ISPO Beijing 2019 will open its doors from January 16 – 19. About 400 exhibitors representing 700 brands are expected for the 15th anniversary of the fair at its new location, the China International Exhibition Center (CIEC). They will present their latest products and technologies in the areas of winter sports, outdoors and health & fitness to the specialist audience. One of this year’s highlights is the partnership with Germany’s top professional soccer league, the Bundesliga. A number of leading clubs in the league will also attend the fair, which will be complemented by a variety of talks, podium discussions and forums.
One look at the list of exhibitor registrations shows that the fair in 2019 will focus once again on the important role that the Chinese market plays for the international sporting goods industry: Around 50 percent of the brands at ISPO Beijing are based outside China. The lineup of exhibitors will include such industry heavyweights as Fjällräven, Marmot, Rossignol and Scarpa, companies that have been a part of the trade fair for years now. In 2019, a number of new brands are also venturing into the Asian market, including Active Sportswear (Denmark) and Walltopia (Bulgaria). In addition, a few companies are entering completely uncharted territory: the brands Doppelpass and Aesthetic Sports of Germany as well as Sled Dogs of Hungary and Rebellboost of Finland. These companies are coming to China for the very first time and will showcase their products in the Startup Village.
Market Introduction Program for China
As part of ISPO Beijing, the ISPO Academy will offer the Market Introduction Program (MIP), a two-day seminar for all brands interested in entering the Chinese market. The focus in 2019 will be placed on winter sports to reflect the Winter Olympics that will be held in Beijing in 2022. Companies attending the seminar will gain exclusive insights into the Chinese sports industry and its potential. They can use this knowledge to better identify and analyze the opportunities and challenges presented by China.
The ball will roll in the Football Activation Area
German soccer clubs are already very active in the Chinese market and have gained large numbers of fans in the process. In 2018, the Bundesliga was ranked as the most influential European league for the fourth consecutive time, according to the Red Card Report—an annual study of the impact of European soccer in China. As part of their international marketing strategy, both the Bundesliga International as an umbrella brand and seven of the first league’s 18 teams will present themselves in the joint Football Activation Area of ISPO Beijing. The seven teams are: Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt, FC Schalke 04, VfB Stuttgart and VfL Wolfsburg. They will bring the soccer experience to life in the trade fair hall.
Influencers enhance the visitor portfolio
A study has shown just how important the content of social media is to end consumers in China: About half of the country’s 665 million residents who are active use these channels to research products. Seventy percent of Generation Z (birth year 1995 and later) prefers to buy products directly through social media. To put this in perspective: The global average is 44 percent.
ISPO Beijing is responding to the growing impact of influencers—who are known as key opinion leaders (KOL) in China—on the sporting goods industry: Celebrities, athletes, well-known bloggers and influencers from athletic clubs and venues are now a part of the visitor target group. 500 of them are expected to attend the trade fair for the first time in 2019. Some of the KOLs will share their experiences with exhibitors and retailers on their own stage.
You will find more information on ISPO Beijing 2019 at https://www.ispo.com/beijing
