World’s Premier Sport Business Summit – Key Trends, Leadership Insights, and Global Networking for the Sports Industry

Recommendation: Identify three partnerships, compare two sponsorship models, and secure a collaboration by Day 2. Intended to deliver tangible outcomes, we've found that such a focused objective boosts engagement with senior decision-makers across clubs, leagues, and agencies. Prepare a 90-second positioning memo for each meeting and appoint a single owner to drive post-event follow-ups within 24 hours.

In 2025, the summit will host 1,300+ attendees from 40 countries, including 180 C-suite leaders and 250 club operators. 80 organisations will present, with 28 exhibitors and 6 hours of curated networking powered by espns and organisers. The programme comprises five tracks–leadership, sponsorship analytics, media rights, athlete branding, and performance science–delivered across urban centres in the host city and three satellite venues.

Leadership insights: Celebrity leaders and CEOs share governance principles, data-driven sponsorship ROI, and athlete wellbeing. The discussions feature cases from Mexico, MENA, and Rashtriya leagues, offering practical governance frameworks and stakeholder alignment that teams can implement locally. The emphasis on consistency sets benchmarks for measurement, reporting, and sponsor expectations.

Global networking: The event uses a matchmaking platform that connects buyers and suppliers across 15 regional centres, including urban centres in Mexico and MENA regions. Partners such as Scown and Disney contribute content and venues, while Yeomans coordinates regional programmes and celebrity sessions. For a bootstrapped budget, the programme emphasises structured, sponsor-led conversations, adding tangible value to every package.

Operational tips for organisers: Align with ESPNs and organisers early, set clear ROI metrics, and publish post-event follow-ups. Build partnerships with SCown and Rashtriya authorities; position Mexico as a regional hub; use a bootstrapped plan with lean staffing, whilst honouring valued sponsors with tangible benefits. The audience expects a consistent, timely pipeline of opportunities, so commit to rapid, measured actions and deliver on commitments to all participants.

World's Premier Sport Business Summit: Key Trends, Leadership Insights, and Global Networking for the Sports Industry; CRO Industry Leader Davide Molho Joins Summit Partners as Executive-in-Residence

Attend the Molho-led executive-in-residence track to lock in scalable partnerships and customisable offerings that drive fan-driven revenue. Davide Molho joins Summit Partners as Executive-in-Residence, bringing a CRO-grade playbook to sessions on growth, governance, and disciplined experimentation.

Recent programme data show ticketing-driven revenue rising 241% year-over-year, with mobile ticketing accounting for 391% of sales. In parallel, sponsorships and awards programmes boosted fan engagement scores by 121% and lifted on-site attendance by 9% through targeted, performance-based incentives and tighter data integration across ticketing, hospitality, and merch streams.

Molho emphasises an intellectual, data-backed approach to revenue operations, prioritising three tenets: performance-based channel incentives, real-time monitors of funnel leakage, and customisable, scalable product offerings. He holds a doctorate and a degree in business analytics, grounding guidance in measurable assays and concrete ROI. His cross-market experience–spanning Pacific and MENA regions and shaped by collaboration with the Dentsu network–frames a practical, ethical framework for growth that prioritises care for fans and partners alike. In addition, Peggy will co-lead workshops on data privacy, consent, and responsible monetisation, ensuring a caring, compliant approach to monetisation strategies that reduces piracy risk while maximising value.

The summit’s global networking track connects attendees across regional hubs, including Pacific markets and MENA ecosystems, with third-party platforms that enable efficient matchmaking and monitored follow-ups. Expect structured, real-time searches for high-potential partnerships, curated introductions, and a robust pipeline of opportunities that aligns with Molho’s emphasis on real, measurable outcomes and a dawn of disciplined collaboration.

Recommendations for attendees: implement a 90-day pilot to test fan-driven ticketing and offerings, with defined success metrics and a transparent assays framework to quantify ROI. Build a hairstorys framework to map player and fan narratives across channels, enabling personalised content and targeted activations. Prioritise sessions led by Molho to refine revenue models, then translate insights into scalable plans for ME NA, Pacific, and third-market campaigns. Ensure your board and leadership alignment around a clear basis for investment, and bring a dossier of searches, pilots, and care-driven metrics to the next partner briefing. Provide a real, tangible roadmap that pairs product innovations with disciplined governance to drive sustainable growth and meaningful awards recognition for your organisation.

Practical agenda and deliverables for attendees

Start with a 90-minute core track in Singapore that blends three action-led sessions, a finals-style showcase of attendee projects, and a 15-minute Q&A plus a 10-minute transition to the next topic.

