Not long ago, the crowded HYROX Shanghai station just came to an end. Half a month later, the 2026 US Canada Mexico World Cup is about to open again. A 'sports economy' is quietly sweeping through the consumer market this summer.

Exercise is no longer just about sweating, but a way of life. During this year's 618 promotion, this trend of sports consumption was further amplified. From shoes and clothing to accessories, from functional items to landscape equipment, the supply of sports brand products has been comprehensively upgraded. According to data from Li Jiaqi's live streaming room, sales of categories such as beautiful back sports sets, professional running shoes, yoga pants, etc. increased significantly year-on-year during the 618 shopping festival, and some new "essential needs" in sports scenes performed even better, becoming the favorite of young consumers.

Is sports equipment becoming the new 'social currency'?

Lin Yuan, a post-1995 Internet practitioner, has recently become obsessed with rock climbing. He spends every weekend at the rock gym, climbing all the way from the beginner's route to the advanced level. He said that the joy of rock climbing lies not only in conquering the rock wall itself, but also in recording and sharing. Many people on Xiaohongshu will post climbing videos and communicate with their peers, and I also plan to buy a panoramic sports camera in the live broadcast room during 618 to record my progress

Also paying attention to sports equipment during the "618 promotion" was running enthusiast Chen Hao. In less than half a year of long-distance running, he has already completed two and a half races. To run fast, running shoes are crucial, "said Chen Hao. He recently bought a pair of professional running shoes from Li Jiaqi's live broadcast room, which are the same as Sabastian Savi, the world's first marathon runner to break two." The shock absorption technology and arch support were explained very thoroughly in the live broadcast room, and it can be seen that the selection of products has been put into effort, and the price is also reasonable, so he decisively won

This trend of sports is also blowing towards the family scene. Young mother Zhou Ting recently started cycling with her 5-year-old daughter. Riding along the city greenway for more than half an hour every weekend makes both adults and children happy. "She recently purchased a family style quick drying underwear in Li Jiaqi's live broadcast room." Riding with children requires a lot of sweat, and quick drying fabrics are a must-have

This summer, urban men and women wearing yoga pants and carrying sports bags can be seen everywhere in the city, and new types of urban sports that are "fun, productive, and easy to organize" are happening one after another. At the same time, sports equipment is becoming a new "social currency".

The diversified sports scenes are also giving rise to more segmented and personalized consumer demands. People not only want a wearable sportswear, but also a set of equipment that matches their sports lifestyle, "said Xin Chuan, the head of Li Jiaqi's live broadcast room. The consumption logic of sportswear has changed, no longer purely functional procurement, but has become a social symbol, carrying identity recognition and aesthetic expression.

Follow the trend of sports and actively counter select popular products in the live broadcast room

Based on this market observation, since the beginning of this year, Li Jiaqi's live streaming room has elevated the outdoor sports category from a seasonal category to a "main battlefield" for consumption, greatly expanding the selection boundaries of the sports category. It is no longer limited to traditional shelf logic, but actively selects products based on user feedback and discussions on social media, and explores fresher and more interesting product combinations.

For example, panoramic sports cameras meet the needs of recording and sharing, while Wilson Weisheng tennis suit and yoga pants balance sports function and appearance. HOKA running shoes and Arthurs running shoes provide hardcore equipment support for professional runners, and "pan sports brand" products such as Under Armour sports shoes and casual wear, Adidas children's sports shoes, and Jiaonei quick drying clothes are all selling well.

There are also some unexpected bestsellers. Taking Hunter rain boots as an example, this classic British rain boot received unexpected attention in the live broadcast room.

Rain boots have long gone beyond simple functional needs, "explained the product selection manager. In today's society, rain boots are also a fashionable accessory for sports scenes. In music festivals, outdoor camping, rainy city cycling and other scenarios, young people prefer to make a pair of waterproof and good-looking boots the" finishing touch ".

As a sports enthusiast, Li Jiaqi's live streaming host often shares sports Vlogs on social media

Live streaming rooms are not only sales channels, but also co creators of lifestyles, "said Xinchuan. The current trend of urban sports will inevitably give rise to more diverse consumption scenarios. Li Jiaqi's live streaming room always insists on a deep understanding of users' real needs, and through scene based marketing strategies, elevates outdoor sports from seasonal categories to the" main battlefield "of consumption. By encrypting the frequency of special sessions and expanding the product pool, it provides more consumers with a" buy as you want "deterministic supply.