Agenda

Arrive early to collect your delegate pass. Early delegates can enjoy barista-made coffee, breakfast items and networking time pre-conference.

Master of Ceremonies: Hamish McLachlan

LOCATION: PLENARY

Plenary doors open 08:00am. Don’t miss our special welcome video for SportNXT 2026 and our opening addresses to start the summit.

As sport enters a period of accelerating change, our panel of industry leaders examine the forces reshaping the sector: from evolving revenue models and shifting fan expectations to technology, global expansion, investment, partnerships and organisational resilience.

MODERATOR: TRACEY HOLMES - Host & Executive Producer, The Sports Ambassador
SPEAKERS:

• TODD GREENBERG – CEO, Cricket Australia
• RAELENE CASTLE ONZM – Group Chief Executive, Sport New Zealand and High Performance Sport NZ
• HON. KATE JONES – Commissioner, ARLC; Vice President, Paralympics Australia; Chairwomen, Women in Digital

LOCATION: PLENARY (In Person)

Everyone is streaming, but as audiences fragment and competition intensifies, what does success look like in the next era of sports streaming? From distribution and discovery to consumer behaviour and commercial sustainability, what will separate the winners from the rest?

MODERATOR: JOSEPH PERRY - Editor, SportBusiness Media

SPEAKERS:

• KYLIE WATSON-WHEELER – SVP & Managing Director, The Walt Disney Company; Head of ESPN Asia-Pacific (AU/NZ)
• AMANDA LAING – Managing Director, Streaming & Broadcast, Nine
• BEVERLEY MCGARVEY – President Network 10 & Head of Streaming, Paramount Australia And New Zealand

LOCATION: PLENARY (In Person)

The greatest threat to sport may not be competition, but relevance. As audiences evolve and the battle for time and attention intensifies, sports are rethinking everything from formats and rules to technology, safety and new competitions. Where should innovation end, and tradition begin?

MODERATOR: NEROLI MEADOWS - Sports Journalist and Presenter

SPEAKERS:

• JEREMY BLOOM – Chief Executive Officer, X-Games
• MARK ROBINSON – Chief of Rugby, World Rugby
• JANE FLEMMING OAM OLY – President, Australian Athletics; Director, Racing NSW

LOCATION: Plenary (In Person)

From private equity and sovereign wealth to governments, institutions and superfans, sport is being shaped by an increasingly complex mix of capital. Who is investing, why now, and what will it mean for ownership, growth and influence across global sport?

MODERATOR: BART CAMPBELL - Co-Founder, SportNXT; Global Content Director, TEG Sport; Director, World Rugby

SPEAKERS:

• BOBBY SHARMA – Founder & Managing Partner, Bluestone Equity Partners
• JOHN KNOX – Partner and Head of Australia & NZ, Ares Credit Group

LOCATION: PLENARY (In Person)

Women's sport is entering a pivotal new phase as rising audiences, investment and visibility bring increasing expectations around scale, sustainability and commercial performance. What will it take to build enduring success across the next era of women's sport?

Moderator: SARAH STYLES – Director, Victorian Institute of Sport; Strategist; Women's Sport Advocate

• LAURA KANE – Executive General Manager – AFLW, Health and Football Operations, AFL 
• DAVID STEVENSON – Chief Executive Officer, NBL Group
• TAIN DRINKWATER – Interim Executive Director, Minerva Network
• SARAH WALSH OLY – Sports Executive, Former Matilda

LOCATION: PLENARY (In Person)

Great sports brands aren't built through marketing campaigns alone. They are shaped by performance, culture, purpose, community, and experience, and create identity, belonging, and lifelong emotional connections. Drawing on experiences from the IPL, NFL and NBA, this panel explores how leading organisations sustain enduring brands that stand out in an increasingly noisy world.

