Following the cancellation of OutDoor by Ispo, the Ispo Group is now increasingly focusing on the digital sector including eSports. Ispo started supporting digital sports competitions in 2018, and this segment has developed from niche to mainstream in only a few years. Under the umbrella of Ispo Digitize, Ispo’s efforts in this area are being expanded continuously. According to Christoph Rapp, international sales and retail manager responsible for Ispo Digitize, the platform is open to the entire sports and outdoor industry. It plays a connecting role between traditional and more modern, digitally influenced disciplines. Ispo’s Open Innovation project, a platform that actively involves its users in product tests and opinion polls, is now carrying out a survey on the future of eSports. After the survey ends on April 20, the results will be analyzed and made available to the sports industry as well as considered in the further planning of the trade show’s eSports-specific activities and formats such as expanded streaming and the implementation of new events. An already existing example for these activities is the popular Rocket League Championship Series that Ispo has hosted as the exclusive broadcaster on Twitch for the second consecutive year. For all those interested in further training in the field of eSports, all relevant lectures of the past Ispo Munich are offered as webinars within the digital Ispo Academy program. Starting on April 10, 20 tutorials for the eSports games of the Rocket League and Fifa20 for amateurs and semi-pros will be offered on the same channel, with well-known professional gamers as coaches.
Photo: © Messe München
