ISPO Press Portal

The city of Munich will once again be gripped by sports fever at the same time as the world’s largest sports trade fair, ISPO Munich 2020, takes place.

2020 is set to be a very special year for the sports industry as the global sports network ISPO will celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Dr. Jeanette Loos has assumed the newly created position of Global Head of ISPO Group at Messe München.

Product labelling through so-called labels is an advantage for consumers all over the world in order to inform themselves directly about the characteristics of a product such as quality or origin. Many countries have legal requirements that apply to labels. But few international standards exist for them. This frequently creates major challenges for manufacturers. Together with the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI), ISPO provides access to a continuously updated source of information about labels around the world provided by a global database of Compliance & Risks.

ISPO Munich, the world’s largest trade fair for sporting goods, ended today with a successful attendance total of about 80,000 visitors. Even though the winter weather made it difficult for some visitors to attend the fair, it also brightened spirits in the 18 halls of Messe München. In addition to innovations in the areas of winter sports, outdoor and fitness, the industry learned how to remain attractive to consumers of the future. The issues of sustainability, digitalization and, for the first time, eSports played a major role here. eSports.

Individualized products are moving to the forefront, creating a broad range of new opportunities for the sporting goods industry in the process. This trend is all about “me, myself and I.” And that should be found in the product being purchased. Examples range from personally designed athletic shoes or skis to customized ski boots. Brands are learning that they must integrate their customers into manufacturing processes or into the late-stage refinement work that goes into their products. The trend is being accelerated by digital gadgets, those popular “wearables” that are actually mini-computers that support athletes during their activities and collect data. These data then form the basis for the manufacture of even more personalized products. At ISPO Munich (February 3–6, 2019), trade visitors will gain a comprehensive overview of today’s and tomorrow’s trends.

The international survey of ISPO Munich involving 833 exhibitors and visitors to ISPO Munich shows that a high share of sports products is specifically aimed at women – but there are still too few female managers. While the sports business increasingly focuses on women and their requirements as a target group, a lot of potential is not being exploited in the areas of marketing and product development.

Enthusiasm for winter sports remains unbroken. Demand for the right winter sports equipment is correspondingly high. The buying preferences of many amateur athletes have changed considerably in recent years: for example, consumers are increasingly interested in how sustainable their equipment is and what materials are used to produce it. In addition, many are becoming more willing to spend on high-quality products if this increases enjoyment and performance.