WASHINGTON (TNS) — Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts warned regulators this week that Dick’s Sporting Goods’ planned acquisition of Foot Locker could run afoul of antitrust laws and lead to higher price tags and fewer retail jobs.

Ms. Warren in a letter Tuesday evening urged the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division to “closely scrutinize” the $2.4 billion merger between Allegheny County-based Dick’s and the shoe retailer, and to block the deal if it’s found to “substantially lessen competition in the athletic footwear market.”

The top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, Ms. Warren has previously pressured the Trump administration over its moves to undercut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the proposed $8 billion megamerger between Skydance Media and Paramount Global.

She said the Dick’s-Foot Locker deal would combine the “U.S.’s largest sports retailer with one of the largest athletic shoe retailers in the country,” and that the move comes after a series of mergers and acquisitions in the sector have already “led to market consolidation and the closure of thousands of independent shoe stores.”

“The combination of Dick’s Sporting Goods and Foot Locker would decrease competition in the retail athletic footwear markets, cut jobs, raise prices, and leave Americans to foot the bill,” she argued. “This is particularly concerning given that more than half of parents ‘plan to sacrifice necessities, such as groceries,’ because of rising prices for back-to-school shopping, including sneakers,” she added, citing an article on financial stress and tariff impacts from CreditKarma.

Dick’s did not immediately respond to an email and a phone call seeking comment. The company’s next earnings call is set for Aug. 28.

If the deal goes through, it could give Dick’s Sporting Goods a bigger opening into international markets after years steadily expanding. The chain was originally founded in Binghamton, N.Y., and now operates more than 850 stores nationwide under various nameplates including House of Sport and Golf Galaxy.

Foot Locker, based in New York City, operates more than 2,400 sneaker and clothing stores across 26 countries, including sites in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Dick’s reported more than $3.1 billion in sales during the first quarter, a 4.5% growth in sales compared to last year. Net profit for the quarter was $264 million, down 4% from the first quarter of 2024.

“As you see in our first quarter results, we’re proud of the strong position we’re in today and incredibly excited about the future,” executive chairman Ed Stack said in a statement May.

“Earlier this month, we announced our plans to acquire Foot Locker, a move that represents a truly exciting and transformational moment for Dick’s. For many years we’ve admired FootLocker’s brand and the powerful community they’ve built in sneaker culture. By bringing our two great brands together, we see the opportunity to create a global leader in the sports retail industry by serving a broader set of athletes.”