Description
Anta Sports Products Limited is a Chinese sports equipment multinational corporation based in Jinjiang. It is the world's third-largest sportswear company by revenue as of 2019.
Founded in 1994, its operations involve the business of designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing products, including sportswear, footwear, apparel and accessories under its own brand name. After completing the acquisition of Amer Sports, the company already owns more than 25 sub-brands, including Arc'teryx.
History
Anta was founded by Ding Shizhong in 1991. In 2008, the Beijing Olympics gave Anta the opportunity to expand its business marketing footwear.
Anta Sports was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2007 with its IPO price at HK$5.28 per share. In 2009, the company acquired the Fila trademark in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao from Belle International. Since then, the company operates the Fila business in these three areas. The company also operates DESCENTE and SPRANDI stores in China, as well as KOLON SPORT and KINGKOW stores in China, Hong Kong and Macao. Former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett left his former shoe sponsor Adidas and has been sponsored by Anta since August 2010. Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson also left his Nike sponsor and has been signed with Anta since February 2015. In December 2018 an investor consortium consisting of ANTA Sports, FountainVest Partners, Anamered Investments and Tencent announced a voluntary recommended public cash tender offer for all issued and outstanding shares in Amer Sports Corporation.
Anta Sports began a boycott of the NBA in October 2019 as a result of a re-tweet by a Houston Rockets' official in support of the Hong Kong protests. However, on 14 May 2020, Wilson Sporting Goods, an Anta Sports brand, announced it would replace Berkshire Hathaway-owned Spalding as the NBA game ball supplier as of the 2021-22 NBA season.
