For the 400+ who packed the Culture Builders auditorium with standing room only up the aisles, we hosted two panels. The first session focused on “Optimizing and Diversifying Revenues across the Sports Industry” and represented perspectives from various angles across a league, a team, an entrepreneur/intrapreneur, an agency and eSports innovator, a sports and entertainment super-power, and a global broadcaster….all talking about investment and growth to drive revenues across various channels. This panel perfectly encapsulated what @NYVCSports is all about. The panelists included: Blake Stuchin (Vice President of Digital Media Business Development at National Football League), Dustin Godsey (Chief Marketing Officer at Milwaukee Bucks), Jamie King (Head of eSports at Engine Shop), John Brody (Executive Vice President of Global Sales & Head of International at WWE), John Kozack (Senior Vice President of Multimedia Sales at Univision Communications), and was moderated by Gillian Kemmerer (Correspondent at Sport-Express)

Next, we don’t think there could be a better collection of panelists to discuss “The Tremendous Growth and Future of Women’s Soccer” in what was one of the best and most engaging panel that we have ever featured. Moderated by our fearless Co-Founder, Deepen Parikh (who made introductions and then just sat back and watched the panelists interact for a solid 45 minutes of compelling dialogue and banter), the panel featured Assia Grazioli-Venier (Board of Directors of Juventus FC, Co-Founder of Muse Capital), Eglantina Zingg (Founder at Goleadoras), Michael Broughton (Senior Advisor and Director of Business Technology, Innovation & Investment Strategy at FIFA), and Victoire Cogevina (Co-founder of GLORIA and Co-founder of SR All-Stars, the first female only led sports agency).

Live stream of the panel is available here (may require subscription to New York Advertising Week): HERE; http://newyork.advertisingweek.com/watch/-nyvc-sports-2019-09-26-1530

Latinos are the fastest growing demographic in the United States, and are the most engaged and passionate demo among some of the biggest sports, from baseball to basketball and soccer. The opportunities that exist to market and storytell through stars past and those coming into focus now have never been greater, especially around baseball. We looked at the landscape, the business and why this makes more sense now for brands, teams and leagues than ever before. Our panel was hosted by Adrian Burgos, author, professor and editor in chief of LaVida Baseball, and he was joined by several luminaries who are deeply involved in the space, including Jeff Idelson, the President of the Baseball Hall of Fame and ESPN analyst Eduardo Perez.

Before 200+ entrepreneurs, investors and sports/entertainment/tech executives, we explored the world of emerging sports and leagues, as they have a growing impact on our overall ecosystem. We are all seeing the rapid growth across the industry, as revenues, reach, and opportunities are at an all-time high. NYVC Sports has long been committed to connecting sports executives from all aspects of the industry with entrepreneurs and investors. This panel focused on the rapid growth of challenger, upstart and next gen sports + leagues. We discussed new capital raises, requirements for growth/scale, challenges and partnership opportunities with the major leagues/broadcasters, distribution and so much more. 

The Future of Sports Digital Media

Wednesday, September 27, 2017 7:00 PM 8:00 PM

NYVC's biggest event yet packed the Bing Stage in Times Square with a standing room only crowd featuring two segments.  The event kicked off with a one-on-one in-depth and tremendous dialogue between Dave Portnoy (Founder of Barstool Sports) and Rich Greenfield (MD, Media and Tech Analyst, BTIG), This was immediately followed by a sparked discussion about the "Changing Landscape of Sports Media Rights," featuring Bryant McBride (Founder & CEO, Burst), Daniel Cohen (SVP, Octagon), Geoff Reiss (GM Sports, Oath), and Paul Fichtenbaum (Chief Content Officer, The Athletic) and was moderated by Dee Kundra (Head of PR & Communications for the Americas, FC Bayern Munich).  Livestream replay link: http://newyork.advertisingweek.com/calendar/-nyvc-sports-seminar-2017-09-28-1715

Growth of Investment Opportunities at the Intersection of Sports & Digital

Thursday, July 27, 2017 7:00 PM 8:00 PM

This power panel presented by NYVC Sports brought together leaders and innovators from the sports investment community shaping the future of sports. Topics included Broadcast and Production, Content and Distribution, Data Analysis, eSports, Fan Engagement, and more. Our panelists represented a wide array of sports investors with experience raising capital, acquiring businesses, and staying on top of the latest trends. These discussions featured: Kerry Kellogg (Director, RSE Ventures), Jeffrey Roth (Partner, Bruin Sports Capital), Rob Simmelkjaer (SVP, NBC Sports Ventures), Farzam Kamel (Partner, Sterling VC), Deepen Parikh (‎Partner & Investor, Courtside Ventures), Jeff Volk (‎SVP Business Development, MLB Advanced Media) and was moderated by Seth Everett (Host / Announcer, Westwood One, iHeartMedia, Entercom, New Jersey Devils).

