2026 AGENDA
TUESDAY, APRIL 14
7:30-9:30 PM
Welcome Reception
Studio Foyer (Above the Lobby)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15
7:15 AM
Registration, Badge Pick Up & Breakfast Begins for SBJ CONNECT Participants
Registration Hosted by:
Breakfast Hosted by:
7:45-8:45 AM
SBJ CONNECT: Structured Networking
Gold Ballroom
Hosted by:
SBJ Connect: Structured Networking is a facilitated networking experience focused on:
- Connecting attendees through guided conversations and topic-driven discussions
- Sharing insights and exchanging ideas
- Building lasting professional relationships in a structured yet relaxed setting
Facilitator:
Dan Kaufman, Managing Director, Sports Business Journal
8:15 AM
Registration, Badge Pick Up & Breakfast Begins for All Attendees
Registration Hosted by:
Breakfast Hosted by:
8:45 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Abe Madkour, Publisher & Executive Editor, Sports Business Journal
9:00 AM
Top of the Agenda: Industry Issues You Need to be Watching Now
Panelists include:
Renie Anderson, Executive Vice President & Chief Revenue Officer, NFL
Will Brass, Chief Commercial Officer, Premier League
Kevin Demoff, President, Team and Media Operations, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment
Sandra Douglass Morgan, President, Las Vegas Raiders
Bob Myers, President, Sports, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
9:45 AM
Featured Conversation: Inside Perspectives on the Beautiful Game
Don Garber, Commissioner, MLS; CEO, Soccer United Marketing
10:15 AM
Networking Break
Hosted by:
10:45 AM
Featured Conversation: One-on-One with Bela Bajaria
Bela Bajaria, Chief Content Officer, Netflix
11:15 AM
Featured Conversation: Fanatics - Innovation, Expansion, and New Directions in Sports Business
Michael Rubin, Founder & CEO, Fanatics
Guest Moderator: Noah Garden, Deputy Commissioner, Business & Media, MLB
11:45 AM
CMOs in the Spotlight: The Portfolios, the Campaigns, the Connections
Many chief marketing officers value sports for their ability to deliver shared experiences and cultural relevance while building brand identity and fan connections. But where do sports fit in with the overall marketing strategy and portfolio? And what are the campaigns that drive brand positioning, customer engagement, and revenue-generating marketing initiatives?
12:15-1:45 PM
Champions Luncheon
Gold Ballroom
Hosted by:
Champions of Sports Business – The 2026 Class
James Brown
Steve Greenberg
Andy Lansing
Billy Payne
Chris Plonsky
Arn Tellem
1:50 PM
Featured Conversation: One-on-One with a Sports Power Broker
David Blitzer, Owner, Bolt Ventures; Founder and Co-Founde, HBSE
Guest Moderator: Mike Levine, Co-Head, CAA Sports
2:30 PM
Industry Insight - Winning Business and Fans Through Transformational Social Impact Partnerships
Chad Houser, Founder & CEO, Café Momentum
Miles Killebrew, NFL Safety, Pittsburgh Steelers
Andrew Saltzman, President, Business Enterprise & Chief Commercial Officer, Atlanta Hawks
Guest Moderator: Colette Weintraub, Head of Music, Sports, and Entertainment, Stand Together
2:50 PM
Featured Conversation: One-on-One with Eric Shanks
Eric Shanks, CEO & Executive Producer, FOX Sports
3:20 PM
Networking Break
Hosted by:
4:00 PM
The Creators – Part I Creators in Sports: How Leagues and Teams are Working with Today's Biggest Digital Stars
Featuring:
Dhar Mann, Founder, Dhar Mann Studios
Guest Moderator: Brent Weinstein, CAA
4:30 PM
The Creators – Part II Brand Ambassadors: Why Leading Brands are Turning to Creators to Reach Sports Fans
Featuring:
Jesse “Jesser” Riedel, Founder, Bucketsquad
Guest Moderator: Brent Weinstein, CAA
5:00 PM
The Business of Women’s Sports: Growing Audience, Investment and Scale
Women’s sports have been in a rapid growth phase – from attendance and viewership to investment and sponsorship – and all indicators are it will continue. But what will be needed to sustain it, keep the momentum, and build true scale? This panel will examine the investments, marketing, media distribution, and overall business decisions needed to see appreciable growth over the next five years and beyond.
5:45-7:15 PM
Networking Reception
THURSDAY, APRIL 16
7:15 AM
Registration & Breakfast
8:45 AM
Opening Remarks
Abe Madkour, Publisher & Executive Editor, Sports Business Journal
9:00 AM
Sports Business and Entertainment 2026 and Beyond: Big Ideas, Big Events, Big Results
Panelists include:
Larry Freedman, Co-President & Member, Ownership Group, LAFC
Mark Marshall, Chairman, Global Advertising & Partnerships, NBCUniversal
Ken Potrock, President, Major Events Integration, The Walt Disney Company
9:40 AM
Industry Insight – Boldyn Networks
10:00 AM
From the Brand-Side: Examining Transformative Sponsorships
For decades, cutting through the clutter has been a common part of the sports sponsorship vernacular. And it has never been more relevant than today. This session will look at the companies that have made big bets on innovative, culturally resonant partnerships that elevate fan engagement and build brand equity and, in some cases, go where no brand has gone before.
10:35 AM
Networking Break
Hosted by:
11:05 AM
Featured Conversation: One-on-One with a Global Power Broker
Behdad Eghbali, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Clearlake Capital Group.; Board of Directors, Chelsea FC
11:35 AM
Featured Conversation: 30 Years of the New York Liberty - Lessons in Valuation, Visibility, and Cultural Relevance
Clara Wu Tsai, Vice Chair, BSE Global; Governor, New York Liberty
Guest Moderator: Kara Swisher, Host, On with Kara Swisher; Co-Host, Pivot Podcast; Editor-at-Large, New York Magazine; Contributor, CNN
12:05 PM
Afternoon Program and Networking Reception
3:00 PM
