While the sports broadcast community decamps to Monaco for Sportel next week, sponsorship figures will be attending the Annual Sports Sponsorship Forum on Monday and Tuesday.
The conference will be chaired by Dick Schultz, chairman of MAI Sports and former executive director for the US Olympic Committee and the NCAA, who will focus on how sports personalities and properties, from Yao Ming to Lebron James, often find themselves players on the global stage and what impact that may have on marketing and business.
The importance of reputation management and sports sponsorship will be addressed by Michael Paul, the president and senior counsellor of MGP & Associates PR, whose clients have included the New York Jets' Mark Gastineau and legendary boxing champ Smokin' Joe Frazier.
A host of other sessions will range from tracking and increasing ROI to ethnic marketing and more.
Speakers due to attend include Barry Hyde, VP global sponsorship and event marketing for Mastercard; Clay Walker, SVP for the NFL Players Association (Players Inc.); Dan Brewster, manager of advertising and special events for the Los Angeles Dodgers; and Jacqueline Parkes, VP advertising and marketing for Major League Baseball.
The event is organised by the Strategic Research Institute.