"A Deep Dive into the State of Augmented & Virtual Reality in Sports"

Wednesday, June 21, 2017 7:00 PM 8:00 PM

The SFVC team hosted another tremendous event -- focusing on VR and Immersive Technology in Sports.  At WeWork Golden Gate, the following individuals dove deeply into the growth and future of the booming space.  Speakers included; Andrew Felder (CFO, Virtually Live), Miles Perkins (VP of Marketing Communications, Jaunt), Sumit Gupta (CEO, Boom.tv), David Aufhauser (Chief Product & Strategy Officer, Intel Sports Group). Andy Dolich (Managing Director & Head of US Sports Practice, Odgers Berndtson) and was moderated by Bill Schlough (Chief Information Officer, San Francisco Giants).

Culture On Culture – Creating Winning Environments

Wednesday, April 26, 2017 7:00 PM 8:00 PM

Hosted and organized by our good friends at The Players Tribune and LeagueApps, NYVC Sports welcomed 200 entrepreneurs, investors, and sports executives in an amazing space overlooking the west side.  We dove deeply into how off-court and off-field culture impacts team performance and vice versa.  There is no shortage of data to support how winning environments are created and our panel covered many environments that breed success.  The amazing and well-rounded panelists:

1. Allan Houston, Former NBA Player and Asst. GM, New York Knicks and GM, Westchester Knicks

2. David Millay, Head of Sports Practice, The Disney Institute

3. Donna Goldsmith, Former SVP, Partnership Marketing at Tough Mudder and Former COO, WWE

4. Jaymee Messler, President, The Player’s Tribune

5. Todd Jacobson, Senior Vice President, Social Responsibility, NBA

6. Moderated by: Jeremy Goldberg, President & Quarterback, LeagueApps

SFVC Sports Hosted Its Inaugural Event

Wednesday, March 15, 2017 7:00 PM 8:00 PM

We are proud to announce the launch of San Francisco Venture Community Sports.  The first event took place in San Francisco (naturally) and featured an all-star cast and network, including NYVC Sports' veteran Brano Perkovich (Chief Investment Officer, San Francisco 49ers), Mark Wan (Managing Partner, Causeway Media Partners), Mark Leschly (Managing Partner, Rho Capital Partners), and Gordon Rubenstein (Managing Partner, Raine Ventures). They focused on their strategies for sports investing -- among many other topics.  Special thanks to co-founders Jeehae Lee and YuChiang Cheng of TopGolf for all of their hard work in pulling off such a successful launch....we are just getting started.

3rd Annual NYVC Sports "Comes To Boston"

Friday, March 3, 2017 7:00 PM 8:00 PM

NYVC Sports once again hosted 250+ sports entrepreneurs, investors and executives for an evening that went well into the night between the MIT Sloan Analytics Conference sessions.  Thanks to the Liberty Hotel team for being such tremendous hosts!

"The Athlete Investor And Influencer"

2016

Hosted and Presented by General Assembly -- As more and more athletes and influencers think about leveraging their significant assests, value, and presence, we have seen a plethora of new funds in the marketplace focused on digital and sports investing.  These groups include leagues, players associations, individual, groups of athletes and others. There has never been a better time to control all aspects of one's brand and focus/invest in post-career opportunities. Who does it well?  How is it done?  We looked at this growing opportunity with those investing and those looking to find ways to invest in brands big and small.  Panelists included: Charles Smith (Former NBA great (1988-1997), founder of the Charles D. Smith Foundation and Educational Center, entrepreneur, investor motivational speaker, and regional regional representative for the NBA Players Association), Daniel Bassichis (Co-founder of Admiral Capital Group and Admiral Center with a two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, David Robinson); Dhani Jones (Former NFL Linebacker (Giants, Eagles, Bengals).  Television Personality (Travel Channel’s ‘Dhani Tackles the Globe’, VH1’s ‘Ton of Cash’ and CNBC’s ‘Adventure Capitalists’) and Investor (Chairman at Qey Capital Partners)); Rick Peterson (Former pitching coach of the Moneyball A;s, the New York Mets, the Chicago White Sox; advisor and business consultant for  business leaders and entreprenurial athletes; author of sports business book,  "Crunch Time").  The panel was moderated by longtime NYVC rock star, Mandy Antoniacci (Columnist, Inc. Magazine and Founder, ChangeUp, LLC).

