and a focus on premium gear—and scales them across its entire national footprint.
This two-pronged strategy is brilliant. The House of Sport builds the brand’s premium reputation and acts as a “halo” for the entire company, while the “50K” rollout elevates the everyday shopping experience for everyone.
Even as it navigates potential challenges, like the complex integration of its Foot Locker/Champs Sports acquisition, Dick’s remains relentlessly focused. It has dominated its category by investing in its physical stores, building an equally strong omnichannel e-commerce business, and understanding that modern retail is no longer about transactions, but about experiences.
