ISPO Digitize summit: The top event for the digital future of the sports industry

Digitalization offers retailers and the industry as a whole new opportunities and growth potential. This means, digital competencies will be an increasingly crucial factor for remaining competitive in the future. The ISPO Digitize summit provides the first annual platform of its kind for the sporting goods industry so it can get itself ready for the digital transformation. Renowned keynote speakers such as Kasper Rorsted, CEO adidas, and Günther Althaus, CEO ANWR Group, will share their insights into the industry’s digital future.

• Annual platform for retailers and the sporting goods industry
• Tickets are now on sale
• First speakers have been confirmed

Digitalization offers retailers and the industry as a whole new opportunities and growth potential. This means, digital competencies will be an increasingly crucial factor for remaining competitive in the future. The ISPO Digitize summit provides the first annual platform of its kind for the sporting goods industry so it can get itself ready for the digital transformation. Renowned keynote speakers such as Kasper Rorsted, CEO adidas, and Günther Althaus, CEO ANWR Group, will share their insights into the industry’s digital future. On top of that, practical workshops and discussions with experts await visitors to the ISPO Digitize summit, which will be held June 28–29, 2018, at the ICM — Internationales Congress Center München. With a limited number of discounted tickets, the ticket sale has started today.

The need to take action is well known in the sporting goods industry: According to a recent Bitkom study, more than one in ten stationary retailers, that also sell their products on the internet, earn over half their sales online. Nevertheless, for 66 per cent digitalization still poses the biggest challenge and 77 per cent see themselves as digital stragglers. Retailers fear the growing number of online sales channels will weaken sales in their stores. Many feel they aren’t ready to respond to the challenges posed by the digital transformation. After all, just operating an online shop alone is not enough. Online advertising, online payment options, and round-the-clock service: Customers expect retailers to fall in line with the digital transformation. In addition, digitalization is generating new innovations that affect internal processes — from the way a customer orders to the way a product is stored.

The digital transformation has brought about new business models and market potential for the entire sporting-goods industry. But how and where does a business owner start? Of crucial importance is the willingness to confront the issue and to find a place where expert knowledge and contacts come together under one roof. The ISPO Digitize summit is just that place.

Industry experts demonstrate opportunities and solutions

With digital pioneers such as adidas and Lectra as partners, the aim of the event is to provide retailers and the industry orientation as well as to offer concrete recommendations. What does a modern payment system look like? How can CRM solutions assist in creating close customer relationships? How does successful marketing work in the digital age? Experts will provide answers to these questions at the two-day conference during workshops and discussions. The event will also focus on security and tracking solutions, digital signage, point-of-sale strategies, and new transport and logistics strategies as well as automation and industry 4.0. Participants can expect a full program that includes six sessions with renowned speakers such as Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer, founder eGym, Nils Stamm, Chief Digital Officer Telekom Deutschland, and Professor Bernd Thomsen, CEO Thomsen Group. In addition, technology providers such as MobiMedia and wirecard will present their latest solutions and services in the exhibition area.

Digital Readiness Check

In the run-up to the event, participants can take a moment to test their businesses’ level of digital readiness with the help of the free Digital Readiness Check. The interpretation of anonymous data will help participants to see where their businesses fall short and which skills, resources and changes are needed to remain viable for the future. The Digital Readiness Check serves participants as an ongoing opportunity to take stock of their digital readiness. The consolidated anonymous results from all the tests form the basis for the 2018 summit and provide future content of ISPO Digitize during ISPO Munich and Outdoor by ISPO.

Successful kickoff at the 2018 ISPO in Munich

The ISPO Digitize summit will be held June 28–29, 2018, at the ICM — Internationales Congress Center München. Just a few months ago in the trade fair halls next door, the signal was given for the new event during ISPO Munich 2018. In an area made up to look like a futuristic laboratory, the ISPO Digitize Area, drew many visitors who experienced digital products and the digitalized sporting goods industry up close. Experts also presented information on the future of shopping, Sales 4.0 and the digitalization of shops and products. A highlight was the joint ISPO and adidas symposium, where Roland Auschel, adidas Executive Board member responsible for Global Sales, demonstrated the opportunities presented by digitalization.

Tickets for the ISPO Digitize summit are on sale now.

About ISPO
ISPO is the world’s leading sports network for business professionals and consumer experts. The platform was launched in 1970 and brings together an integrated range of industry-related analog and digital services under the IPSO family brand name. This includes the world’s largest multisegment trade fairs ISPO Munich, ISPO Beijing and ISPO Shanghai; the online news portal ISPO.com, and the business solutions ISPO Digitize, ISPO Brandnew, ISPO Open Innovation, ISPO Award, ISPO Academy, ISPO Textrends, ISPO Job Market and ISPO Shop. With its far-reaching mix of innovation promotion, industry networking, know-how and editorial insights, ISPO works 365 days a year to support companies and sports enthusiasts, and to foster passion for sport worldwide.