As the most important sports and outdoor-industry fair, ISPO, is currently taking place in Munich, I was wondering if it might have been a regrettable mistake to not having at least tried to visit the event. There are several reasons. Take alone the irresistible description of the event:

For over 40 years the global leader has provided a comprehensive overview of the entire range of sporting goods, athletic footwear and fashions, as well as the latest trends from these segments. Year for year the custom-tailored trade show concept with special communities and authentic side events guarantees a very unique, personalized and communication-rich atmosphere. As the only multi-segment trade show the event also offers its participants an opportunity to discover discipline-overlapping synergy and cross-selling potential, as well as recognize new segments and trends in advance. Thanks to close cooperation with the industry ISPO can identify market requirements and offers international sports business professionals the best possible presentation and networking platform at ISPO MUNICH.

The event is subtitled accordingly: “SPORTS.BUSINESS.CONNECTED” (By the way: can’t.you.marketing.experts.imagine.slogans.without.dots.?) So, being a guarantee for having some fun, ISPO would have been that event for me,  after getting jobless once again and in urgent search for means of killing time. So I not only found the idea pleasing to experience the atmosphere of this great event and maybe listen to some more or less interesting speeches, take some revealing photos that I could use here to ridicule the companies as well as their clients as well as their promoters (and by that, granting this blog photo-material for months, if not years), not to forget collecting loads of give-aways including litres of sparkling vine, of course.

Moreover some of the resources to be found on the websites of ISPO appeared to me as being very informative and appealing, for example that ISPO-Healthstyle-Guide.

One article in there (“HEALTH SELLS!” – The future is bright!, see graphics below), even made me finally get a first glimpse of what drives people into sports and outdoors – a contribution that can’t be overestimated for my mission, this blog. (In my personal case, I still can’t decide whether I fit more to sector ‘Nature & Health’ or to ‘Power and style’ rather, because my wants are all, “Existence”, “Post-Materialism” (not materialism!!), “Live one’s passion”, “Hedonism” and “Enjoyment”, only lacking “Nativeness” and “Eigentlichkeit”. But I’m sure I’ll get this clear soon..).

Differentiation of sport styles and their motives according to German Association for consumer research (GFK)

Anyway. Last but not least, by visiting ISPO I could have had another chance to meet some celebrities of the alpinism-scene, as blogger-colleague Stefan reports, or watch other athletes such as Bixente Lizarazu on the Consumer & Outreach Panel.

So all in all I already started lamenting that I am not dwelling near Munich anymore. The ISPO-program I missed just today:

08:30 a.m  Erdinger White Veal Sausage breakfast and Lolë yoga class to join
09:30 a.m. Networking with Slackline-Tools
10:30 a.m. ISPO Outdoor & Ski Fashion Show
11:00 a.m. Freeride – Information Systems & Mobile Devices (G) – ISPO Academy
12:00 p.m. Panel Discussion: Diversification in winter sports – how can sports products manufacturer and tourism regions profit from changing winter tourism? (G) – ISPO Academy
01:00 p.m. ISPO Outdoor & Ski Fashion Show
01:30 p.m. European Adventurer of the Year 2012 (Ceremony)
03:30 p.m. Presentation: Britain on Foot (E) – ISPO Academy
04:00 p.m. ISPO Outdoor & Ski Fashion Show
04:30 p.m. Movie presentation: All.I.Can and interview session (E)

But after all consideration I have to recognise that distance and ticket prices both are unfortunately against my visit. A Pity. But maybe next year! And as a substitute at least there remains Weißwürste of soy from the supermarket, internet research or another exciting issue of Panorama. 😀