Fila and New Balance Disrupt Sportswear Rankings

Executive Summary

While Nike maintains market leadership at 14.5% share with CN¥ 15.2 billion in combined platform sales^[1], the competitive dynamics beneath have shifted dramatically in MAT2023. Domestic brand Li Ning (李宁) overtook Adidas for second place with CN¥ 10.3 billion, while Fila (+15.5% YoY) and New Balance (+17.7% YoY) emerged as the fastest-growing top-10 brands through retro-design casual sneakers. This analysis dissects the brand hierarchy reshuffling, pricing strategies, and the diverging fortunes of international versus domestic brands.

Top 10 Brand Rankings Reveal Strategic Divergence

Nike remains the only brand exceeding 10% market share, but the story of MAT2023 is the reshuffling below. Li Ning's strategic focus on professional sports, combined with strong basketball and running shoe categories, propelled the brand past Adidas to claim second position. Adidas declined -12.6% YoY to CN¥ 9.0 billion, while Fila's +1.03 percentage point share gain represents the most significant competitive shift in the market.

The pricing analysis reveals clear market segmentation across the top 10 brands:

• Premium-casual: Jordan (CN¥ 800 Average Selling Price), New Balance (CN¥ 650), and Fila (CN¥ 625) command the highest average prices
• Upper-middle: Nike (CN¥ 470) and Adidas (CN¥ 415) serve the performance-to-lifestyle crossover segment
• Value segment: Xtep (特步) at CN¥ 182 and Erke (鸿星尔克) at CN¥ 201 anchor the accessible end of branded sportswear

Fila's ability to grow +15.5% at a CN¥ 625 ASP demonstrates that Chinese consumers will pay premium prices for brands that deliver compelling design narratives. The Mars, Pops, and Cat's Claw retro sneaker lines drove this performance, with each series generating strong social media engagement on Xiaohongshu (小红书).

International Brand Dynamics on Tmall

Asics and New Balance benefited most from the recreational running boom, both growing more than +15% YoY on Tmall (天猫). Asics achieved +17.7% growth by leveraging its GEL-CONTEND line and lightweight mesh running shoes, building credibility among serious runners. New Balance capitalized on the retro casual trend, with its 2002R series driving strong sales. Conversely, Vans suffered a severe -49.0% sales decline, reflecting the brand's diminished relevance as consumers shifted toward technically positioned alternatives.

Nike rebounds strongly while Vans continues its sharp decline on Tmall

Price Positioning Separates Winners from Losers

New Balance and Fila concentrate in premium tiers where growth is strongest, while Puma and Vans compete in lower segments where domestic brands pose a direct threat. The price distribution across the six major international brands reveals how positioning determines competitive outcomes in China's sportswear market.

New Balance and Fila concentrate in premium tiers while Puma and Vans compete in lower segments

JD.com Amplifies Brand Performance Gaps

Brand performance on JD.com (京东) diverged notably from Tmall patterns. New Balance stood out with +32.7% growth on JD.com, making it the strongest performer on either platform. The brand's comfortable walking shoes and classic retro designs particularly resonated with JD.com's consumer base.

Adidas experienced the steepest decline at -37.6% on JD.com, significantly worse than its nearly flat performance on Tmall. During 618 and Double 11 promotional events, Adidas sales on JD.com actually surpassed Nike due to more aggressive discount stacking. JD.com's coupon mechanisms drove lower effective prices for products like Samba sneakers and long down jackets compared to Tmall^[2]. This highlights the importance of platform-specific pricing strategies in China's competitive e-commerce landscape.

Tmall Brand Sales Show Acceleration of Decline

Brand sales decline steepens on Tmall while market stabilizes

Brand JD.com sales decline more moderately, maintaining closer alignment with platform trends

Brand Price Segment Shifts

Brand revenue concentrates in CN¥ 400-600 with the higher segment showing growth

Key Takeaways

• Nike maintains leadership at 14.5% share (CN¥ 15.2 billion), but Fila (+15.5%) and New Balance (+17.7%) are the fastest-growing top-10 brands
• Li Ning overtook Adidas for second position with CN¥ 10.3 billion, driven by professional sports positioning
• Fila commands a CN¥ 625 ASP versus Xtep's CN¥ 182, demonstrating that retro-casual positioning commands significant price premiums
• New Balance grew +32.7% on JD.com through comfortable walking shoes and classic retro designs
• Vans collapsed -49.0% on Tmall, illustrating the risks of failing to adapt to Chinese consumer preferences

## About the Data

This analysis draws on Moojing Market Intelligence data covering the MAT2023 period (June 2022 to May 2023). Moojing tracks 400,000+ brands across 30+ e-commerce platforms, representing 58-65% of China's online retail GMV. For full methodology and additional insights, see the complete Sports Footwear and Apparel whitepaper.