A business which is arguably better known on the international sporting scene than in its own home town is raising its profile locally following a move to new premises.
JM Sports has been established for several years as a supplier to professional and amateur sports teams and federations through its online presence and, more recently, through outlets in Leads Road, Hull, and then Alfred Gelder Street.
Now the business is in the heart of Hull city centre, strengthening a vibrant sporting scene in Savile Street alongside the Hull FC and Hull Kingston Rovers club shops – and offering a neutral option.
“We didn’t set out to open up alongside the two clubs – the unit just became available,” said James Milner, Managing Director of JM Sports.
“But this location certainly isn’t doing us any harm. It’s highly unlikely that fans of Hull FC and Rovers will visit the rival club’s shop but they all come to see us. Hull and Rovers are both tied to certain brands and we’ve got a lot more flexibility.”
That flexibility extends across a range of sports and apparel for teams from many different nations. In rugby league, JM Sports will equip two of the teams set to compete in this year’s Rugby League World Cup.
“We supply Papua New Guinea, who will play two group games in Hull, and also Ireland,” said James.
“Of the nations which didn’t make it to the World Cup we are official suppliers to Russia, Ukraine and Ghana and we are at the design stage with the Polish rugby league – I contacted them because I am confident there are so many Poles in the UK who will buy a shirt that carries their national badge.
“A team like Ghana doesn’t have a vast amount of money to spend on kit but we agreed a subsidised deal which gives us the chance to sell replica shirts to their fans and to collectors.”
Other sports on the JM Sports roster include netball, basketball, rugby union and football and the company is about to launch a new boxing range with the endorsement of Hull-based fighter Tommy Coyle.
“We are looking to do more in swimming and boxing and we are aware of the importance of being able to source equipment quickly if we do not have precisely what people want,” said James.
“As Tommy’s involvement demonstrates, we deal with a lot of serious athletes as individuals and by supplying teams, from professionals to amateur sides and colleges. Some members of our team have coached at a high level so we know what is required in terms of kit quality and we deal with customers in a professional way.”
Kathryn Shillito, HullBID City Centre Manager, said: “JM Sports was one of Hull’s best kept secrets locally but it is clear that they have vast experience as a sports retailer and their client base and contacts are testament to this.
“The move to Savile Street is already bringing benefits in terms of increased footfall and that is also helping other businesses in the area.”
Picture: JM Sports