MODERATOR: JARRAD PROVIS - General Manager, MKTG

SPEAKERS:

• RAJESH MENON – CEO, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (IPL)
• KATHRYN KAI-LING FREDERICK – Chief Marketing Officer, LA Rams
• RAJAH CHAUDHRY – GM Australia and New Zealand, NBA

LOCATION: Plenary (In Person)

Great sporting events can no longer rely on history alone. As fan expectations evolve and public trust becomes increasingly important, relevance depends on reimagining experiences and relationships. Kylie Rogers, CEO of the Victoria Racing Club, and Aaron Morrison, CEO of Racing Victoria, explore how one of Australia's most iconic sports is evolving through experience innovation, social licence, and authentic storytelling.

MODERATOR: EDDIE MCGUIRE AM - Co-Founder, SportNXT SPEAKERS:

• KYLIE ROGERS – Chief Executive Officer, Victoria Racing Club
• AARON MORRISON – Chief Executive Officer, Racing Victoria

LOCATION: Plenary (In Person)

Major events have become one of the defining ways cities and states compete for visitors, investment, talent and global attention. Yet as governments face growing economic pressures and competing priorities, the role and value of public investment in major events continues to be debated. In conversation with Andy Penn and Brendan McClements, Chair and CEO of Visit Victoria, this session explores how Melbourne has built a year-round calendar of major events that creates long-term value for Victoria’s Visitor Economy and wider benefits for the community, and what it will take to stay ahead as global competition for major events continues to intensify.

MODERATOR: HAMISH MCLACHLAN - Maser of Ceremonies
SPEAKERS:

• ANDY PENN AO – Chair, Visit Victoria
• BRENDAN MCCLEMENTS – CEO, Visit Victoria

LOCATION: Plenary (In Person)

Based in the heart of Silicon Valley, the San Francisco 49ers operate at the intersection of sport, technology and innovation. As Chief Marketing Officer, Stephanie Rogers is helping shape one of the world's leading sports brands in a market where fan expectations, technology and commercial partnerships continue to evolve. In conversation with SportNXT, she explores how those forces are redefining brand, fandom and engagement—and what they may mean for the future of sports marketing.

MODERATOR: TBC
SPEAKERS:

• STEPHANIE ROGERS – Chief Marketing Officer, San Francisco 49ers

LOCATION: Breakout Room (In Person)

AI is changing faster than most organisations can adapt, presenting leaders with a new generation of strategic opportunities and challenges. Drawing on his experience as CEO of Quantium and Chair of the Canterbury Bulldogs, Adam Driussi explores how executives can navigate this transformation and what it may mean for the future of the business of sport.

ADAM DRIUSSI - Co-Founder & CEO, Quantium; Chair, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
LOCATION: Breakout Room (In Person)

The future of events won't be shaped by what audiences see alone. Behind every great experience sits an increasingly complex web of decisions, people, approvals, risks and operational knowledge—and AI is beginning to change how all of it can be managed. Drawing on more than two decades in event delivery, Evatto CEO Hailey Mason explores where AI may have its greatest impact behind the scenes, what event organisations need to become AI-ready, and how freeing teams from administration could ultimately create more time for the human creativity that makes great events memorable.

MODERATOR: HAILEY MASON - Chief Executive Officer, Evatto

LOCATION: Masterclass Room (In Person)

Psychosocial factors - not facilities or talent - are the biggest driver of drop-out. This session looks at what a psychologically safe sporting environment actually means, what Movember and its sport partners are doing to build one, and why keeping people in the game matters both for wellbeing and for the long-term health of the sport. As SportNXT's mental fitness partner, Movember is joined by partners doing this work now - including what they're measuring and what they're learning along the way.

SPEAKERS: TBA
LOCATION: Masterclass Room (In Person)

The next generation of fans is reshaping not only how sport is consumed, but what fandom itself means. As behaviours, communities and expectations continue to evolve, what will define the future relationship between sport and its fans?

