In the coming year, ISPO Munich will take place from 1-5 February, completely online, the organiser Messe München announced this afternoon.

“In close cooperation with the branch and with consideration for the current development of the coronavirus, Messe München has decided to conduct the event completely digitally. By doing so, the world’s leading sports business platform will be beneficial for all participants, regardless of international travel restrictions. The event format will build upon the positive results of the virtual ISPO Re.Start Days in June 2020. It will offer opportunities for brand and product presentation, for discussion and networking as well as maintenance of international business relationships,” the company said.

“With the current developments of the coronavirus pandemic, the execution of ISPO Munich as a hybrid event – a combination of digital and on-premises events – cannot be reliably ensured,” Messe München added.

 For Klaus Dittrich, the Chairman and CEO of Messe München, the move to a completely digital event is a logical step. “Both the customers as well as we as host have high expectations for the internationality and quality of ISPO Munich. Under the current conditions, we cannot fulfil these expectations. With ISPO Munich Online, we are enabling all customers around the world to participate in the event. At the same time, we can create formats that integrate new target groups. I am sure that in February we will experience an event, which will offer digital industry discussions of the highest calibre,” he said.

ISPO Munich Online to focus on digitization, health and sustainability

At the centre of the five-day digital event stands the key topics of creativity and digitization, health and sustainability. The ISPO Munich Online conference program will offer numerous opportunities for discussion and interaction. In particular, the importance of sports and outdoor activities, and their connection to health, has been on the rise since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. In turn, this has increased the need for a platform where the core brands, key players and top athletes can connect and garner inspiration.

What participants can expect

ISPO Munich Online will offer the well-established benefits as well as additional ones: Finding new products, brands and business contacts. Networking with exhibitors, visitors, media and influencers. Participation in forums and discussions via live streaming and chat rooms. Jeanette Friedrich, Global ISPO Group Director, is optimistic about the digital format. “In the past ten years, ISPO has built vast digital competency and reach. We will now use this to offer an online event to the benefit of all participants. We are pleased that our plans for the digital event have been so positively received in the branch,” she says.

End-consumers in attendance

For the first time, end-consumers will have an opportunity to experience something that was formerly reserved for industry members: the chance to participate digitally and conduct a direct dialogue with the industry. In brand rooms for product presentations, workshops and master classes, brands and companies will have the opportunity to present themselves and engage with sport and outdoor fans throughout the world. ISPO Open Innovation has already shown this integration works: The approximately 80,000 end-consumers from around 70 countries bring their know-how to the crowdsourcing and market research campaigns – delivering valuable insights and inspiration for new products and ideas to companies all year, the organisers said.

ISPO Re.Start Days 2020

During ISPO Re.Start Days in summer 2020, ISPO has already shown that digital formats offer an added value and are important for the industry, as Klaus Dittrich emphasized: “The experiences from the ISPO Re.Start Days will help us very much in improving upon the online format for ISPO Munich in February and to target the needs of each participant. Our goal is – even in these uncertain times – to offer the best platform for growth and new inspiration.”

ISPO Website