
NAB 2018: Sports-Entertainment-Business Track Targets Fan Experience, Tech Innovations Sessions will offer perspectives on new sources of fans and revenues By Karen Hogan Ketchum, Senior Editor
Wednesday, March 21, 2018 - 12:43 pm
Print This Story
Attending NAB 2018 and interested in the business of sports entertainment? For the first time, the annual convention of broadcasters in Las Vegas will devote an entire day to topics central to the sports-entertainment industry.
Show attendees involved in the business of sports content, event or venue management, sports radio and television, traditional and digital media, sponsorship sales, promotions, and marketing are encouraged to participate in The Business of Sports Entertainment track, which will take place Tuesday April 10 in Room N253 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Throughout the day, four sessions will offer unique perspectives on building the business of live sports production, sponsorships, technology, and the fan experience. Top sports executives from leagues, venues, networks, stations, sponsors, OTT providers, and technology manufacturers will headline each discussion, sharing how they build new sources of fans and revenues.
This track will surely be popular with NAB Show attendees. It's about sports and business, which offers us an entertaining way to talk about driving revenues, says Joe Schramm, president, Schramm Marketing Group, which programmed The Business of Sports Entertainment track for NAB 2018. Each session will focus on one of four key areas for the sports-entertainment business: live content, new technology, sponsorships, and the fan experience. These are the pillars for success in today's environment, whether it's radio, TV, or digital video.
According to Schramm Marketing Group, the importance of sports lies in its share of the live-TV landscape. Viewers who turn on their TVs at the exact time a program is starting are more likely to be tuning into a sports event than to any other program. At the same time, sports-content providers and consumers continue to benefit from advances in digital technology front of mind for many NAB Show attendees.
However, sports content would be nothing without the fans to consume it, and this track pays special attention to how leading executives are enhancing the fan experience. The topic of sports sponsorship will take center stage in the day's final session, because sponsorship revenue is critical to those involved in sports broadcasting, events and venues, OTT platforms, and much more.
We'll explore the business side of how live sports action continues to drive ratings and revenues, how new technologies are shifting the way a fan experiences sports entertainment, how sponsors are readjusting the way they measure the ROI of their sports investments, and what we can expect next for enhancing the fan experience onsite, online, and on the screen, says Schramm. Our speakers and panelists are the superstars of business in sports entertainment. These outstanding women and men will bring their A game to their sessions. Attendees will walk away with a fresh set of perspectives on the future trends for driving their own bottom line.
For more information on The Business of Sports Entertainment track at NAB 2018, see below:
The Business of Sports Entertainment
Tuesday April 10
9:00 a.m. - 4:20 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N253
9:00 - 10:20 a.m. Keeping It Real: Delivering Live Programming to Today's Sports Fans
Leading sports executives from leagues, stations, venues, and networks discuss how the demands from today's fans are changing the game for live sports.
Moderator:
Chris Ariens, ADWEEK, TV/Media Editor & Director of Video
Confirmed Participants:
Lisa Borders, WNBA, President
Stephen Espinoza, Showtime Networks, President, Sports and Event Programming
Raul Gutierrez, T-Mobile Arena, Executive Director, Arena Operations
Sheila Oliver, KMSP-WFTC, VP/GM
Marshall Zelaznik, Glory Sports International, CEO
10:40 - 11:40 a.m. New Technologies in Sports: Fad or Fan Favorites?
From over-the-top video to 3D graphics, in-venue apps, esports, online gaming, fantasy sports, and new transactional mobile sites, the field of play has never been bigger! Discover how these innovations are building a sustainable sports fanbase.
Moderator:
Brandon Costa, Sports Video Group, Director of Digital
Confirmed Participants:
Eric Black, NBC Sports Digital & Playmaker Media, CTO
Ashok Balakrishnan, Sportradar, SVP, Technology and Product Management
C.J. Bottitta, Coordinating Producer/Executive Director
David Gandler, fuboTV, Co-Founder/CEO
Sohrob Farudi, Fan Controlled Football League, Co-Founder/CEO
1:30 - 2:50 p.m. What's Next for the Sports-Fan Experience: Content, Distribution, Sponsors, and Viewers
Sports bring all the up-close action directly to the fans with the latest in technology, trends, news, production quality, and, of course, non-stop coverage. We go one-on-one with business leaders in sports production, promotion, and television as they discuss their innovations for enhancing the fan experience.
