Media Room

12/2022

Success in bricks-and-mortar sports retail through strong collaborations and specialisation

SPORT 2000 International was part of the ISPO Munich Future Lab and showed the path to the future of specialist sports retail with their ABSOLUTE RUN and ABSOLUTE TEAMSPORT retail formats, the ultra-modern multi-category concept and the new WITEBLAZE brand. By interweaving national competencies with international responsibility, the international sports retail organisation is taking a further step towards ONE SPORT 2000.

“New Perspectives on Sports” was the theme of this year’s ISPO Munich, where national and international representatives from the sports retail industry and sporting goods industry met to network. In the newly initiated Future Lab, the heart of the fair, experts met to exchange ideas about the future topics of sport. The new SPORT 2000 stand in the Future Lab presented the successful ABSOLUTE RUN and ABSOLUTE TEAMSPORT specialisation concept and the ultra-modern multi-category concept in an innovative and future-oriented way. “The last two years in particular have shown that thorough specialisation in sports retail offers room for growth. Specialised retailers manage to future-proof themselves and think beyond crises,” says Margit Gosau, CEO of SPORT 2000 International. With the expansion of retail formats, SPORT 2000 is reinforcing its positioning as a vertically oriented retail service organisation in a dynamic market. The WITEBLAZE brand developed by SPORT 2000 International presents an innovative solution for retailers to stand out from the competition and to make high profits at a time when margins are increasingly difficult to achieve. Sustainability, multifunctionality, attractive products and excellent margins characterise the WITEBLAZE brand, which is defined by its modern design and utmost functionality. “With the launch of the WITEBLAZE brand, we took an extremely bold step. We discontinued all SPORT 2000 brands so we could concentrate on a single brand. WITEBLAZE is very well received by our international trading partners. This shows that we are on the right path,” says Gosau.

SPORT 2000 benefits from national competencies
Global developments and trends are challenging and shaping sports retail like never before. In these challenging times, SPORT 2000 International stands side by side with the individual SPORT 2000 countries and supports them on several levels: “In our work together with the individual countries, we are becoming even closer as ONE SPORT 2000. With our centre-of-excellence approach, we are using national competencies in five different categories and putting this expertise at the disposal of all our countries.” SPORT 2000 started its centre of excellence approach back in 2019 with the winter sports category. Now, SPORT 2000 is expanding the approach to the running, outdoor, team sport and sport style categories. “This interweaving of national competencies with international responsibility creates real added value at all levels, as it promotes an understanding of the market and international collaboration,” says Gosau. In addition, SPORT 2000 International is also a driving force and partner for national organisations in the area of digitalisation. Digital collaboration platforms, an international POS database, technical and content advice, and support for e-commerce, web services and social media help the SPORT 2000 countries act in an even faster and more targeted way. “We push for regular benchmark meetings among the digital teams so we don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time there is something new in digitalisation. Shared competencies deliver significant added value for the national affiliates of SPORT 2000 International,” Gosau says on the subject of national and international competence consolidation that SPORT 2000 is continuing to expand upon. She adds: “Our international strategy is based on the human touch, which is firmly anchored at the core of the SPORT 2000 brand. Only genuine competency consolidation, team spirit and appreciative cooperation can result in SPORT 2000 – Home of Experts.”