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
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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
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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 