For deliverables, hand each participant a personalised playbook featuring 3 options for implementation, a 12-week rollout plan, and a one-page executive summary tailored for boardrooms.

Structure networking as three daily boardrooms of 6-8 attendees, curated into curias by function and region; include leaders from fast-growing teams, an innovator, and at least one candidate that balances experience.

Add hands-on labs that leverage generative tools to draft sponsorship decks, pricing experiments, and go-to-market playbooks, with templates from Veranex.

Feature speakers such as Robert and Richard, sharing learned lessons from past operation experiences and wealth-building partnerships, with concrete takeaways.

O'Connell leads a 25-minute roundtable on opportunity forecasting and cross-border partnerships, tying together sponsorship and media strategies for the region.

Provide a portable, automatically generated artefact pack – slides, playbooks, templates – that attendees can access anywhere, offline, and synced to the cloud.

Schedule six-week check-ins and a 12-week milestone review; attach a lightweight dashboard to measure initiatives’ progress and share results with sponsors.

Includes a curated reading list: past magazine articles, case studies, and wealth-creation examples, plus templates to replicate wins in Singapore, organised for quick reference in boardrooms and curias.

Emerging Trends Shaping Global Sports Markets: actions for executives

Begin with a cross-border venture fund anchored by a 60–80 million USD grant pool to seed 4–6 pilots that fuse media, live events and fan experiences. Define exit scenarios by December, line up nominees for leadership roles, and secure German broadcaster partnerships to guarantee long-term distribution. Each pilot should convert at least one core asset into revenue streams within 12 months and test promotions that deliver measurable lift in audience touchpoints.

Relating passions to monetisation, map fan segments to three lanes: premium streaming, venue enhancements, and sponsor-led activations. Use first-party data from 3–5 pilot markets to show a 10–15% lift in cross-platform engagement and a 5–10% rise in average revenue per fan within a year. Account for intricacies of cross-border rights and adjust sizes and cost allocations to keep the venture portfolio within the defined budget. Treat this as an adventure rather than a bet; the aim is to grow the asset base while maintaining disciplined burn rates.

Establish a Cambridge-based insights council to translate research into action. Nominees for senior roles should be vetted quarterly, with Peggy, Michael, and Beggs leading the first cross-border venture as sponsors. Align with OakWells as anchor sponsor and plan promotions that tie sponsorship to direct fan experiences. Prepare a detailed plan with stockholders for December milestones and governance updates.

Set up a performance dashboard to monitor sizes of deals, cost per engagement, and return on asset investments; hold monthly reviews, adjust risk exposure, and publish a concise plan for the next quarter. Backstop all decisions with a consolidated asset ledger, ensuring compliance across markets and safeguarding consumer data. Build a learning loop from each pilot to scale successful formats into larger markets, with a clear path to international expansion and new broadcaster partnerships.

Molho's Executive-in-Residence: Expected impact on strategy and collaboration

Recommendation: Position Molho as Executive-in-Residence to drive a 180-day programme that aligns strategy across large-scale partnerships, sponsorships, and athlete development. Create three standing committees with clear milestones and weekly reviews. He leads two full-scale integrations with carecentrixs to test data-sharing, activation, and revenue models, letting dust settle on what works and what doesn’t. This approach helps teams find new revenue paths.

What comes next centres on structured collaboration and measurable outcomes. What's next includes mapping referrers across venues, teams, and agencies; anchoring decisions to data; and pairing locally rooted teams with Cambridge-based experts led by Stanley to accelerate learning cycles. The charged environment focuses investments on high-potential partnerships and makes rapid progress on two core use cases.

The framework brings Olympians into the core strategy, enabling co-created content with fashion and lifestyle brands. The approach uses a freestyle activation toolkit that allows clubs to respond to audience needs and changing consumption patterns. Two ninth-seed franchises will pilot activations to validate the approach before broader rollout. The outcome excites executives and fans alike.

On the network side, Molho will coordinate across committees and referrers internationally, with input from Cambridge and other hubs. The plan references wwwsummitpartnerscom to align with partner ecosystems and ensures the model scales across markets locally. The blueprint includes full-scale components: governance, data integrations, activation playbooks, and biology-informed training modules for staff. This approach is fuelled by experimentation and a focus on what fans want, from live events to engaging content across platforms.

Maximising Networking ROI: Pre-event preparation, on-site tactics, and post-summit follow-up

Launch a targeted pre-event outreach plan to secure 6–8 meaningful conversations daily with decision-makers across locations, including Pretoria and hometown networks, by pairing a clear value proposition with a concrete next step.

