ISPO MUNICH 2016: The world’s leading sports business platform
More than 2.600 exhibitors from 50 countries presented themselves at ISPO MUNICH 2016, the world’s largest sports trade show, from January 24 to 27, 2016. This year, numerous prominent figures from politics and sports attended the event, among them Dr. Gerd Müller, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, the extreme mountaineer Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, as well as the two Olympic champions Matthias Steiner (weightlifting) and Claudia Pechstein (speed skating).
ISPO MUNICH offered a program with a variety of events and presentations revolving sports. Visitors could select from more than 150 events, such as demonstration of the latest snowboard tricks or yoga on the water, and more. There were also lectures on current trends such as outdoor exercise, Piloxing (a cardio training combining Pilates, boxing and dance - presented by master trainer Bettina Ausweger) or vegan nutrition.
ISPO MUNICH 2016 offered nine fully packed exhibition segments in 16 exhibition halls covering 180,000 square meters. A strong increase in the number of exhibitors was recovered above all in the segments Health & Fitness and Outdoor.
The SKI segment offered the entire range of what active athletes need to truly enjoy their day on ice and snow. A unique sourcing and networking platform for manufactures, designers and product managers was the TEXTRENDS FORUM. This international segment for performance textiles presented the latest textiles, insulation materials, components and accessories for sports and outdoor apparel.
The ISPO ACADEMY is entirely dedicated to the topic of further education. In lectures and workshops, participants could gather information about trends and innovations in the sports industry, exchange ideas or get a glimpse behind the scenes of brands and manufacturers. This year, the focal point of ISPO ACADEMY was the topic of ‘’Digitalization in the sporting goods retail sector’’. The ISPO ACADEMY does not only take place in Munich. It offers worldwide training programs for dealers, brands and those interested in the industry. In 2016, the venues are Barcelona, Warsaw, Leusden and Lech. Events are also planned again in China and Japan.
ISPO VISION and its premium sports brands, for which design is paramount, presented themselves in an exclusive fashion show. The latest fashion trend indicates that wearing decent sports apparel in the office or in the pub is nowadays generally acceptable. Wearing fitness clothing signals youthfulness and sportiness not only during training but also in everyday life.
The term ‘’Athleisure’’ results from the trend that combines fitness with leisure. In the USA, no more than half of the sportswear sold actually serves training purposes anymore. Brands like Sportalm (Kitzbühel), Bogner (München) or Kjus, Peak Performance and New Balance increasingly bet on this trend.
Under its ISPO brand, Messe München International offers events and year-round services to the international sports business.
Daiva I.Petrosiene