MODERATOR: NEROLI MEADOWS - Sports Journalist and Presenter
SPEAKERS:

• JÈRÈMY BOTTON – President, SSM Group
• NIKHIL MORAR – Director, Business Intelligence, Pacers Sports & Entertainment
• CHRISTINE FINNEGAN – EGM Super League and Commercial Growth, Netball Australia

LOCATION: PLENARY (In Person)

Media, sponsorship and ticketing remain foundational to sport’s business model, but future growth is increasingly being shaped by deeper fan relationships built across experiences, data, commerce and engagement. Drawing on real-world experience and industry perspectives, this panel explores the evolving commercial models shaping the next era of sports revenue.

MODERATOR: PROF. ADAM KARG - Director Sport Business Lab & Professior Sport Management, Deakin University

• JENNIFER PRINCE – Chief Commercial Officer, LA Rams
• GLENN LOVETT – Chief Business Officer, Dentsu Sports International
• BEC HAAGSMA – EGM, Customer, Commercial and Technology, AFL

LOCATION: Plenary (In Person)

Most organisations are using AI to optimise yesterday's operating models, yet the real opportunity may lie in creating tomorrow's. Through real-world perspectives, this session explores how leading organisations are using AI to rethink products, experiences and business models and where genuine step change is already emerging.

MODERATOR: SCOTT DINSDALE - Managing Director, FutureNext; Content Director, SportNXT

• PROF. ADAM KARG – Director Sport Business Lab & Professior Sport Management, Deakin University
• LEANNE BATS – Head of Digital and Innovation, Sport Waikato
• DR. TROY FLANAGAN – Senior Performance Advisor, Milwaukee Bucks (NBA)

LOCATION: Breakout Room (In Person)

AI is reshaping how people discover, consume and engage with content, brands and sport, challenging many of the foundations of digital marketing. What could this shift mean for fan acquisition, sponsorship, media, visibility and the future of sports marketing?

MODERATOR: JOSEPH PERRY - Editor, SportBusiness Media

• PETER SPRENGER – President, Dutch Volleyball Federation (Nevobo); Chair, SportsCloud Australia
• KATHRYN MCCANN – Chief Marketing Officer, Tasmania Football Club

LOCATION: Breakout Room (In Person)

India’s sport landscape is rapidly evolving, driven by rising participation, government support, and growing interest beyond cricket. Built upon one of the world’s strongest tech sectors, sports startups are accelerating this growth through innovations in AI, data analytics, performance tracking, digital fan engagement, and live-streaming technologies. As India’s sector transforms and continues to emerge, where are the greatest opportunities and challenges to be found?

MODERATORS:

• SIDHHANT AGARWAL – Founder and CEO, SportVot
• MEGHA GHAMBHIR – Chief Executive Officer, Stupa Sports
• PRITISH NARANG – VP & Industry Lead - Leagues, Teams, & Federations, Sports, SI

LOCATION: Masterclass Room (In Person)

Sport has never reached more people, and never had more riding on how much of that audience it actually knows. Through Youi Origin Verified, the NRL and Youi challenged fans to prove their Origin fandom, complete challenges and earn their Official Fan Verification Status - identifying and revealing more about themselves in the process. The NRL joins Komo to unpack how it was built, what it unlocked, and how participation can turn audience reach into richer fan profiles and measurable commercial value.

SPEAKERS: TBA
LOCATION: Masterclass Room (In Person)

As expectations around live sport continue to evolve, venues are being reimagined as flexible entertainment, hospitality and engagement platforms. How will the venues of tomorrow create greater value for fans, partners and communities?

MODERATOR: KATIE MCNAMARA - Partner, Project & Infrastructure Advisory, BDO

• JOHN HARNDEN AM – CEO, Melbourne & Olympic Parks Trust
• BILL HANWAY – EVP, Global Sports and Social Infrastructure Leader, AECOM
• BRENT SCHOEB – Chief Operating Officer, San Francisco 49ers

LOCATION: Plenary (In Person)

The era of the passive sports spectator and static event branding is officially over. Today's audiences demand premium hospitality, friction-free engagement, and immersive live environments, while global brands expect deeply integrated partnerships over simple logo placement. This session explores how the world’s leading events are reimagining their live footprints to unlock lucrative new revenue streams. Discover how elite organizations are converting event spaces into high-yield commercial assets, designing next-generation premium experiences, and embedding sponsors into the very fabric of the fan journey.

MODERATOR: NEROLI MEADOWS - Sports Journalist and Presenter

• MICHAEL GIETZEN – CEO, Identity
• JOE TOMEK – VP & Executive Director, Presidents Cup 2028 - PGA TOUR
• MICHELLE ROSAR – Senior Director, Partnership Marketing - San Francisco 49ers
• TAKAYUKI HIOKI – President, Cerezo Osaka; Board Member, Japan Football Association

LOCATION: Plenary

As AI capabilities accelerate, organisations face growing questions around governance, regulation, trust, risk and organisational readiness. How should leaders prepare for a future in which intelligent technologies become embedded across every aspect of sport?

MODERATOR: NADINE PARKINGTON - Principal, Think Nimble

• NICOLE LIVINGSTONE AO – Chief Executive Officer, Victorian Institute of Sport
• PAUL DEVLIN – Sub Industry Leader, Betting, Gaming & Sports, Amazon Web Services

LOCATION: Breakout Room (In Person)

As athletes become increasingly powerful commercial, media and cultural forces, the relationships between teams, leagues, sponsors, platforms and fans are evolving rapidly. How will the continued rise of athlete-as-brand reshape the influence, economics and future of sports marketing?

MODERATOR: JONAS BAER-HOFFMAN - Chief Executive Officer, OneTeam International

• SCOTTY JAMES – Olympic Medalist, World Champion Snowboarder, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
• CLINT NEWTON OAM – Chief Executive Officer, Rugby League Players Association
• CHANTELLA PERERA – President, Women Sport Australia; Group General Manager, KOJO

LOCATION: Breakout Room (In Person)

How do you fundamentally reinvent a 30-year-old sports institution without losing the credibility that made it iconic in the first place? In this masterclass, X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom takes the SportNXT audience inside the decisions, risks and lessons behind one of the most significant transformations in the brand's history. X Games is evolving from a collection of marquee events into a global, team-based sports league. This is a live case study in how an established sports property can reinvent its product, economics and relationship with fans while protecting the cultural credibility that made the brand valuable in the first place.

SPEAKER: JEREMY BLOOM - CEO, X Games
LOCATION: Masterclass Room (In Person)

The Australian Open’s rise as a cultural powerhouse is no accident - it’s the result of deliberate strategy, bold partnerships, and a relentless focus on audience insight. This session takes delegates inside the thinking that powers the AO’s year‑round influence and its ability to stay ahead of cultural trends. Learn how Tennis Australia builds relevance that lasts long after the final ball is hit.

MODERATORS:

• RODDY CAMPBELL – Director of Partnerships & International Business, Tennis Australia
• CARLY DUNCAN – Head of Tennis Brand Marketing, Tennis Australia

LOCATION: Masterclass Room (In Person)

Australia is entering an extraordinary era of major sport, with World Cups, world championships and global events building towards the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The opportunity extends far beyond hosting them successfully. How can Australia turn this unprecedented runway into lasting economic, sporting and social impact, and create experiences, innovations and legacies that influence how the world's biggest events are imagined and delivered?

MODERATOR: TRACEY HOLMES - Host & Executive Producer, The Sports Ambassador

• CHRIS STANLEY – Managing Director, LOC Rugby World Cup 2027 & 2029
• HON. MARTIN PAKULA – Chair, AGPC; Chair, Crown
• PENNY FOWLER AM – Chair, Tourism Australia; Chair, Herald & Weekly Times
• KIT MCCONNELL – Chief Sport Officer, Brisbane 2032

LOCATION: Plenary (In Person)