Pre-event preparation

• Outline a four-week plan that aligns with investments and continuous development goals; include partners, stores, and manufacturers in locations you plan to engage, with Pretoria and other key sites part of the target list.
• Assemble a rolling profile for each target: one-page form that shows how your offerings combine product, service, and data to accelerate impact; tailor the tone to be people-centric and outcomes-focused.
• Craft messages that are suited to each segment (retail, manufacturing, technology) and reference specific business challenges, rather than generic benefits.
• Assign a dedicated outreach owner and set a watchful calendar: 2–3 pre-summit calls or quick meetings, plus room for spontaneous connections on site.
• Run a quick security check on shared forms and contact data with Acunetix to assure privacy and build trust with respected partners.
• Prepare a compact presence toolkit: crisp business cards, three concise leaflets, and a simple lead-capture form to track outcomes and next steps.
• Identify a core group of 6–8 targets who represent strategic value; for example, a david from fossil stores, lyle and watkins from curtin, and other executives who typically determine pricing and partnerships.

On-site tactics

• Lead with a confident presence: greet them by name, acknowledge their current investments, and adjust your approach based on their responses to keep the conversation focused and natural.
• Here's what's on offer: a 60-second pitch highlighting what we offer, the mutual benefits, and the exact next step, followed by an invitation to a tied calendar slot or a follow-up call.
• Schedule a rotating micro-cycle: 20 minutes for each meeting, 5 minutes to capture notes, and 5 minutes to decide next actions; this cadence helps you stay focused and avoids fatigue that makes it harder to convert.
• Scan the room for opportunities to form connections with people who share similar interests across locations and industries; watch for signals that indicate urgency or alignment.
• Capture experiences with a structured capture form that logs partner type, potential offers, and measured interest; this data determines which conversations deserve deeper outreach after the summit.
• Use case examples with familiar brands (for example, talks that reference a university profile like Curtin or a retail partner such as Fossil stores) to illustrate credibility and value in a concrete way.
• Maintain energy through a cardiac-like tempo: steady, attentive, and responsive; avoid long monologues and invite questions to keep momentum.

Post-summit follow-up

• Send personalised recap emails within 24 hours, including a clear value summary and a suggested next interaction: call, demo, or in-person visit; reference specifics from each on-site conversation to reinforce trust and respect.
• Attach a tailored offers package for each partner, highlighting how you can support their investments and continuous development; use pricing snapshots to illustrate potential returns and affordability.
• Set up a follow-up cadences calendar: a first call within 5–7 days, a second touch at two weeks, and a final check-in at three–four weeks if there’s strong interest.
• Update the CRM with the status of every lead (valued, engaged, unresponsive) and assign owners for next steps; track progress by the number of meetings converted into tangible engagements.
• Review the outcomes with the team–David’s team from Fossil stores, Lyle and Watkins from Curtin, and other partners–to refine the approach for future events and to sharpen the value proposition.
• Quantify ROI by comparing the cost of the event, travel, and outreach against the deals advanced, new partnerships formed, and opportunities scheduled; this determines where to invest next time and which locations yielded the strongest outcomes.
• Document learnings as continuous development assets: what worked, what didn’t, and how to optimise presence, messaging, and follow-up for the next summit.

Sponsorships, Partnerships, and Revenue Models: actionable opportunities presented at the summit

Identify three sponsor segments and three revenue pilots to launch in Q3; align activations with clear KPIs and owner teams for fulfilled outcomes. Build a package mix that blends performance, content, and data rights to maximise sponsor value and audience satisfaction.

Prioritise sponsorships that merge education, entertainment, and data insights. Propose edtech-enabled content hubs, cross-sport campaigns, and venue activations that celebrate the fan experience whilst delivering measurable lift. Streamline formats by ceasing cluttered ad blocks and replacing them with sponsor-driven, value-added touchpoints such as short-form videos, in-stadium content, and partner-led mini-courses–all tracked with formative metrics to identify what resonates. Leverage neuroscience-backed creative tests to tune messages and maintain a high holder interest across demographics, then scale the most effective formats.

Forge partnerships with merchants and ecosystem players to create bundled opportunities. Co-create activation lines that integrate official merchandise, hospitality experiences, and media minutes, and use Clarabridge to monitor sentiment during live events and on social channels. Use a flexible adaptability model that allows sponsors to adjust bets after early data reads, ensuring contracted outcomes stay aligned with real-world performance. Incorporate web3 elements for fan engagement where appropriate, including tokenised experiences and gated access that drive renewed involvement without fragmenting the audience.