Sponsorship "The $60 Billion Dollar Business"

2016

Sponsorship, Marketing Services, Corporate Partnerships...call it what you want, but it is a serious business in the sports economy.  Sponsorship has become one of the foundational pillars necessary for every team, league and rightsholder to build a sustainable and valuable property.  What was once a business of 'stickers and logos' has blossomed into a highly sophisticated sector requiring cutting edge technology wrapped around digital, social, causal, and fan integration.  Please join us for an insightful and introspective look into the ever evolving world of sports sponsorship along with the key influencers shaping this arena.  This panel featured: Doug Smoyer (Chief Sales Officer, Van Wagner Sports), Jeff Marks (President, Premier Ventures), Rob Striar (CEO, M Style Marketing), and Michael A. Neuman (Managing Partner Scout Sports / Horizon Media), and was moderated by NYVC Sports veteran, Tina Cervasio (Red Bulls Broadcaster).

3rd Annual NYVC Sports Venture Series In Partnership With Advertising Week New York #awnewyork

The Future Of Sports Digital Media

2016

NYVC Sports once again took over the Liberty Theater in Times Square with 300+ guests as part of our partnership with Advertising Week.  The “3rd Annual New York Venture Community Sports Presents” (Sept 29th, 2016) was titled: "Sound, Streaming, & More: How New Platforms Are Growing the Sports Business and Tech Space." 

This ticketed event featured the following rock star panelists: Chris Corcoran (Chief Content Officer at DGitalMedia), Dana Golden (EVP, Business Development at Silver Chalice/120 Sports), Frank Golding (COO, Tapp Technologies & Former Head of Sports for North America at YouTube), John Shea (President, Marketing and Events at Octagon Americas), Rob Shaw (Strategic Partner Development, Sports Media Content at Facebook), and was moderated by Mandy Antoniacci (Sports Columnist at Inc Magazine and Sports Illustrated).

VIP Welcome Event

Israel Sports Tech Delegation

2016

Driven by Landmark Ventures and the Israel Economic Ministry, NYVC Sports was proud to host the first-ever Israel Sports Technology Delegation.  Specifically, we welcomed a cutting-edge delegation of 15+ Israeli sports technology companies engaged in the fields of Broadcast and Production, Content and Distribution, Data Analysis, Fan Engagement, Viral Marketing and Wearables. The goal of the evening promoted partnerships, investment, mergers & acquisitions, and strategic business development opportunities.   

Jet-Ting To The Future With New York Jets' President, Neil Glat

2016

Dynamic one-on-one dialogue with New York Jets President, Neil Glat, who provided a rare look at the growth of the brand one year into a new on-field regime.  Neil and moderator, Seth Everett (Host & Baseball Insider, NBC Sports) discussed how an elite property competes and thrives in the digital space, the power of the athlete, and how to build a long-term fan base while also engaging new fans in this crowded market.

Success in Sports Entrepreneurship

2016

This NYVC Sports panel focused on what has and has not worked when it comes to building an early-stage company in the sports industry. Our panel of entrepreneurs and investors shared their honest and transparent insights on everything from strategies, to partnering with rights holders, to best practices on how to scale a company.  The panelists: Deepen Parikh (Partner, Courtside Ventures), Jeremy Goldberg (President, LeagueApps), Jonathan Bradley (Partner, RG/A Ventures and Executive Director, LA Dodgers Sports & Entertainment Accelerator), Kim Donaldson (Founder & CEO, Excelle Sports), and was moderated by Mandy Antoniacci (Columnist, Inc. Magazine and Founder, ChangeUp, LLC). 

