WEST PALM BEACH, Fla: USPA Global has announced that U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), has delivered a record $2.4 billion in global retail sales in 2023.
The global sports brand’s record growth is the result of expanding its existing footprint across all regions around the world. U.S. Polo Assn. has seen a balanced growth strategy with significantly increased market share in more mature markets, such as North America and Western Europe, while delivering exponential growth in emerging markets such as Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and India.
In fact, the brand is targeting to become a billion-dollar business in India alone, as U.S. Polo Assn. is an international power brand and the top-selling casual menswear brand in the country.
The brand’s footprint is a fast-growing presence across 190 countries, with over 1,100 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores and thousands of wholesale locations spanning department stores, sporting goods channels, and independent retailers, as well as e-commerce. U.S. Polo Assn. continues to climb the retail ranks as one of the largest global licensed sports brands in the world, ranking in the top five alongside the NFL, MLB, and NBA, according to License Global.
U.S. Polo Assn.’s strong execution has relied on a global focus regarding the brand’s worldwide store expansion. The brand has grown its global fleet to more than 1,100 U.S. Polo Assn. stores, targeting over 1,500 in the next several years. For 2023, new stores and existing strategic stores around the world have been enhanced with a more elevated brand and sports concept, providing consumers with an authentic experience when engaging with the brand.
U.S. Polo Assn. also built on its successful digital strategies to generate record growth in e-commerce with some 50 brand sites in 20 languages in 2023. U.S. Polo Assn. continues to grow its digital presence and global momentum on social media, with some 8 million followers worldwide.
“Our global team and strategic partners around the world delivered another record financial performance in 2023 while also achieving many major milestones across our product lines and global expansion efforts,” noted J. Michael Prince, president & CEO of USPA Global. “We continue to execute our aggressive product, store, digital, and international growth strategies to further expand our global footprint in key cities and markets worldwide, while also increasing the overall interest in the sport of polo.”
Prince added, “Despite the many challenges over the past several years facing global retail, U.S. Polo Assn. was able to exceed our goal of $2 billion three years early and has set a target to hit $3 billion and 1,500 U.S. Polo Assn. stores in the near future.”
True to the heritage of the brand, U.S. Polo Assn. maintains a strong connection to the sport of polo. By signing a recent landmark multi-year global deal with ESPN, the sport now has exposure to a global audience, extending to many parts of the world.
In addition, the USPA now owns the USPA National Polo Center (NPC), the sport’s premier destination in North America. The 2024 American High-Goal Polo Season has brought record crowds and sellout Sundays, with the best polo in the world from January-April. Nestled in beautiful Palm Beach County, Florida, this outstanding venue spans 160 acres, encompassing multiple grass polo fields, fine dining, tennis courts, stadium seating, a swimming pool, and the NPC Retail Shop.
“We continue to seek avenues and partnerships to expand into new global markets, as well as new and innovative areas of business. The combination of these factors, alongside our authentic connection to the sport of polo and outstanding global brand marketing, is the key to our global success,” Prince adds. “I am optimistic about the U.S. Polo Assn. global business maintaining its leadership position among its industry peers while gaining market share and our ability to reach over $3 billion in worldwide sales and 1,500 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores in the coming years.”
“Today, I am proud to say that our U.S. Polo Assn. global ecosystem is comprehensive of both the brand and the sport, with our $2.4 billion global sport-inspired brand, a global sports content platform with ESPN, and ownership of NPC, one of the sport’s most beautiful and prestigious venues,” concludes Prince.
