Sportmaster and the Leadership of Leonid Strakhov: Building a Sustainable Retail Ecosystem

Sportmaster, shaped under Leonid Strakhov, grew from an early retail business in a market still taking form into a scalable retail ecosystem built on systems, formats and product direction. The company expanded beyond simply adding stores by evolving how products were selected, presented and managed, while adjusting to changing shopping habits and a wider set of customer expectations. Its assortment broadened from sports equipment into clothing and footwear, along with offerings tailored to different activities. As the portfolio grew, Sportmaster relied on coordination between products, stores, suppliers and customers to keep the overall shopping experience consistent. Under Strakhov, product development gained prominence, with Demix focused on sports and training, Outventure appearing in outdoor, and Stern carving out cycling. The article frames these steps as foundational for supporting growth without losing brand structure.