Moderator:
Jason Dachman, Sports Video Group, Chief Editor
Confirmed Participants:
Bob Becker, VWSE Productions, Executive Vice President
Will Funk, Turner Sports, Executive Vice President of Property Marketing and Corporate Partnerships
Danny Menken, ELEVEN SPORTS, Group Managing Director
Nicole Pike, Nielsen Esports, Managing Director
Bill Wanger, Fox Sports, Executive Vice President of Programming, Research and Content Strategy
3:20 - 4:20 p.m. The Art of Sports Sponsorship: How To Win Friendly Sponsors and Influence Fans
Sponsorship and endorsement is where (much of) the money is in sports. Get an insider's perspective on the complex and changing business of sponsorship, from sales to management and
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Riedel Communications today announced the expansion of its leadership structure as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen both its operational management ...
06/05/2026
For nearly three decades, Veteran Production Sound Mixer and Five-time Emmy Award Winner Dirk Sciarrotta has helped define the sonic identity of the long-runnin...
06/05/2026
ZEISS CinCraft LensCore: Cinema Lens Looks for Compositing
Brie Clayton May 6, 2026
0 Comments
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a nove...
06/05/2026
Wisycom Solves Extreme RF Challenges Across Miles of Live Action for Gravity Med...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Narrative Entertainment has partnered with Encompass to deliver high-quality subtitling of its Great! network content using the Altitude Intelligence AI assiste...
06/05/2026
SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, is proud to launch a dramatic new approach to AI content creati...
06/05/2026
When the broadband and media industry gathers at ANGA COM in Cologne from May 19 to 21, Big Blue Marble will be at the forefront. The international broadcast an...
06/05/2026
Cinegy GmbH, a leading developer of software-defined television technology, is proud to exhibit at MPTS for the first time. Visitors to the stand will discover ...
06/05/2026
Val Jeanty Receives 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award Jeanty, a composer, percussionist, and turntablist, is the fourth Berklee recipient of the prestigious award ...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chi...
06/05/2026
Oberkochen/Germany, May 5, 2026
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
06/05/2026
The race to build the world's most powerful AI factories demands networking ...
06/05/2026
How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies Scripps Research team maps how chemical modifications to proteins affect drug bi...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Three phones were hardwired for power and transmission to the truck; camera feat...
05/05/2026
The creative studio behind campaigns for the NBA, Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, ...
05/05/2026
Nielsen has announced results from a co-viewing pilot program covering February&...
05/05/2026
viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV, delivered global...
05/05/2026
ARRI has announced Omnibar, a battery-powered, IP65-rated multi-color LED linear...
05/05/2026
Imagine Communications has announced that France T l visions is the first broadc...
05/05/2026
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bell Media today announced a multiyear agreement to broadcast and stream WNBA games in Canada beginni...
05/05/2026
SVG is proud to announce Warner Bros. Discovery's Techwood Studios in Atlant...
05/05/2026
With no operator required, AutoMic workflow automates talent identification on U...
05/05/2026
A crash in 2015 set the industry back, but this winter proved that drones are he...
05/05/2026
Another year, and more proof that Asia continues to shape some of the world's most exciting new sounds. This year's RADAR artists draw from deep local r...
05/05/2026
The Austin City Limits Music Fest 2026 lineup just dropped, and this year, Spoti...
05/05/2026
New drum machine book campaign incoming
Bjooks have announced that during Superbooth 2026, they will be launching a Kickstarter campaign to fund the product...
05/05/2026
Flagship all-in-one production bundle updated
The latest version of Native Instruments' flagship virtual instrument and plug-in bundle has just been ann...
05/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to host RF Testing Innovations Forum 2026, helping design engine...
05/05/2026
L3Harris provides communications, electronic warfare, sensors and mission systems that enable Virginia-class submarine crews to operate with confidence in conte...
05/05/2026
The company grew by 7.6% in net revenue and 16.3% in EBITDA, achieving a 33% inc...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/05/2026
Project Marks First Major Broadcast Deployment of Latest Addition to SNP Lineup
Imagine Communications today announced that France T l visions is the first br...
05/05/2026
Shotoku Broadcast Systems Wins 2026 NAB Show Product of the Year Award
Shotoku Broadcast Systems announced today that its Swoop range of robotic cranes has be...
05/05/2026
DigitalGlue's creative.space Intelligence Wins Future's Best of Show Award, Presented by TV Tech
creative.space Intelligence (CSI), part of the creativ...