New Balance is one of the world's fastest-growing sports brands. It has already taken a chunk out of Nike's trainers market worldwide with reported growth 19% in 2025 with revenue of over $9bn, according to figures in CNBC. It is now targeting the world of football and the brand that once adorned the shirts of then Premier League champions Liverpool is increasingly popular with some of the game's best players.
Patrick O'Brien, retail research director at analytics firm GlobalData, said Barry M had failed to innovate and had instead been "more reactive". He told the BBC the company had also struggled as, despite being stocked in well-known retailers, it faced increasing competition from other brands at similar prices. O'Brien said Barry M had become "a small brand in a sea of new and fun names, which are generating traction through social media marketing".