Have you ever seen a soccer ball that can “fly”? On August 22, at the sixth Shandong Sporting Goods Exposition (hereinafter referred to as the “Sixth Shandong Sporting Expo”) held in Linyi, Du Chunkai, the technical director of Huamei Aviation Technology Co., Ltd., was demonstrating a youth drone soccer project to the audience. “In 2024, drone soccer will become an event in the National Games. By learning drone soccer, young people can not only cultivate an interest in aviation but also enhance their scientific literacy, effectively promoting the development of science education,” Du explained.

The deep integration of technology and sports is a major highlight of this year’s expo. Guided by the “Sports+” integration concept, the event promotes the multidimensional fusion of sports with business, culture, and tourism, creating a comprehensive ecological platform for the sports industry that injects new momentum into the construction of a “strong sports province.”

“Sports+Technology” Leads Intelligent Upgrading of Industries

The sixth China Sports Intelligent Manufacturing Competition was held concurrently, featuring an exhibition area for shortlisted works that showcased cutting-edge achievements in the field of sports intelligent manufacturing, injecting dynamism into the innovative development of the sports industry.

“Sports+Events” Activates Urban Sports Vitality

Professional events such as the 2025 “Good Luck Shandong, Enjoy the City” Orienteering League (Linyi Station) and the China Canoeing Open allowed the expo to “reach out” and connect with urban spaces. Events like the Linyi Youth Dryland Hockey Open, the “Liansheng Sports Cup” Sino-Malaysia International Table Tennis Friendship Match, and the ARRONAX  2025 Linyi Pickleball Open were held on-site, further igniting the city’s sports atmosphere.

“Sports+Culture and Tourism” Deepens Integration of Sports and Cultural Tourism

The expo connected with Linyi’s high-quality cultural tourism resources, setting up an intangible cultural heritage exhibition area to promote traditional crafts like paper-cutting, sugar painting, willow weaving, and tie-dyeing. Collaborations with popular tourist attractions such as Lantern Mountain and New Langya offered discounts and hosted the “Good Luck Shandong” 2025 Shandong Sports Consumption Season and the Linyi Fashion Sports Festival, promoting deep integration of sports, culture, tourism, and commerce.

“Sports+Foreign Trade” Expands International Trade Pathways

Targeting the trend of “sports going abroad,” the expo hosted multiple international buyer matchmaking sessions and set up a display area for foreign trade products, gathering international e-commerce platforms like Russia’s Wildberries, Weijun International, and eBay to create a two-way bridge for businesses.

“Sports+Trendy Experiences” Enriches Experience Scenarios

The first Linyi Outdoor Carnival was held, integrating popular elements such as intangible cultural heritage markets, low-altitude economy, and outdoor living, introducing various trendy activities. The exhibition hall featured an AI large model health platform, parent-child Rubik’s Cube, VR equipment, and experience projects like basketball shooting, long jump, and shooting, attracting a large number of participants.

This year’s sports expo, themed “Sports Benefit Shandong, Focus on Linyi,” covered an exhibition area of 36,000 square meters, equivalent to 1,508 standard booths, gathering 476 sports enterprises and over 1,200 brands, along with 12 supporting sports industry activities. Over the three days, the event attracted 36,700 visitors from home and abroad, driving the development of local industries such as dining, accommodation, transportation, cultural tourism, and shopping.