Sports & Internet Gaming: The Regulatory Landscape Shift

2016

This NYVC Sports panel focused on the ongoing shift in the regulatory landscape around sports and internet gaming. From established companies to disruptive startups, this rapidly growing category is attracting massive amounts of investment, yet increased legal scrutiny and regulation. Frank Wilson (Gamblino & NYVC Sports member) brought the idea to the team and helped organize our tremendous panel, which was moderated by Tina Cervasio (sideline reporter and talk show host across various networks including SiriusXM, MSG Network, NESN).  The panel featured: Chris Dougan (GeniusSports), Jeff Ifrah (Ifrah PLLC), Adam Steinberg (Spectrum Gaming Capital) and Eamonn Toland (Paddy Power North America). The timing was super topical and they focused on the compounding regulatory issues and where the largest opportunities exist going forward.

Wearable Tech

2016

200+ sports digital execs, entrepreneurs, and investors packed the Loeb offices to network and discuss the exciting world of wearable technology and the Internet of Things.  Less than a week following #CES, our panelist discussed what's currently top of mind and what trends are coming soon.  The panelists: Brian Socolow (Chair, Sports Practice Group at Loeb & Loeb LLP), Doug Ziewacz (Head of North America Digital Media & Advertising, Under Armour Connected Fitness), Greg Kahn (President & CEO, Internet of Things Consortium), Jake Waxenberg (Director of Brand Strategy, Athos) and Howard Homonoff (Senior Vice President, MediaLink).

The Explosion Of Athleisure

2015

Following our NYVC Sports Venture Series partnership with Advertising Week New York (one of their largest and most well-attended events of the year), we brought the NYVC Sports community together to discuss the explosion of Athleisure -- a growing trend in fashion!  Our tremendous panel featured Caroline Gogolak (Co-founder & President, Carbon 38), Frank Rappa (Senior Director, Retail, Equinox), Mark Walker (CEO, Jack Threads), Martin Dolfi (Managing Partner, M3 Ventures), Nate Checketts (Co-founder & CEO, Rhone Apparel), Shane Battier (Investor  & Former NBA and Olympic Star) and was moderated by Seth Everett (Host & Baseball Insider, NBC Sports).

2015 NYVC Sports Fantasy Football League - Draft Night

2015

Welcome to the 2nd Annual NYVC Sports Fantasy Football League.  This year's winner was Bruin Sports Capital: (MLS won in 2014).  NYVC Sports was founded with the intention of bringing together the entrepreneurial, investor and sports digital communities…and what embodies this goal better than a little friendly fantasy football competition. Good food, banter, networking, auctioneering, and perhaps most importantly solid outside-the-office camaraderie. Included are NYC's 5 major leagues (MLBAM, MLS, NBA, NHL, NFL), 6 NYC investors (Courtside Ventures, Sterling VC, Bruin Sports Capital, Metamorphic Ventures, Lerer Hippeau Ventures, Global Silicon Valley (GSV) Capital) and our sponsor/host (Draft). Special thanks to our Commish, Max Wendkos!

2nd Annual NYVC Sports Venture Series In Partnership With "Advertising Week" New York #Awxii

The Future Of Sports Digital Media

2015

In front of a standing room audience of 300+ sports execs, entrepreneurs, and investors at the Liberty Theater in Times Square, NYVC Sports panelists discussed the convergence and future of sports digital media. We dove into what drives the sports media marketplace and feature unique perspectives from some of the greatest leaders across the sports, entrepreneurship and investment communities.  

NYVC Sports Venture Series consisted of four segments:

1. A one-on-one keynote discussion with NBA Commissioner Emeritus David Stern;

2. Panel discussion on the explosion of Live Streaming and Over-the Top (OTT) video;

3. A one-on-one keynote discussion with Monumental Sports CEO Ted Leonsis;

4. A deep-dive into the growth of sports franchise investing,

Panelists:

• David Stern Commissioner Emeritus, NBA

• Ted Leonsis Founder, Majority Owner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Monumental Sports & Entertainment

