ISPO Restructures Trade Fair Model Into Week-Long Sports Weeks Across Amsterdam, Dubai, China, and the US
The sports goods industry is shifting how products find buyers, prompting a major overhaul of one of the sector’s most recognizable trade exhibitions. ISPO announced a plan to restructure its traditional trade fair model into a series of week-long events known as the ISPO Sports Week, combining business-to-business meetings with consumer-facing activations and community gatherings. Amsterdam will remain the main flagship hub for the platform, while additional regional editions are scheduled for Dubai, Shanghai, and Beijing, alongside an expansion into the United States slated for 2028, FashionUnited reported.
The structural pivot addresses a fundamental change in how consumer demand for sporting goods is generated. Rather than relying exclusively on traditional retail buyers and exhibition hall displays, the organizer aims to capture the influence of athletes, content creators, sports clubs, and amateur communities that increasingly drive purchasing habits. Brands have historically spread marketing and sales budgets across fragmented schedules, separating trade shows, individual product launches, and public promotional events. The new format is designed to consolidate these efforts into a single week within one host city.
How the Week-Long Programme Integrates Business and Consumer Events
Each ISPO Sports Week is structured around a core industry event, surrounded by specialized networking sessions, trade formats, brand experiences for the general public, and independently organized side gatherings. The layout allows exhibitors and visitors to participate only in the specific segments relevant to their operations. To support this expanded scope, the organizer is investing significantly in new proprietary concepts, specifically introducing the PadelXpo and OutdoorXpo formats to the calendar.
“Brands already invest in trade shows, product launches, sporting events and consumer activations, often separately,” said Mike Seaman, group CEO of ISPO owner Raccoon Media Group. “We see a huge opportunity to bring these activities closer together, making it easier for businesses to achieve their objectives while creating a much bigger moment for the industry.”
Amsterdam Flagship Plans and the 2027 Dubai Expansion
Amsterdam will anchor the new strategy as the primary flagship location. In 2027, the main trade exhibition in the Dutch capital will run alongside the ISPO Leaders Summit, the International Running Expo, and the newly added PadelXpo and OutdoorXpo formats, creating an extensive multi-day gathering for the European market.
The international rollout continues in September 2027 with the launch of the Middle East edition in Dubai. Weekday schedules in Dubai will concentrate on B2B commerce through two specific channels: ISPO Source, which connects manufacturers and material suppliers with brands seeking to build or expand production, and ISPO Discover, which assists emerging labels in securing retail and distribution partnerships. As the week transitions to the weekend, the doors open to consumers through public-facing events including The Run Show, PadelXpo, and OutdoorXpo, permitting direct retail sales by participating brands.
Transitioning Established Events in Asia and Preparing for the United States Market
In Asia, ISPO is converting its existing trade exhibitions in Shanghai and Beijing into official editions of ISPO Sports Week Asia. The organization is evaluating further additions to incorporate local sporting competitions and community-driven happenings into the Chinese calendar over time.
Meanwhile, the organization’s footprint in the United States currently encompasses five existing sports properties. Specific operational details regarding the newly announced US edition, scheduled for 2028, will be released next year. The broader corporate evolution follows Raccoon Media Group’s acquisition of the ISPO brand in 2024, which transitioned the primary European trade exhibition venue to Amsterdam starting in 2025, moving away from its historic Munich home established in 1970.
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