With activity-focused events, there are a few criteria that organizers need to think about to make sure it runs smoothly. The venue should be a one-stop-shop for sporting inspiration and expertise, providing a seamless experience for both attendees and vendors alike. This post, courtesy of the sports retail experts at Start Fitness, will run through some top tips that’ll help you pull off an unforgettable event.
What Are Activity-Focused Events?
Roadshows and expos that showcase the latest in sports technology are an essential part of the annual calendar for sports-based manufacturers, allowing them to network with tastemakers and sports stars and get their clothing or equipment in front of a wider audience.
Think About Your Space
While convention centers can adapt themselves to just about any type of event – think about how London’s ExCeL Centre was transformed into several different venues for the 2012 Olympics. There’s a certain authenticity attached to holding your expo in a purpose-built sporting venue.
A cycling expo set in a velodrome, with track space available to test out prototype bikes, will be a sure-fire winner, in much the same way as a running shoe convention set at an athletics track. Of course, it’s important not to sacrifice the logistics of your event for an authentic setting. Convention centers are well connected for a reason, so don’t completely discount this tried-and-tested type of venue.
Be Mindful of Event Security
A full risk assessment is absolutely essential if your sports expo is to get the green light to go ahead. This is especially important if your event is to include live product demonstrations, as everything from a running track to an indoor freestyle ski jump needs some form of certification. This applies to event security and fire safety, too. Simple considerations like these can ground certain events before they even start, so make sure there isn’t any unwelcome paperwork preventing yours from becoming a success.
Curate a High-Tech Experience
The combination of tech and exercise has become more and more mainstream over the last few years, with advances such as activity tracking, real-time data and cutting-edge equipment like bicycles with electronic shifting. Making sure the attendees at your event are able to experience these technological advances first-hand is essential. Because, quite simply, a hands-on experience is going to be a lot more fun for your attendees, whether it’s taking part in a live-tracked spin class race or testing out futuristic VR fitness equipment.
Following on from this, having a high-quality tech aspect to your event will give it clout in both the sports sector and the tech world, meaning that there’s a wider scope for more attendees and more revenue.
Attract the Right Brands & Guests
The sporting world has a rigid hierarchy of brands, in terms of both trendiness and technical competence. Making sure that your event has a considerable status in terms of well-regarded brands will mean that more people will attend, and there’s more chance that you’ll be able to attract a famous brand ambassador.
Having a well-known sports star at your expo will drive ticket sales up, all while creating a buzz on social media – a critically important success metric if it’s to become a sporting calendar mainstay.
Whether you’ve got a sporting expo in the pipeline or you’re still on the drawing board and looking for inspiration, we hope these tips have been helpful. It goes without saying that when logistics are taken care of, the rest of the event will be a whole lot easier to plan – and with Pathable, that couldn’t be more simple!
