The agenda for the Sports Matters conference in Singapore next week has been unveiled and features a host of senior speakers from leading organisations across global sport including the IOC, Crypto.com, UFC, The Raine Group, the Aston Martin F1 team, FanCode, Astro, Sportfive, IMG, Octagon, Nielsen, SailGP and W Series.
The industry leaders will engage in discussion and debate on the most pressing and important topics in sport today, including sports finance, the Web3 revolution, engaging younger generations, sports tech, media industry disruption, and the impact of climate change on our industry.
Sports Matters takes place next Monday to Wednesday, September 26 to 28, at the Hilton Orchard Singapore, as part of the wider All That Matters media, marketing, music and digital industries conference organised by Branded.
The conference is returning in full, live format for the first time since the pandemic, in the same week that the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Singapore returns after three years. Executives from across the global sports industry will descend on on the Asia-Pacific business hub in a week that will definitively signal the comeback of sport in the region after the disruption of the last three years.
The full Sports Matters 2022 agenda is:
Monday, September 26
2.30pm – Fans are changing the game – featuring Mike Wragg, MD Apac, Nielsen
The sports industry continues to adapt to the new habits fans have developed over the last two years, the pace of change has accelerated substantially since the start of the pandemic in 2020. It’s more important than ever that brands and the sports industry meet fans where they are, as consumers have even more platforms to engage with their favourite content.
2.50pm – Sponsorship Matters – featuring Steven Kalifowitz, Chief Marketing Officer, Crypto.com
From F1, to the Staples Center, to the Fifa World Cup, Crypto.com has become one of the world’s largest commercial backers of sport. So what’s brewing in blockchain world and how do we get hold of tickets for the Singapore GP?!
3.50pm – The Asia-Pacific sports media industry in 2030 – featuring Yannick Colaco, co-founder, FanCode; Karen Lay, executive director, Sportfive; Nicholas John, head of sport, Astro
The Asia-Pacific sports media industry boomed through the pay-television era of the 2000s and early 2010s, before in recent years entering a period of disruption that is dramatically reshaping the landscape. A group of deeply-experienced sports media professionals will imagine the regional business in the year 2030, with thought-provoking predictions, expectations and key trends.
Tuesday, September 27
9.30am – Money in Sports Matters – featuring Colin Neville, partner, The Raine Group
One of the leading firms in sports finance globally speaks on the boom in investments in sports assets.
9.55am – Virtual Sports Matters to the IOC – featuring Vincent Pereira, head of virtual sport and gaming, International Olympic Committee
Vincent Pereira leads IOC efforts to develop virtual sport and engage with gaming communities, including heading up the Olympic Virtual Series, currently in its second year and heading towards the inaugural Olympic Virtual Series Finals in Singapore in March 2023.
11am – What Matters to SailGP – featuring Russell Coutts, chief executive, SailGP
SailGP is coming to Singapore in 2023. What can we expect and what is on the horizon for the organisation aiming to be “the world’s most sustainable and purpose-driven global sports and entertainment platform”?
11.25am – What Matters to Aston Martin – featuring Jefferson Slack, MD commercial and marketing, Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team
With a list of partners as long as an F1 driver’s arm, Jeff Slack has every right to “…believe this is one of the most exciting commercial opportunities in the whole of the sports industry”.
11.50am – What Matters to UFC – featuring Kevin Chang, SVP and head of Asia, UFC
Interview with the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s head of business in Asia.
12.10pm – The Earth Matters – featuring Erica Kerner, CMO, SailGP; Sven Schaefer, group head brand activation, sponsorship and events, UBS Business Solutions
Discussion on ESG and ‘purpose’ within the global sports industry
12.10pm – How sport must change to engage younger generations – featuring Acacia Leroy, head of trends, Culture Group; Phoenix Hou, BD director of sports SEA, Nielsen; Ravi Maan, head of marketing, Lion City Sailors
Will sport be as big a part of the lives of the next generation as it was for millennials, Gen X and older generations? The jury is out, and the smartest sports executives around the world know they must adapt and change in order to engage the younger generation. A panel of marketers and youth culture experts on the front lines of the epic battle for Gen Z’s attention will examine the challenge that sport is facing.
Wednesday, September 28
9.55am – Sports Tech Matters – featuring Iñigo Bonilla, business development director, GSIC powered by Microsoft; Vincent Pereira, head of virtual sport and gaming, International Olympic Committee; Nadia Wu, sales director, IMG
Discussion on the role that technology and innovation are playing in the sports industry, and the convergence of the physical and digital worlds.
2pm – She Loves Sport – featuring Joanne Warnes, MD, Octagon; Catherine Bond Muir, chief executive, W Series; Jamie Chadwick, racing driver, W Series
Women’s sport is on the rise around the world. A group of senior executives discusses the opportunities and the challenges within the sector.
Sports Matters is one of six tracks at the All That Matters conference, alongside Music Matters, Gaming Matters, Digital Matters, Marketing Matters and Web3 Matters. This year’s All That Matters has an overarching focus on the Web3 technological shift currently sweeping through global industry, with discussions and content on concepts including NFTs, cryptocurrencies and decentralised services.
This is the 17th year of All That Matters. Thousands of delegates and music fans will connect with 180 speakers, appearing on five stages in two venues, across six tracks, over three days, including three Learning Matters Academies educational content series. Music Matters features performances by 38 bands over six nights, starting this Friday.
The full agenda for All That Matters 2022 can be viewed on the event website, where ticketing options can also be viewed. Tickets are available to attend the event both in-person and online. Special hotel room rates are also available for delegates at the Hilton Singapore Orchard.