Conference Streams

Martin Gibbs, Managing Director, SportAccord
Ian Metcalfe, Chair, Executive Steering Committee, SportAccord 2024
Dame Katherine Grainger, Chair, UK Sport

Thailand: Your Utmost Sports Destination, Dr. Gongsak Yodmani, Governor of Sports Authority of Thailand

Why Event Readiness Matters
James Tibbetts, Director of Operations & Delivery, Trivandi

Joe Cusdin, CEO & Founder, Iventis

Revolutionizing your event and venue planning with OnePlan, Official Supporter of GIS Mapping and Digital Twin Software for Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Paul McCrudden, OnePlan

Yutang Sports

The exponential growth of women’s sports. Janelle Janis, Executive Director, Event & Business Development, Explore Edmonton. Moderator: Lars Pederson, BCW

Clarence Perez Diaz, Director and Sport Scientist, Healthy Sports Organisations

Adam Kosa, President of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD), in conversation with David Eades, MC and Moderator

We need to talk about: Professionalising the Industry. James Bulley, CEO and Co-founder, Trivandi, in conversation with David Eades, MC and Moderator

Dame Katherine Grainger, Chair, UK Sport

Mark Rein is a Gaming fanatic. He is Vice-President of Epic Games, one of the world’s leading interactive entertainment companies, which created Fortnite, the most successful online video and game platform globally. Mark is also the co-owner of the Carolina Hurricanes NHL team, and has a deep love of equestrian sport, twice named ‘Horse Owner of the Year’ by Equestrian Canada. Once described as ‘famously effusive, opinionated – and smart’ Mark talks candidly with David Eades about the opportunities as well as limitations his industry can bring to the sports world in their quest for a significant role in gaming and esports

Mark Rein, Vice President, and Co-Founder, Epic Games, in a Keynote Conversation with Moderator David Eades

What is the potential value of the intellectual property held by different rights holders and federations in the gaming and esports sphere, and for all but a minority of sports is this really going to make a difference?  

Moderator: David Dellea, Director, Sports Practice, Altman Solon

• Alice Dearing, Olympic open water swimmer and gamer
• Alban Dechelotte, CEO, G2, and IOC Esports Commission
• Paul Foster, CEO, Global Esports Federation
• Alex Inglot, Commissioner, ESL Pro League

The Superbowl 2024 has shown the potential for growing your fanbase in some unexpected ways and building on opportunities that arise. This panel considers lessons from North America about creative approaches to build their brands and invest in their fan engagement over the long-term. 

Moderator: Sarah Mulkerrins, Presenter, BBC

• Marc Ciampa, VP Content, New Jersey Devils
• Rob Alberino, VP of Content and Production, Kansas City Chiefs
• Brett Gosper, Head of Europe & Asia-Pacific, NFL
• Scott Kegley, VP Digital Strategy, Atlanta Falcons

Jen Falding, Strategic Lead for Major Sports Events, Sport Liverpool

David Eades, MC and Moderator

Roger Mitchell, author of the newly released ‘Sport’s Perfect Storm’, explores some of the serious structural challenges federations and sports rights holders are facing including the fragility of the financial structures supporting the sports ecosystem.

Moderator David Eades in conversation with…

Roger Mitchell, corporate financier, founding CEO of the Scottish Professional Football League and author of ‘Sport’s Perfect Storm’

With geo-political instability, increasing levels of complexity in putting on major events, changing patterns of fan behaviour and growing interest from institutional investors, how can sport hold its own?

 Moderator: Sarah Mulkerrins, Presenter, BBC 

• Alan Gilpin, CEO, World Rugby 
• Chris Jenkins OBE, President, Commonwealth Games Federation
• Simon Kuper, Author and Journalist, Financial Times 
• Chris Argyle-Robinson, Research & Strategy Director, Co-founder, Redtorch  
• Zena Wooldridge OBE, President, World Squash 

Once a new technology rolls over you, if you’re not part of the steamroller, you’re part of the road.” It’s a quote to capture today’s and tomorrow’s technology potential, and the challenges that can pose for the most fleet footed of sports organizations. Professor Andy Miah lays out the technology pathways ahead of us, from creative AI to spatial computing, before leading a discussion on how sport can ensure it not only keeps pace, but accelerates towards a hi-tech future.

Presenter and Moderator: Andy Miah, Chair in Science Comms & Future Media, University of Salford, Manchester

David Fowler, Co-Founder, Sports Tech Match
Beth Johnson, Managing Director, Umbrella
Sulabh Soral, Head of AI, Deloitte UK, Advisory Board Member, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Artificial Intelligence

David Eades, MC and Moderator

David Eades, MC and Moderator

Wayne Barnes refereed 111 international rugby matches in an outstanding career, which culminated in the Rugby World Cup Final of 2023 in Paris. But that final match also represented the peak of the online abuse he suffered at the hands of angry, and usually anonymous, fans. Threats to his house, his family and his life were part of the slew of invective he received. We talk about these experiences and how they affected a man described as ‘the most accomplished and vilified referee in world rugby’

Wayne Barnes, Former World Cup Referee , in a Keynote Conversation with David Eades

A look at the state-of-play in terms of online abuse in sport, sharing insights and learnings gathered from some of the biggest sporting events on the planet, and showing how technology, sports bodies and law enforcement are working together to create a safer online environment for athletes and officials. 

Jonathan Hirshler, CEO, Signify

Overcoming rising levels of abuse received by players, officials and fans.

Moderator: David Eades, MC and Moderator

• Wayne Barnes, Former World Cup Referee
• Janie Frampton OBE, Vice President, International Federation of Sports Officials
• Sanjay Bhandari, Chair, Kick It Out
• Sarah Gregorius, Director of Global Policy & Strategic Relations, Women’s Football, FIFPRO
• Jonathan Hirshler, CEO, Signify

A ground-breaking, data-led approach to injury reduction across all sports, presented by Podium Analytics.  

• Professor Constantin Coussios OBE FREng , Director, The Podium Institute for Sports Medicine and Technology, The University of Oxford
• Andy Hunt, CEO, Podium Analytics

Sport’s influence in the world has never been more keenly examined. From global politics, to community action, ethical and moral challenges. This panel will consider how to make the most of that potential at a time of heightened global tension and accelerated social pressures. 

Moderator: Dr J Simon Rofe, Reader/Associate Professor in Diplomatic and International Studies, University of Leeds

Neil Rami, Chief Executive, West Midlands Growth Company
Liz Nicholl DBE, President, World Netball and former CEO, UK Sport
Jason Williams, CEO, Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago