2026 AGENDA
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22
8:00 AM
Registration Open
Location: Midway West | Staircase
8:00 – 3:00 PM
BDSE empowered by Legends Global Workshop
Hosted by
9:00 – 11:45 AM
Case Cup: Preliminary Round of Presentations
Locations: Grand Ballroom A, B and C
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Morning Workshops
Retention & Customer Service: 3 Case Studies; Let’s Solve Together
Ron Contorno, President, Full House Solutions
Ken Troupe, Co-Founder, SportsBiz Builders LLC
Location: Midway 3-4
Sales Leaders
Melyssa Jaskiewicz, VP, Sales, Sideline Sports
Brian Richeson, EVP, Business Development, Attend
Location: Midway 9
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Brunch
Location: Regency Ballroom
12:00 – 2:30 PM
League/Event Workshops
MLB (Invitation & Team Attendees Only)
Brian Jemison, Senior Director, Premium & Membership Service, Detroit Tigers & Detroit Red Wings
Jared Kozinn, Deputy Athletics Director, Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer, Michigan State Athletics
Location: Midway 5
NBA/WNBA (Invitation & Team Attendees Only)
Will Eidam, Director, Partnership Analytics, Detroit Pistons
Marisa Ferrara, Director, Partnership Activation, Chicago Sky
Location: Midway 10
NFL (Invitation & Team Attendees Only)
Adam Nuse, CRO, Tennessee Titans
Eric Sudol, CRO, Tepper Sports & Entertainment
Location: Midway 6
NHL (Invitation & Team Attendees Only)
Brett Baur, Senior Director, Corporate Partnerships, Excel Sports Management
Eric Stisser, VP, Corporate Sponsorship, St. Louis Blues
Location: Midway 1-2
MiLB (Invitation & Team Attendees Only)
Bases Loaded: Hitting Home Runs in Tickets, Sponsorships & Community
Zach Brockman, President, Beloit Sky Carp
Andy Milovich, Head, Client Development, Revelocity Sports
Heather Raburn, Senior Director, Partnership Marketing, Unrivaled Sports
Location: Midway 8
Soccer (Invitation & Team Attendees Only)
Katie Foglia, VP, Marketing & Brand Strategy, Columbus Crew
Lindsey Moore, Director, Global Partnership Sales, Americas, Liverpool FC
Laura Wright, VP, Integrated Marketing, FC Cincinnati
Location: Midway 3-4
From Legacy to Lift-Off: Revitalizing Assets with New Sponsorship Energy
Haley Jurick, Director, Client Development, rEvolution
Location: Midway 7
12:00 - 12:45
Maximizing Your Tradeshow Opportunities
David Brown, EVP, Idegy Inc.
Location: Midway West
1:15 – 3:15 PM
Case Cup: Finals
Location: Regency Ballroom
2:30 PM
Networking Break
Location: Trade Show Floor
3:00 – 5:30 PM
Discipline Workshops
Ticket Sales & Strategy
Kolin Goff, SVP, Commercial Operations & Business Strategy, FEVO
Rich Kuchar, Director, Ticket Service & Retention, Chicago White Sox
Trevor Purvis, Director, Ticket Operations, Technology & Solutions, Houston Astros
Nick Wierciak, VP, Ticketing, Premium & Suite Sales, St. Louis Blues
Moderators:
Paige Farragut, Dallas, TX
Tom Sheridan, Co-Founder, SportsBiz Builders
Location: Midway 5
Brands (Brands Only)
Elliott Cox, Global Sports Partnerships Executive, Bank of America
Marc Timson, Chairman, Adaptive Golf Association
Chris Rohlfing, Manager, Sports Marketing, Nestlé Purina North America
Lisa Woodward, Founder & CEO, Align Sports Partners
Location: Midway 7
Corporate Partnerships & Brand Activation
The Rise of Earned Media: Unlocking Social and Broadcast Value
Hosted by
Doug Holtzman, SVP, Sports, Sportsdigita
Heather Raburn, Senior Director, Partnership Marketing, Unrivaled Sports
Location: Midway 6
Marketing & Fan Engagement
Top Marketing Mistakes in Sports (and How to Fix Them)
Hosted by
Rishi Lal, Strategic Advisor, SEVN
Toni Will, General Manager & Governor, Kalamazoo Wings
Location: Midway 10
Innovation Lab
Brian Gainor, Founder & CEO, Gainor Sports
Location: Midway 8
Business Intelligence & Analytics
Will Eidam, Director, Partnership Analytics, Detroit Pistons
Ryan Horiuchi, Customer Insights Manager, Portland Trail Blazers
Location: Midway 1-2
Private Events & Non-Game Day Revenue
Ali Jackson, Event Sales Director, Ken Garff University Club at Rice-Eccles Stadium
Starr Jemison, SVP, Content Development & Private Events, Oak View Group
Lauren Shor, Senior Director, Special Events, UBS Arena
Location: Midway 3-4
5:00 PM
Registration Closes
5:00 – 5:45 PM
Budweiser Beer Wagon
Location: Trade Show Floor
5:45 – 6:15 PM
Buses to Busch Stadium
6:00 – 9:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Hosted by
Location: Busch Stadium
8:45 – 10:00 PM
Buses to Union Station Hotel
9:00 PM
Official Bar
Hosted by
Grand Hall, Union Station Hotel
7:30 AM
Registration Opens
Location: Midway West Staircase
8:00 – 9:30 AM
Newcomers Breakfast
Hosted by
Location: Regency Ballroom
8:30 – 9:30 AM
SBJ Connect: Structured Networking Breakfast
Location: Grand Ballroom B - C
9:45 – 10:15 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Location: Grand Ballroom D - F
10:15 – 11:05 AM
Fireside Chat
Howie Nuchow, Managing Director, CAA & Co-Head, CAA Sports
Moderator: Abraham Madkour, Publisher & Executive Editor, Sports Business Journal
Location: Grand Ballroom D - F
11:05 – 11:45 AM
Fireside Chat: Racing Ahead - NASCAR’s Vision for Tomorrow
Steve O'Donnell, President, NASCAR
Moderator: Ryan McGee, Senior Writer, ESPN
Location: Grand Ballroom D - F
11:45 AM – 12:15 PM
Networking Break
Hosted by
Location: Midway West | Trade Show Floor
12:15 – 1:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Round One
Breakout 1: Sponsorship Sales
Ten MORE Emerging Sponsorship Categories & Partnership Platforms You Can Take Back to Your Organization
Brett Baur, Senior Director, Corporate Partnerships, Excel Sports Management
Travis Misner, Director, Team Partnerships & Strategy, Playfly Sports
Location: Midway 5
Breakout 2: Senior Management
The New Expectation of Sports Entertainment: How Creating Unforgettable Moments—Not Just Wins—Drives Engagement, Loyalty, and Revenue
Wayne Partello, CEO, CUENTO Marketing
Location: Midway 7
Breakout 3: Diversity & Inclusion
Impact That Pays: Turning Community Trust into Revenue
Tatianna Carthorn, Program Manager, Student Impact Initiative, The Social Impact Firm
Location: Midway 8
Breakout 4: Business Intelligence
Lead Generation Through Analytics
Kai Murray, Director, Season Ticket Sales & Business Development, Kansas City Royals
Daniel Sommerhauser, Senior Director, Business Analytics, Kansas City Royals
Location: Midway 1-2
Breakout 5: Marketing
Cross-Collaboration Amongst Departments to Reach Goals
Matt Walker, Partnership Activation Manager Cleveland Browns
Location: Midway 3-4
Breakout 6: Private/Special Events & Non-Gameday Revenues
Beyond Game Day: Uncovering Millions in Untapped In-Venue Sponsorship Value
Alexander Kerr, CEO & Founder, Trajektory
Location: Midway 10
Breakout 7: Wild Card
Hosted by
The Playbook for Success: Leadership Lessons from the Sports Industry
John Roberson, CEO & Chief Cheerleader, Advent
Eric Sudol, CRO, Tepper Sports & Entertainment
Location: Midway 6
Breakout 8: Ticket Sales
Experiences Rule, Tickets Drool: How to Sell Seat Outcomes in 2026
Bill Guertin, President, The 800-Pound Gorilla, Inc.; Co-Founder, ISBI 360
Location: Midway 9
1:00 – 2:30 PM
Networking Lunch
Location: Midway West | Trade Show Floor
2:30 – 3:15 PM
Breakout Sessions Round Two
Breakout 1: Ticket Sales
From Jedis to Jerseys: The Business Behind Theme Night Magic
Jennifer Nevins, Senior Director Group & Promotional Sales, St. Louis Blues
Bethany White, Manager, Fan Engagement, St. Louis Cardinals
Location: Midway 5
Breakout 2: Sponsorship
Hometown Partnerships with Big Impact
Mike Kapilla, Manager, Sponsorships, Enterprise Mobility
Chris Rohlfing, Manager, Sports Marketing, Nestlé Purina North America
Joe Samel, Media, Partnerships & Sponsorships, Stifel
Eric Stisser, VP, Corporate Partnerships, St. Louis Blues
Location: Midway 6
Breakout 3: Fan Engagement
Sports Betting: An Evolving Area of Fan Engagement
Evan Davis, Head, Gaming & Sports Practice, Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld, LLC
Location: Midway 7
Breakout 4: Diversity & Inclusion
Where to Begin: A Startup Approach to Inclusion and Belonging
Lia Rollman, Director, People & Culture, Tepper Sports & Entertainment
Location: Midway 1-2
Breakout 5: Senior Management
Negotiations Secrets of High Stakes Leadership
Andres Lares, CEO & Managing Partner, Shapiro Negotiations Institute
Location: Midway 3-4
Breakout 6: Artificial Intelligence
Your Sixth Player: Maximum Impact, Minimum Resources
Lenny Goh, VP, Business Development, Tradable Bits
Location: Midway 9
Breakout 7: Marketing
We Sell Nothing Fans Actually Need …So Why Are We Marketing Like We Do?
Dr. April Seifert, President & Data Scientist, SprocketCX
Location: Midway 10
Breakout 8: Wild Card
Inside SBJ’s Leaders Club: Building the Next Generation of Sports Business Leaders
Eileen Silvergleid, CRO, Leaders Group
Location: Midway 8
3:15 – 3:45 PM
Networking Break
Location: Midway West | Trade Show Floor
3:45 PM
Afternoon Remarks: Case and Challenge Cup Winners; Project Possible Award
Location: Grand Ballroom D - F
4:30 – 5:30 PM
Super Panel
The New Home Field Advantage: How Brands Are Owning the Entertainment District
Tim Bodner, Partner, Global Head, Real Asset Deals, PwC
Elliott Cox, Global Sports Partnerships Executive, Bank of America
John Moncke, President, Kansas City Power & Light District
Moderator: John Roberson, CEO & Chief Cheerleader, Advent
Location: Grand Ballroom D - F
6:00 PM
Registration Closes
5:30 – 7:30 PM
Opening Night Trade Show Reception
Location: Midway West | Trade Show Floor
7:30 – 9:00 PM
Women Sports Leaders Reception
Location: Energizer Park
8:00 – 10:00 PM
CITY After Dark Reception
Hosted by
Location: Energizer Park
10:00 PM
Official Bar
Maggie O’Briens
2000 Market St, St. Louis, MO 63103 (across the street from Energizer Stadium)
7:30 AM
Registration Opens
Location: Midway West Staircase
7:45 – 8:50 AM
Networking Breakfast
Location: Midway West | Trade Show Floor
9:00 – 9:15 AM
Opening Remarks
Location: Grand Ballroom D - F
9:15 – 10:05 AM
Fireside Chat with Joe Buck
Joe Buck, Play-By-Play Announcer, ESPN
Moderator: Eric Stisser, VP, Corporate Sponsorship, St. Louis Blues
Location: Grand Ballroom D - F
10:05 – 11:15 AM
Super Panel
Gateway to Greatness: Leading St. Louis Sports into the Future
Bill DeWitt III, President, St. Louis Cardinals
Carolyn Kindle, Owner & CEO, St. Louis CITY SC
Tom Stillman, Chairman & Governor, St. Louis Blues
Moderator: Martin Kilcoyne, Sports Director, KTVI FOX 2
Location: Grand Ballroom D - F
11:15 – 11:45 AM
Networking Break
Location: Midway West | Trade Show Floor
11:45 AM – 12:30 PM
Breakout Sessions Round Three
Breakout 1: Senior Management
10 Ideas to Make Your Sports Venue More Attractive for Corporate Meetings
Rose Lanham, President, Athlete Speakers & Sports, Players for Good Speakers Bureau
Location: Midway 7
Breakout 2: Business Intelligence/AI
Building an AI Playbook to Leverage Your Data for New Revenue
Amber Myczkowiak, VP, Client Success, WolfCycle
Location: Midway 1-2
Breakout 3: Marketing
The Six Best Ideas You Should Be Doing Now! (SAMMY Competition)
Location: Grand Ballroom D-F
Breakout 4: Sponsorship
Worst Practices in Brand Partnerships
Molly Sapienza, SVP & Group Head, Corporate Sponsorships, PNC Bank
Location: Midway 5
Breakout 5: Diversity & Inclusion
Inclusive Sponsorships: Expanding ROI by Expanding Representation
Mara Dorne, CEO & Senior Regional Sales Leader, Dorne Region
Location: Midway 8
Breakout 6: Customer Service & Retention
Winning Without the Scoreboard: Creating Memorable Experiences & Building Fan Loyalty
Zach Brockman, President, Beloit Sky Carp
Jonathan Griffith, President, Blue Wahoos
Audra Walden, Marketing Manager, MAVRX Sports Housing
Location: Midway 10
Breakout 7: Business Development
How to Leverage Stadium Development for Year-Round Value
Ben Donsky, Principal, Agora Partners
Howard Kozloff, Principal & Founder, Agora Partners
Jackie Krutz, Director, Titletown Development, Green Bay Packers
Caroline Valvardi, VP, Public Affairs & Communications, Seregh Development Company
Location: Midway 3-4
Breakout 8: Marketing
What Does it Take to Engage the Next Generation of Fans?
Chad Menefee, EVP, Strategic Intelligence, SSRS
Location: Midway 9
12:30 – 2:00 PM
Networking Lunch
Location: Midway West | Trade Show Floor
2:00 – 2:45 PM
Breakout Sessions Round Four
Breakout 1: Business Development
Behind the Playbook: EQ in Action for Sales Success
Brittany Alexander, Executive Assistant, Monumental Sports & Entertainment
Location: Midway 1-2
Breakout 2: AI
3rd Annual State of Sports Biz AI: 60+ New Tools & Tricks to Transform your Career & Life
Jim Delaney, CEO, Activate Sports & Entertainment
Location: Midway 5
Breakout 3: Ticket Sales
Five Ways to Use AI Pricing to Boost Event Day Sales
Derek Zhou, Head, SeatGeek IQ
Location: Midway 6
Breakout 4: Marketing
Revenue Beyond the Gates: Turning Every Fan Touchpoint into a Profit Center
Jacqueline Purcell, Sales Manager, Sports & Entertainment, Alvarado Mfg
Tim Thomas, Business Development Manager, i6
Location: Midway 3-4
Breakout 5: Fan Entertainment
Fan Engagement Partnership: How Singles & Doubles Should Compliment your Home Run Swings
Tom Bridger, Associate Director, Partnerships, WIT Sports
Ben Tack, Director Partnerships, WIT Sports
Location: Midway 7
Breakout 6: Wild Card
The Everchanging Landscape of Women’s Sports
Sara Arnold, VP, Corporate Partnerships, Chicago Stars FC
Location: Midway 9
Breakout 7: Sponsorship
Face It: Faster Entry, Easier Payments, Bigger Revenue
Trevor Purvis, Director, Ticket Operations, Technology & Solutions, Houston Astros
Location: Midway 10
Breakout 8: Case Study
Purposeful Partnership with the Connecticut Sun
Kirsty Beauchais, Director, Partnerships, Connecticut Sun
Alexandra Maund, Director, Brand Development & Communications, Connecticut Sun
Jennifer Rizzotti, President, Connecticut Sun
Location: Midway 8
2:45 – 3:15 PM
Ice Cream Break
3:00 PM
Registration Closes
3:15 – 3:30 PM
Afternoon Remarks: Sammy Award Winner
Location: Grand Ballroom D - F
3:30 – 4:30 PM
Power Play: Gary Bettman on the Future of the NHL
Gary Bettman, Commissioner, NHL
Moderator: Andy Strickland, Host & Reporter, FanDuel Sports Network
Location: Grand Ballroom D - F
4:30 – 4:45 PM
Closing Remarks
Location: Grand Ballroom D - F
4:45 – 5:45 PM
Budweiser Beer Wagon
5:50 – 6:15 PM
Buses Depart for Enterprise Center
6:20 – 9:15 PM
Budweiser Gala
Hosted by
Sound System Powered by
Chris Zimmerman, President & CEO, St. Louis Blues
Moderator: Abraham Madkour, Publisher & Executive Editor, Sports Business Journal
9:15 – 9:45 PM
Buses Return to Union Station Hotel
9:30 PM
Official Bar
The Pitch, Union Station Hotel (located at the corner of Market St. & N. 20th)