• Michelle Wilson Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer, WWE

• Norb Gambuzza Sr. Vice President, Media Business Development, PGA TOUR

• Shelly Palmer Host, Shelly Palmer Digital Living

• Matt Carstens, Executive Vice President, 120 Sports & Silver Chalice

• Rick Cordella SVP & GM NBC Sports Digital, NBC Sports

• Julie Alexandria, Broadcast Journalist / Sideline Reporter, OKTV, Fox Sports

• Brano Perkovich, Executive Vice President, San Francisco 49ers

• Farzam Kamel, Partner, Sterling Ventures

• Kerry Kellogg, New Business Development, RSE Ventures

• Vasu Kulkarni, Founder, Krossover & Partner, Courtside Ventures

• Jay Adya, Managing Director, Evolution Media Capital

• Jeffrey Volk, Senior Vice President, Business Development, MLB Advanced Media

• Deepen Parikh, Partner, Interplay Ventures

Athlete 2.0 - Becoming A Champion on and off The Field

2015

Hosted on Tuesday, May 5th at Civic Hall (156 Fifth Avenue :: corner of 20th and 5th), this panel focused on athletes and their success during-and-after their professional sports careers. We cheer for them on game day. We treat them like American heroes. Many of them are paid millions to play and wow crowds. What happens when one’s playing days are over? How do athletes best transition from the fields/courts to the boardroom/entrepreneurial world? We looked at successful transitions from professional athletic careers to the business world.

Panelists:

• Charles Way - Former New York Giants & current Vice President, Player Engagement at National Football League.

• Patrick McEnroe - Former Professional Tennis Player; Former Captain of US Davis Cup Team; Former Head of Player Development at USTA; Tennis Commentator at ESPN.

• Stu Jackson - Senior Associate Commissioner; Men's Basketball at BigEast Conference; Former EVP at NBA; Former Head Coach for New York Knicks and Vancouver Grizzlies.

• Moderated by:  Julie Alexandria - Host of OKtvUSA and MLB162 on Fox Sports 1.

Growth of eSports: How Did It Get So Big? Where Is It Going? What Does It All Mean?

2015

The rapid rise of video gaming, often referred to as eSports, has taken the sports and entertainment world by storm. Many industry experts predict that this phenomenon has more growth potential than select traditional sports. With industry leaders from Twitch, Major League Gaming, ESL, and Softbank, our moderator, Rod "Slasher" Bresleau, led a tremendous discussion in front of a standing room audience. A range of topics included: mergers and acquisitions; League of Legends championship attracting a larger audience than playoff games; colleges offering gaming scholarships and more. This was also our first livestreamed discussion, with Slasher using Periscope to broadcast the night…and our esteemed panel didn’t disappoint.

Panelists:

• Craig Levine (Executive Vice President at Turtle Entertainment America, ESL);

• Don Reilley (EVP of Global Sales at Major League Gaming);

• Stuart Saw (Regional Director of EMEA at Twitch);

• Joe Medved (Partner at Softbank, industry visionary, and our first two-time panelist/rock star);

• Moderated by: Rod "Slasher" Bresleau (Leads Competitive Gaming and eSports at @TheScore & @TheScoreeSports and is the Co-founder onGamers and Producer and Co-Host @LiveOnThree)

Cocktails @ Boston's Liberty Hotel - MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference

2015

Jeff Volk, Deepen Parikh, and the NYVC Sports team hosted a meetup / networking event for 200+ attendees at the Liberty Hotel, one of Boston’s hot spots and a converted prison. Guests included Boston sports franchises, the Boston 2024 Olympic bid team, all major sports leagues and TV networks, numerous entrepreneurs and investors.

Let's Talk About Fantasy Gaming

2016

Thanks for the huge turnout, despite the weather conditions. We had nearly 200 people in attendance to watch this panel focus on the major trends that are taking place throughout the rapid developing fantasy gaming industry, ranging from innovative models, real money, league involvement, mobile growth and investment opportunities, among others. Joe Favorito (@joefav - who replaced Andrew Feldman & Chad Millman from ESPN The Magazine) moderated a lively discussion on the trends in this space with Chris Golier (Vice President, Mobile Marketing & Strategy at The NHL), Colin Neville (Vice President at The Raine Group & Board Observer at DraftKings), Jeremy Levine (Founder & CEO of Draft) and Shergul Arshad (CEO at Mondogoal).

