Key Takeaways:
- Raccoon Group CEO Mike Seaman says the first Amsterdam edition hit its goals for content, hosted buyers and donations to the community.
- REI, Backcountry and other U.S. retailers sent buyers, from major chains to independent specialty shops.
- Raccoon plans a bigger show floor and ISPO Sports Week, with a U.S. edition on the horizon.
ISPO returned to the international trade show calendar in early November with a new home, a new owner and a broader ambition. Raccoon Media Group‘s first edition at RAI Amsterdam brought together brands, retailers, buyers, media, influencers and industry leaders. The move is part of a larger plan to build connections across the industry beyond the traditional trade show floor.
Messe München and Raccoon announced a joint venture to develop ISPO on Oct. 28, 2025, with Raccoon taking operational leadership after the final Munich edition in late 2025. For its debut, Raccoon moved the show to Amsterdam and shifted it to early November, ahead of Thanksgiving, to make it more accessible to the U.S. market. It also introduced a structured hosted buyer program and a new Leaders Summit.
“I think the show has been a resounding success against our goals,” Raccoon Group CEO Mike Seaman said in an interview. “Last year, we made some big, bold promises: spending a million euros on content, a million euros on hosted buyers, and donating a million euros back to the community via the Impact Foundation. We’ve hit all those metrics, and we’ve done a really good job on the basics of the show.”
Seaman said Raccoon operates 30 events worldwide, driven by a belief that “sport can change outcomes for people.”
“ISPO has a long way to go before it can achieve its full potential,” he said. “The market is strong underneath it, and it is my opinion that the show could be significantly stronger. My message to the industry is: tell me what you need in a trade show.”
A Gateway for Global Buyers
Seaman reported about 5,000 buyers among 25,000 attendees from 103 countries. That included 500 hosted buyers who took part in customized matchmaking sessions with exhibiting brands.
“Globally, we are the only show for the outdoor industry on this timeline,” he said. “We’re also the largest show in this space, and by a factor of about 10, I would estimate. If you’re a U.S. brand looking for global expansion, you need to be here.”
U.S. buyers ranged from major retailers to independent specialty shops, including Backcountry, Cole Sport, Evo, Garage Grown Gear, Jackson Hole Resort and REI.
An attendee looks over a puffer jacket on the ISPO show floor in Amsterdam. Photo courtesy of ISPO.
“Backcountry is grateful to have 10+ buyers onsite through ISPO’s hosted buyer program,” JM Fabrizi of Backcountry said. “It has given us a great opportunity to connect with brands that are not typically at industry trade shows throughout the United States but would be a strong fit within our assortment.”
“My hope is that Raccoon can re-establish ISPO as the definitive, vital gathering place for the snow, ski and broader outdoor industries on a global scale,” Kathy Burke of Cole Sport said.
Outdoor Retailer‘s leadership team also attended. In partnership with Martin Kössler of Huginbiz, Forge Group Vice President Lindsay Hubley and Senior Vice President Jessica Kirchner hosted a lunch for international pavilion organizers to share updates on Outdoor Retailer and its plans for Minneapolis next August. The broader hope is to build on those conversations to establish a European Village at Outdoor Retailer in August 2027.
“Bringing the European outdoor community together at ISPO was an opportunity to have meaningful conversations about where the U.S. market is headed and where the opportunities lie,” Hubley said.
From left, Forge Group Vice President Lindsay Hubley, Garage Grown Gear CEO Lloyd Vogel and GearJunkie Founder Stephen Regenold at ISPO. Photo by Chris Goddard CGPR.
On the Show Floor
The exhibition floor introduced stages and hubs for specific sectors. The Brand & Retail Horizons Stage offered case studies on scaling, the Fashion & Textiles Hub covered garment design and performance apparel, and the Ingredients & Components Impact Forum focused on ingredient branding and sustainable materials.
Attendees listen to a Fashion & Textiles Hub panel titled “From Compliance to Commercial Asset: Making DPP Pay for Itself.” Photo courtesy of ISPO.
A Tech Hub hosted sessions on e-commerce and digital tools, a new soundproofed glass ISPO Podcast Studio held live recordings, and the BrandNew Launchpad gave start-ups and emerging brands a stage to pitch new gear to buyers.
The ISPO Excellence Awards judged more than 80 product and service entries in eight categories, with a Grand Prix for the highest-scoring gold winner in each. Two U.S. outdoor brands were among the honorees, both in the Camping/Outdoor category. Gossamer Gear won the Grand Prix for The Free, and BearVault earned a gold award for its BV One.
A ski and snowboard display on the ISPO show floor. Photo courtesy of ISPO.
The Leaders Summit
The Leaders Summit covered participation, climate change, the circular economy, artificial intelligence and corporate authenticity. Speakers came from Cotopaxi, Decathlon, Rab, Patagonia, Amazon Sports, New Balance, Intersport and Protect Our Winters, along with filmmaker and photographer Jimmy Chin.
Andy Rubin, Deputy Chair of Pentland Group, said the sporting goods industry contributes $675 billion to global GDP and supports 28 million jobs. He also said 80% of teenagers worldwide don’t get 150 minutes of movement a week.
“Our industry’s future growth will not be determined simply by how much we sell to today’s consumers, but by how many young people we inspire to become tomorrow’s participants,” Rubin said.
ISPO Sports Week and a U.S. Plan
Raccoon also announced ISPO Sports Week, with ISPO as the core B2B engine for a program that connects deal-making with athletes, creators, consumer activations and local communities. In Amsterdam, future dates will align with the Amsterdam Marathon and add co-located events such as PadelXpo and OutdoorXpo, with a target of 10 to 15 events in a citywide week.
Raccoon plans to bring the Sports Week format to Dubai in September 2027 and take the trade show element onto the streets at existing events in Shanghai and Beijing. A U.S. edition is targeted for 2028. Raccoon recently acquired The Rock Fight, the outdoor media platform hosted by Colin True.
“Our desire is to come to America with this play in 2028, perhaps alongside existing events where we can help supercharge them,” Seaman said. “We don’t want to come in and compete with people who are already there. We want to partner with them and try to achieve something greater.”
Next Year in Amsterdam
Raccoon plans to grow the floor footprint by 25% at the next Amsterdam edition, Seaman said.
An attendee looks over snowboards and boots at ISPO. Photo courtesy of ISPO.
“We need to grow the visitors by more than that,” he said. “The aim is to always make it feel busier and better for the people attending.”
Seaman also thanked everyone who trusted Raccoon with their time, money and support.
“To those people who didn’t exhibit or maybe didn’t come this year: just join the club,” he said. “You don’t have to spend money with us, just come to be a part of it, and I think you’ll be really pleasantly surprised by what you see.”
Editor’s note: Chris Goddard, the author of this article, is the President of CGPR, a division of Off Madison Ave. CGPR has many clients in the outdoor industry, including ISPO and Outdoor Retailer.
