The New Normal: New Opportunities for the Sporting Goods Industry

Live and digital - on October 26, 2021, the Sports Trade Congress will finally start again as a physical event at the Haus der bayerischen Wirtschaft in Munich from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. as the meeting place for decision-makers in the sporting goods industry. Top-class speakers from industry and trade will discuss current topics and provide expert knowledge, solutions and food for thought. Because only those who understand the dynamic retail world and its trends can master the current and future challenges. Visitors will experience a day full of strategic and practical questions and showcases, generate new business contacts and meet the who's who of the industry.

Just in time for the first live event after the Corona-related break in 2020, the SAZsport team is coming up with an exciting program. Like so many other industries, the Corona crisis has also hit the specialist sports trade, in some cases severely. The crisis as a catalyst for change? Answers to this question can be found Industry experts and insiders will find the answers to these questions on topical subjects around this year's motto "THE NEW NORMAL - How the pandemic is accelerating change in the sporting goods industry". OUTTRA will accompany the 2021 Sports Retail Congress as an official presenting partner and will shed light on the topic of "Connected Retail in the sports industry" on site.

A look back, an update and a look into the future: Jochen Schnell, who works at Intargia Management Consulting, knows the major trends in retail, in the industry and with customers. That's why he also supports the competence team of the vds (Association of German Sports Retailers) as a member. On the basis of current market analyses by the IFH, Schnell will show what the new world could look like, what opportunities will arise, what customers will want tomorrow and what fields of action will determine the market. Afterwards, industry insiders such as Margit Gosau, Managing Director of Sport 2000, and Klaus Haas, CEO of Maloja, will discuss how intensive cooperation and a close exchange between retail and industry can look in the future. Also up for discussion is the thorny issue of whether digital can replace brick-and-mortar and how synergies can be used even better in the future.

The pandemic has led to various learning effects in trade and industry. These include, above all, an increased focus on social, environmental and sustainability issues. But has Corona actually accelerated the issue of sustainability and what does sustainable action actually mean? How must industry and trade focus on the topic in the future? An exciting discussion round on the topic "Is Corona a catalyst for greater sustainability?" with Alice Martin, Corporate Sustainabilty Manager Mammut, Georg Dieners, Secretary General Oeko-Tex and Holger Cecco-Stark, Head of Projects and CSI at Bergzeit.

In times of lockdown and contact restrictions, a lack of sports and exercise has jeopardized the development of an entire generation. Sports were limited last year. The industry is sounding the alarm. Why are sport and health not relevant to the system? How do we restart active grassroots sport with an impact on the business world? How do we get society moving again? In an intensive talk with Norbert Barthle, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development ,solutions will be sought as to how sport can achieve more system relevance in society and politics. ARD presenter Tobias Barnerssoi will lead through the program.

The so-called DEEP DIVE SESSIONS will be exciting, when industry experts discuss the latest topics in open rounds of talks. How can the industry best prepare for the coming winter sports season? A tricky question - because even if the starting signal for the 2021/22 season is given at the end of October and the ski industry is once again looking forward to a familiar business full of hope, uncertainty remains. Well-structured season preparation seems more important than ever, as Peter Hennekes, General Manager of the German Ski Instructors Association and co-initiators "Dein Winter. Dein Sport.", Udo Stenzel, Managing Director of Marker Dalbello Völkl and Chairman of the Winter Sports Section of the BSI, as well as Hilmar Bolle, Country Manager Rossignol and initiator of the B2B kiteboarding event "All on Snow". At the same time, experts from the bike industry will discuss the boom in the bicycle industry. How can the sports retail trade get involved here? What problems await the bike trade? And what role does the topic of "new mobility" play? Guests are explicitly invited to join the discussion.

Other highlights: A panel discussion on D2C business, Jens von Wedel, partner at Oliver Wyman for the retail and consumer goods sectors, gives an insight into developments in online sales channels, SocialPals knows how to reach local target groups at the right touchpoints and thus increase reach and sales figures, eBay shows what a strong and reliable retail partnership can look like, Unzer gives an insight into the diverse range of new payment methods, Frank Jeniche talks about the trend topic of active e-sports and Neocom knows how to increase sales and avoid annoying returns through intelligent product design.

The Sports Trade Congress will take place on 26 October 2021 from 9:00 to 18:00 at the Haus der Wirtschaft in Munich. If you want to be there live when SAZsport invites the who's who of the industry to exciting lectures and discussions, you can still secure a 15 percent discount on the ticket with SPOKO21-ObI15 - live on site or in the stream - until 10 October!

The complete program of the sports trade congress is available here!