Ispo Munich to focus on the future of sports

By

Rüdiger Oberschür

Translated by
Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jan 31, 2019

Busy days ahead: Munich has just seen trade show Munich Fabric Start end another edition on 31 January, and the local industry now prepares to put the spotlight on sports. Over the next four days, on 3-6 February, Ispo Munich will bring together over 2,800 exhibitors and an international audience to discuss the latest trends in the world of sports and sporting goods. There will be a special focus on action sports like climbing, as well as fitness, yoga and e-sports. The global market for yoga clothing is expected to grow by more than 6% a year according to a study.

New for 2019 is the retail programme ‘Altogether to Munich’, dedicated to supporting sports retailers from the UK, Italy, Spain, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, and Scandinavia in their planning ahead of Ispo Munich.

Organisers said the service offers everything sports retailers need to get an overview of the market at the world’s largest sports fair, from registration and hotel bookings to arranging appointments and trade fair tours in different languages.

The programme is an extension of the Club Ispo France, which has been connecting French brands with partners and exhibitors for over five years.

In addition to an international audience, the trade event will bring together a group of top athletes. These include Miriam Neureuther (German biathlete and cross-country skier), Britta Steffen (German swimmer), Peter Sagan (Slovak racing cyclist), Julius Brink (German beach volleyball player) and Andrzej Bargiel (Polish ski mountaineer, mountaineer, and alpine runner).

A highlight will be a visit of skateboard legend Tony Hawk, who will hold a keynote speech as part of the Ispo Digitize Pioneers Night on Monday 4 February.

In Hall C6, visitors to Ispo Digitize will also be able to experience eSports in person for the first time at the fair. There, a friendly match between Bayern Ballers Gaming, the esports team of FC Bayern Basketball, and the ISPO community will take place at the eSport Arena. A group of experts will be on hand providing insights about the market and its estimated growth.

As part of the Ispo Munich Sports Week, Munich-based sports retailer Globetrotter will also hold an eSport tournament on 6 February, which will be streamed live throughout the fair.