A Special Socratic Event with Shelly Palmer

2015

As a predictor of trends, Shelly Palmer rocked a full house with a tremendous discussion around the future of digital media. Shelly is Managing Director of Digital Media Group at Landmark Ventures/ShellyPalmer a technology focused Investment Banking & Advisory practice specializing in M&A, Financings, Strategic Partnerships and Innovation Access. He is an advertising, marketing and technology consultant and business adviser who is well known as an author/speaker/composer/producer/writer/director. He hosts many visionary events and programs, including Fox Television’s Shelly Palmer Digital Living. For more information, visit shellypalmer.com.

NYVC Sports Venture Series: The Future of Sports Digital Media @ Advertising Week New York ( #AWXI)

2014

Through our partnership with the great team at Advertising Week, we presented our largest event to date -- a two-hour sports segment at the Liberty Theater. In front of ~250 attendees and live streamed on AdvertisingWeek.com (powered by MLBAM), our panels focused on the intersection of New York's digital media, entrepreneurial and investing communities. Opening Discussion with Bob Bowman (President & CEO, MLB Advanced Media) and Closing Discussion with John Kosner (Executive VP & General Manager, ESPN Digital and Print Media) were both moderated by Darren Rovell (ESPN/ABC News). Our Innovation panel featured: An Entrepreneur, Investor, Athlete and Property Perspective with panelists: George Barrios (Chief Strategy & Financial Officer, WWE), Jason Ostheimer (Co-founder & Partner, Advancit Capital), Jason Robins (CEO, DraftKings), Tiki Barber (Co-Founder & Chairman, Thuzio), moderated by Michael Kim (Host, 120 Sports and formerly Host of ESPN SportsCenter). Finally, Roberto Ruiz (SVP, Strategy & Insights, Univision Communications) unveiled new research about the Hispanic audience. See more at AdvertisingWeek.com

2014 NYVC Sports Fantasy Football League - Draft Night

2014

NYVC Sports was founded with the intention of bringing together the entrepreneurial, investor and sports digital communities…and what embodies this goal better than a little friendly fantasy football competition. Good food, banter, networking, auctioneering, and perhaps most importantly solid outside-the-office camaraderie. Included are NYC's 5 major leagues (MLBAM, MLS, NBA, NHL, NFL), 6 NYC investors (Bowery Capital, Brooklyn Bridge Ventures, Deep Fork Capital, Interplay Ventures, Lerer Hippeau Ventures, Softbank) and our sponsor/host (numberfire). Special thanks to our Commish, Max Wendkos!

NYVC Sports Exclusive: A Unique Deep Dive into eCommerce

2014

NYVC Sports competed with Game 1 of the Stanley Cup, and we held our own with ~75 attendees. Our panelists: Greg Doran (CEO of Ticket Evolution), Donna Goldsmith (Formerly COO and SVP/EVP Consumer Products at WWE, GM of Operations at 2014 NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee, and VP, Licensing at NBA), Deven Parekh (Managing Director at Insight Venture Partners), and Michael Rothman (Principal at First Money Media, formerly GM of Thrillist Rewards) and moderator Jeremy Goldberg (CEO of LeagueApps and Board Member of 212 Media & NYVC Sports) dove deeply into the world of eCommerce. Key topics and insights included the relationship between content and commerce, the explosion of commerce on the mobile web, the key role of data in all decision making, and the shifting landscape around product search – all from the valuable standpoints of VCs, operators, advisors and entrepreneurs.

Startup Capital: Roundtable on Investments in the Sports Sector

2014

NYVC Sports' largest event to date with 95+ industry execs in attendance. Our panelists: Jay Adya (Executive at Evolution Media Capital), Nate Checketts (Principal at CPIF, Board Member at ScoreBig), Matthew Hanson (Partner at GSV Asset Management), Kerry Kellogg (Dir of New Business Development at RSE Ventures) and moderator: Tom Richardson (Founder of Convergence Media & The Talent League, Board Member of NYVC Sports) explored a number of sports ventures and their relationship within the New York City start-up community. The discussion centered around raising capital and the benefits and drawbacks of sports investing.

Major Events and their Economic Impact on their Host Cities

2014

This panel featured executives from some of the largest sporting events in the world and dove into the impact that these events have on their host city. The opportunity to bring these events to NYC has given rise to a slew of new stadiums and arenas to host marquis and annual events. Our panelists included: Andrew Gould (COO at Bike New York & former Deputy Commissioner of NYC Sports Commission), Brendan Driscoll (Director of Venues, Tough Mudder), Christy King (VP of Technology R&D, UFC), Dan Malasky (Senior Counsel at USTA & US Open), and Daniel Squadron (our New York State Senator).

