Workshop Week: Industry Solutions Track

WE’RE ALL LOOKING TO THE FUTURE OF SPORT AND WONDERING: WHAT WILL OUR SECTOR LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD?

WHETHER YOU’RE INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT, THE BUSINESS OR THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF SPORT, THE REPERCUSSIONS FOR FANS, CONSUMERS, RULES, RIGHTS, PARTICIPANTS AND PLAYERS ARE CONSTANTLY ON OUR MINDS. THIS TRACK WILL FOCUS ON THESE QUESTIONS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, LOOK TO NAVIGATE WHAT THE FUTURE ENTAILS FOR SPORT, ITS BUSINESS FUNCTIONING AND ITS ABILITY TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON SOCIETY.
 

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY: SPORT'S ROLE IN ADDRESSING INSTITUTIONAL RACISM - COMMITTING TO CHANGING OUR GAME

Sport can be a powerful tool for promoting social justice, equality and respect for all people. In light of current events in the US surrounding the recent and tragic killings of African-Americans Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, David McAtee by police, and with the pandemic laying bare how the underlying racism embedded in policies, practices and access to services that are disproportionately affecting and killing black and brown people in the US and around the world, we will start this track with a focus on ending discrimination and prejudice.

Led by experts on the subject of race, culture and community activism, this discussion will center on sport's role in addressing institutional and systemic racism. Following will be a workshop to devise concrete actions Beyond Sport and the sport sector need to take to dismantle systems and behaviors that maintain racial, gender and economic inequality and violence -- right now and post-COVID. Outcomes of the conversation will be put into action to support our network with tools to address and increase our impact on the issue. Speakers to be announced shortly.  

Structure: Live audience Q&A + roundtable discussion
Target Audience: General

PURPOSE-DRIVEN PARTNERSHIP: THE FUTURE OF SPORTS SPONSORSHIP

Kicked off by Vivek Bapat, SVP of Purpose and Brand Experience at SAP, and with their partners Kathryn Chappetto-Regan, VP of Partnerships at the WTA and Scott Over, Commercial Director at World Sailing, this session will unpack what a successful “purpose-driven” partnership looks like now and where sport’s large investors will focus moving forward. Moderation will be provided by Lex Chalat, Managing Director of Beyond Sport.

This will be followed by a Third-Win Group workshop led by its founder, John Balkam, on building these partnerships and generating strong social and business returns moderated by Sam Shave, Head of Business Development for thinkBeyond.

Structure: Educational presentation and live audience Q&A + roundtable discussion  
Target Audience: Brands, Teams, Leagues, Agencies, Government officials

INNOVATION AND REINVENTION: WHAT SPORT CAN LEARN FROM OTHER INDUSTRIES

We know that the sport industry is unique in many ways; but we also know that we can sometimes be insular and inflexible. In a time when we must be forward-thinking, creative and open-minded, this session will look at perspectives from experts from sectors outside sport, as well as those with knowledge and experience within sport. Pam Harris, Executive Director, Fotografiska NY and former CMO of the Blue Man Group, Fiona Houslip, Founder of The PDC (People, Dynamics, Culture) and more to be announced will provide insights from the media, arts and pharmaceutical industries and advice on opportunities for sport to reinvent and re-envision.

Structure: Educational presentation
Target Audience: General

SPORT INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT: FAN ENGAGEMENT IN A POST-COVID WORLD

With sport on the brink of re-opening, we are all wondering what this means from a fan perspective. Will we be allowed in stadiums? What will the digital and broadcast experience look like? With new innovations developing across the industry, from virtual engagement to new rules on the horizon for match attendance, this session will bring together sport experts of all different levels and experiences to explore the future of fandom and how connection, community and purpose will play an even bigger role than it ever has.

Moderated by Alex Coulson, Managing Director of the Sport Industry Group, attendees will have a chance to ask questions and present their own ideas to industry leaders including Christophe Dubi, Sports Director at the IOC, Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, Laura Lefton, Senior Director of Club Business Development at the NFL and Melissa Schiller, Senior Director of Corporate Responsibility at the NFL. 

Structure: Educational presentation + live audience Q&A 
Target Audience: Brands, Teams, Leagues, Agencies, Governing Bodies

HOW CAN THE FUTURE OF SPORT FOR CHANGE INCLUDE ESPORTS?

As our sector rushes to go digital, virtual and online, the question of what role esports will play within the sport and social impact space still remains uncertain. With this, the conversation around the relationship between digital spaces, esports and gender equality has been brought to the forefront. Digital spaces can be transformative and positive as information and connection are a click away. Unfortunately, for adolescent girls and young women as well as for LGBTQI youth, these online spaces can also be places of brutal harassment and abuse that mirror and are an extension of the sexual and gender-based violence, discrimination and harassment that they experience in the physical word. Or, which is also the case, adolescent girls are often excluded completely from the digital space - missing out on skills, information and opportunities that impact their future, health and ability to exercise their rights.

This ideation and solutions-driven session, moderated by Women Win Executive Director, Maria Bobenrieth, will look at how the sport for development sector could take a new shape, that of esports for development, by focusing on how esport and online gaming can be a tool for young people to create more gender equitable digital and physical communities and revolutionize the sport sector globally. This session is invite-only, please contact us if you would like to attend.

Structure: Ideation and solution workshop + roundtable discussion
Target Audience: Specially selected organizations interested in developing an esports for good concept

THE FUTURE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR TEAMS, LEAGUES AND GOVERNING BODIES

With Beyond Sport Founding Supporters across the major US leagues and a global contingent of teams, leagues and governing bodies in attendance at Workshop Week, this dedicated convening will showcase best practice and workshop solutions to shared challenges. Topics and speakers will cover M&E, partner engagement, programming modification, PR, marketing and more. This session is invite-only, so please contact us if you would like to attend.

Structure: Roundtable discussions + breakout sessions 
Target Audience: Teams, Leagues and Governing Bodies

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