SPORTS-MAR10-P12:SGBGolf_NEW_template 1/3/10 11:49 Page 12
Field Report
ispo posts record numbers
The ispo trade fair celebrated its 40th anniversary and its 70th staging in
Munich last month, attracting record visitor numbers
H
eld in Munich from February 7-10, ispo ‘10 exceeded expectations in terms of attendance, according to organiser Messe Munchen,
which reported setting an attendance record with over 64,000 visitors from 117 countries. Visitor numbers were up almost 7% on
2009, with 68% of visitors travelling from abroad – predominantly from European countries - representing a 2% increase from last
year.
The army of exhibitors numbered 2,045 from 45 countries, representing a 5% increase, and the floor space taken up at the New Munich Trade Fair
increased accordingly – by 2% - to occupy a massive 15 halls.
The Federation of Sports and play Associations (FSPA) also celebrated a successful ispo, taking its biggest ever contingent of UK brands to the show, with
14 companies sharing exhibition space in the ‘UK area’. The FSPA assisted a total of 30 UK companies in gaining UKTI export grants to exhibit in Munich.
ispo ’11 will be held from February 6-9.
Intersport and Allied become one
Bad memories for Kahn
T
he biggest news announced at ispo was the merger between retailer
Former German international goalkeeper Oliver Kahn may have been
groups Intersport UK and Allied Partners, which is scheduled for
delighted to pick-up the ispo Trophy 2010, but he needed to dive
completion on April 1.
deep into his well of diplomacy when it came to having his picture
Speaking exclusively to Sporting Goods Business, Intersport UK general
taken with table 15 at the ispo VIP dinner, which was occupied by
manager Barry Mellis said the Allied Partners’ strong sense of solidarity
representatives from ISRA, Allied Partnership and the FSPA. The British
would be a particularly welcome influence on the Intersport UK
and Irish contingent presented Kahn with a their table number card,
membership.
adapted to read ‘1-5’, and listing the scorers from England’s 5-1
“There is a real family feel to Allied Partners, which has got them to
defeat of Germany in Munich in 2001 in a World Cup qualifier – all in
where they are today,” said Mellis. “Allied Partners has punched above its
good humour of course. Kahn – who was voted the world’s best
weight in terms of some of the arrangements it has with brands. We want
goalkeeper in 1999, 2001 and 2002 - was in goal for Germany for
that closeness to continue, and for it to spread throughout Intersport. It is
that match, which he described as a ‘catastrophe’ at the time.
something we have been trying to develop over the past 12 months at
The ispo Trophy is presented by the ‘international sports business
Intersport with our socials and communications, to encourage members to
network’ to famous athletes who have acted as admirable role
work as one community.”
models throughout their careers.
While Allied Partners has agreed to
www.ispo.com
merge into Intersport, each Allied
retailer will follow Intersport’s
standard application procedure on
an individual basis, incorporating
checks on business history and
finances. Intersport has set a
deadline of March 15 to establish
which of the 28 Allied retailers will
operate as Intersport members from
the initial start date of April 1. There
is likely to be a number of Allied
members who will not join Intersport
until later in the year, others may not
qualify, and it is also anticipated that
a small number of Allied retailers will
decline the opportunity to apply
Joining forces: Intersport’s Barry Mellis
altogether.
(left) and Adrian Pointer of Allied Partners
“We would like to have all the
Allied members in Intersport,” adds
Mellis, “but we have to apply the same, quite strict membership joining
rules that we have done with our existing members and we have to remain
All done in the best possible taste:
consistent. It is fantastic that we are looking at the prospect of welcoming
Oliver Kahn (centre) flanked by ispo’s
over 20 new members to the Intersport group.”
British and Irish dinner guests,
Intersport UK’s membership numbered 58 at the beginning of 2009, and
brandishing a table-number card
66 members with 179 stores by the end of last year. It now looks forward to
reminding him of his worst hour in
a membership numbering in the mid-to-high eighties.
S international football
www.intersport.com
12 SGB SPORT MARCH 2010
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