Traditional sports shoe and apparel brands are largely absent, while the outdoor gear sector has significantly expanded. The "rise and fall" in the number of exhibitors at the 2013 Sports Expo reflects, to some extent, the current state of China's sports goods industry.
Zhang Lulu, head of the comprehensive exhibition area at the Sports Expo, said on the 26th that this year more than 180 sports shoe and apparel companies have registered to exhibit, a decrease from last year, and well-known domestic brands such as 361 Degrees, Xtep, Peak, and Kangwei are all absent this time. "Xtep hasn't exhibited for several years, and 361 Degrees and Kangwei are absent for the first time in recent years," Zhang Lulu analyzed. Last year was an Olympic year, so most major sports brands participated; this year, with the absence of Olympic marketing and the overall downturn in the domestic sports shoe and apparel industry, some companies chose not to register due to cost-cutting and market strategy adjustments.
In sharp contrast to the decline in the sports shoe and apparel exhibition area, outdoor gear exhibitors have seen rapid growth. Qi Yulin, head of the outdoor lifestyle and roller sports exhibition area at the Sports Expo, said that this year 106 outdoor gear companies have registered to exhibit, an increase of over 30% from last year, making it the fastest-growing sub-sector among the Expo’s six major exhibition areas. "This precisely reflects the currently vigorous development trend of China's outdoor gear market."
According to statistics from the Outdoor Products Branch of the China Textile Commerce Association, China's outdoor gear market retail sales grew from 60 million yuan in 2000 to 10.7 billion yuan in 2011, with an average annual compound growth rate of over 40%. Outdoor gear is one of the fastest-growing retail segments over the past decade. In contrast, the traditional sports goods industry has seen declining sales, high inventory levels, and widespread store closures... Its downturn has become increasingly evident in recent years. As a result, starting last year, traditional sports shoe and apparel brands have "pivoted," extending their reach into the outdoor industry. Brands such as Adidas, Li-Ning, Anta, and 361 Degrees have all launched their own outdoor product lines.
The 2013 Sports Expo will be held from May 31 to June 3 at the Beijing New International Exhibition Center. Currently, the number of registered exhibitors has exceeded 1,300, coming from over 40 countries and regions including China, the United States, Japan, Germany, and Italy.