"TV + Web + Mobile + Connected Devices = Disruption"

2014

The panel focused on the major trends and rapid convergence across television, web, mobile and connected devices. It featured Dan Shanoff (Director, Audience Development, USA Today), Chris Thorpe (CEO, Philo, formerly Tivli), Frank Golding (Head of Sport for North America, YouTube), Martin Keely (SVP, Partner Solutions, MLB Advanced Media), among others. They discussed topics such as what is considered the first screen today, how do live events impact viewing patterns, what trends are forming, particularly by generation and what disruptive technologies will fundamentally change our viewing habits. These industry veterans also shared their personal experiences and predictions, along with how startups can partner, capitalize and leverage such opportunities.

"Investing Strategies at the Intersection of Digital and Sports" Deep Dive

2013

The panel focused on exploring fundraising and investing strategies at the intersection of digital, tech and sports. It featured Jeff Bennett (CEO at Raptor Sports Properties), Matt Higgins (President & CEO at RSE Ventures), Michael Kalt (SVP Development and Business Affairs at Tampa Bay Rays and Sunburst Entertainment Group), Justin Kamm (Partner at Crown Predator Holdings), Ken Munoz (Partner at Munoz and Associates, LLC, Former Partner at SCP Worldwide).

"Emergence of Alternative and Extreme Sports" Thought Leaders (aka "No Home Games")

2013

The panel focused on the major trends and rapid growth taking place in the world of individual sports, ranging from live event operations and sponsorship, to digital distribution. It featured Alex Patterson (former CMO and current Chief Creative Officer at Tough Mudder), Barry McMullin (SVP, Professional Bull Riders) and Perkins Miller (EVP, Digital Media at WWE). They shared with the group their personal approaches/strategies, predictions on upcoming trends, and also how startups can capitalize on such opportunities.

"Innovation in Ticketing" Panel

2012

The panel focused on major trends that are taking place throughout the sports ticketing world, ranging from secondary markets and experimentation with dynamic pricing, to internal initiatives/strategies within leagues, teams and venues. It included five execs throughout the sports ticketing industry, John Tierney (Senior Manager, Ticketing at MLB Advanced Media), Peter Dopkin (Director, Business and Strategic Development at USTA), Scott Jablonski (VP, Club Business & Analytics at NHL), Nihar Singhal (VP, Business Development at SeatGeek) and Jack Dietrich (CEO at TagSeats). Each discussed their approaches in redefining the ways in which we buy and sell tickets to sporting events.

Special Breakfast Networking Series with USOC's Lisa Baird, following the 2012 London Olympic Games

2012

This exclusive event featured United States Olympic Committee Chief Marketing Officer, Lisa Baird. She discussed her perspective of the Summer Games and Team USA, also providing a full recap ranging from Olympic trails to sponsorship and broadcasting.

“Big Data in Sports” Trending Focus

2011

The panel focused on big data trends currently taking place throughout the sports world, ranging from fantasy and live event intelligence, to sports leagues/teams and venues. It featured five veterans throughout the sports tech community, from the likes of Jeff Bennett (Sr. Director at ESPN), Dan Cohen (VP, Business Development & Sales at Bloomberg Sports Professional) and Cory Schwartz (VP, Stats at MLB Advanced Media), among others. Each discussed their approaches/strategies in leveraging/analyzing big data to benefit their respective companies. Furthermore, they shared their predictions on upcoming data trends in the sports space, and also how startups could capitalize on such opportunities.

Inaugural Discussion: “Entrepreneurial Strategies for Partnering With Leagues”

2011

The panel featured senior executives, Jeffrey Volk (Senior Vice President, Business Development at MLB Advanced Media and Co-Founder of NYVC Sports) and Vishal Shah (Vice President, Digital at NFL), each of whom discussed their approaches/strategies in working and partnering with entrepreneurial ventures. Furthermore, they focused their perspectives on upcoming trends in the sports space, such as live streaming, mobile, gaming, among others. This was our inaugural event, and it set the tone for visionary perspectives on sports digital media, and its role within the investment, and entrepreneurial communities.