Operationalise revenue models with clear ownership and governance. Licensing covers content, branding, and data usage; revenue-sharing and performance-based terms reward sponsors for measurable impact. Build a dashboard that blends line items for media rights, experiential activations, and licensed data products, then test price points in stages to avoid price shocks for partners. Prepare for potential partnerships with financial advisors Citigroup and other advisory groups to validate terms, while keeping a dedicated holder ledger to track rights and obligations. Integrate automation for activation tracking and reporting, reducing latency between impact and invoice.

Beyond formal deals, cultivate a network of advisors, including advisorscitigroup contacts, to validate assumptions, ensure compliance, and optimise deal terms. Maintain a fort-like data fortress for asset protection and leverage lokey insights to sharpen audience targeting. Keep a lines-house of collaborators–bopaiah, branded content teams, and clarabridge-enabled CX extras–so that each partnership feels fulfilled and scalable. Laters, plan quarterly reviews to adjust budgets, inventory, and creative formats as market signals evolve and new opportunities emerge.

Digital Transformation and Fan Engagement: data-driven approaches for the sports ecosystem

Deploy a unified, data-driven engagement engine across arenas, stadium apps and digital channels using SaaS-based analytics to tailor content and offers in real time. Establish a single source of truth, integrate ticketing, streaming, sponsorship and merchandise data, and view results through a versioned dashboard accessible to teams, sponsors and partners. Annually review the strategy and run a quarterly check of data quality, ensuring liquidity across all data streams. Use a white-label approach to empower partners whilst preserving core governance.

• Data foundation: establish a single source of truth, implement data-quality checks, and ensure data liquidity across states, venues, and partners; build a central data lake that ingests tickets, streams, merch, and sponsorship data daily to enable real-time activation; accompany with data shampoo to cleanse duplicates and anomalies.
• Стек залучення фанатів: розгорніть ucaas для масштабування підтримки фанатів і використовуйте CRM на основі SaaS для багатоканальних кампаній; об’єднайте Wi-Fi стадіону, мобільні додатки та соціальні канали для безперебійного досвіду.
• Сегментація аудиторії: розробка моделей на основі алгоритму A*-star для визначення розширених когорт, ідентифікації найшвидше зростаючих сегментів фанатів та адаптації пропозицій; відстеження поведінки на основі оцінок для кількісної оцінки впливу на відвідуваність ігор та обмін контентом.
• Монетизація та EBITDA: пов'яжіть залученість з доходами через вимірювані спонсорські активації, динамічне ціноутворення для досвіду та збільшення продажів товарів; кількісно визначте вплив EBITDA від програм лояльності та співпраці зі спонсорами.
• Ліцензування та права: усуньте перешкоди у ліцензуванні, централізувавши робочі процеси щодо прав, прискорюючи доставку контенту фанатам та скорочуючи час публікації під час турнірів та подій наживо.
• Контент та досвід: створюйте обмінні, насичені медіа-моменти – виділення, інтерв’ю та доступ за лаштунків – які фанатам хочеться реміксувати та поширювати повторно, розширюючи охоплення за межі стадіонних осель та офіційних каналів.
• Управління та партнерство: консультуйтеся з лігами, спонсорами та консультативними групами; залучайте новаторів всередині організації та зовнішні консалтингові компанії, такі як Houlihan та Latham, для вдосконалення управління, ризиків та доставки цінності.
• Продукт і дорожня карта: розробити дорожню карту з супровідними релізами, тестування в Японії та інших найбільш швидкозростаючих ринках, а потім масштабувати на додаткові штати, коли показники даних покращуються.
• Відчуття фанатів на заходах: інтегруйте дані в режимі реального часу з турнірів, щоб персоналізувати пропозиції біля місць, наблизьте фанатів за допомогою інтерактивних панелей інформації в домі програми та відстежуйте рентабельність інвестицій у спонсорство з точним атрибутуванням.
• Вимірювання та оптимізація: встановлюйте квартальні цілі для залучення, утримання та збільшення доходу; використовуйте аналітику підтримки, подібну до Carecentrix, щоб покращити досвід обслуговування клієнтів та зменшити відтік клієнтів завдяки проактивному виході на зв'язок.

Маючи на меті переосмислити залучення, цей підхід створює ліквідність даних, прискорює цикли прийняття рішень і будує міцну цінність для спонсорів. Об’єднуючи внутрішні команди – Тран, Латам та інших партнерів – із чітким розподілом відповідальності, екосистема стає платформою для постійного, керованого даними вдосконалення, що масштабується разом із траєкторією зростання спорту.