[Source: SportAccord] The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2024 wrapped up yesterday after an inspirational week that will shape the future of sport and leave a transformative legacy in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

More than 1,700 attendees from 65 different countries travelled to the UK from across the globe for a packed agenda of high-level meetings, conferences, exhibitions, networking, and social events at the International Convention Centre.

Against the backdrop of what many described as the busiest SportAccord exhibition ever, high-calibre participants in the conference programme included Olympic champions and leading industry figures such as Epic Games Vice President and Co-Founder Mark Rein; UK Sport Chair Dame Katherine Grainger; Olympic Broadcasting Services CEO Yannis Exarchos; Rob Alberino, Vice-President of Content and Production, Kansas City Chiefs; Wayne Barnes,  Former Rugby World Cup referee and many more. Topics of discussion and debate ranged from sustainability, innovative technology, fan engagement and new event models to governance, esports and athlete wellbeing.

Important items during the official meetings included the election of the next Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) President Ingmar De Vos, and presentations from the Organising Committees for Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026.

“On behalf of SportAccord, I would like to express our sincere thanks to our hosts for delivering a superb event bringing the international sports family back together in the heart of their vibrant and diverse city,” SportAccord President Prof Dr Uğur Erdener said.

“An engaging agenda of networking events, supported by the passion of the local volunteers in a state-of-the-art venue in a region steeped in sporting heritage, provided a perfect platform for forging connections, strengthening relationships and exploring new ideas.

“Birmingham and the West Midlands have given sport an ideal platform for gathering International Federations, the International Olympic Committee, rights holders, businesses, cities, and regions – the whole sporting family.”

SportAccord has been supported by the Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund (CWGLEF), administered by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). In addition to the WMCA, SportAccord’s regional delivery partners include Birmingham City Council and the West Midlands Growth Company.

Neil Rami, Chief Executive of the West Midlands Growth Company, said: “SportAccord has been a triumph for the West Midlands – this is about return on influence for us, as well as return on investment. This was the natural next step from the success of the Commonwealth Games, as we brought world leaders of sport together in Birmingham at SportAccord to enhance our reputation across the global sports industry and forge crucial relationships with sporting federations.

“Significant announcements made at SportAccord included the release of the government’s official report of £1.2 billion economic impact of the Commonwealth Games, to Tom Wagner’s investment in Birmingham City Football Club and the purchase of Bordesley Park, as well as the creation of the Sports Quarter which is expected to generate 3,000 local jobs. 

“There’s been no better endorsement than when SportAccord President Prof Dr Uğur Erdener has congratulated us and hailed Birmingham as the best SportAccord ever.”

Host City: It’s great to be here in Birmingham for SportAccord. How important was hosting the Commonwealth Games for the city and the West Midlands region?

Joel Lavery: We hit the high note with the Commonwealth Games in 2022. The city came alive with sport, and we recognised the power and the impact of an event like the Commonwealth Games. That led us to think about what comes after the Commonwealth Games. We wanted to see if we could attract more events that have purpose, and to know what impact they're going to have.

Host City: How is hosting SportAccord helping to attract more events?

Joel Lavery: SportAccord is one of the events that sits as part of that portfolio that is being paid for by the underspend of £70 million from the Commonwealth Games and the £6 million invested into the major events fund. What better audience could we have than 1,500 world leaders of sport? And so this week it's about meeting people and starting off some of those conversations that we hope will lead to us landing a pipeline of opportunities.

Host City: What activities have you got in the pipeline?

Joel Lavery: We've talked about the Golden Decade of Sport from the Commonwealth Games. In 2026 we'll have the European Athletics Championships and alongside that, we'll have the IWG Women in Sport Global Conference that's happening in this very same venue in two years.  We've also got events like the Kabaddi World Cup, the Urban Sports World Championships, Esports and Judo happening.

Tom Wagner made the announcement here that they've purchased a large piece of land in the east of Birmingham where there's going to be a new development, a new Birmingham City stadium and sports quarter.  I think that's an exciting announcement, when we're talking about the power of sport to transform cities and showcasing the West Midlands’ place at the heart of sport in the UK.

For more information on the West Midlands' sporting offer, please go to: www.meetbirmingham.com/sportingevents #HeartofSport

The Belgian, Ingmar De Vos, Council member of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), will stand for election as the next ASOIF President at the 48th General Assembly on 9 April in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The third term of incumbent President Francesco Ricci Bitti will come to an end on 31 December 2024.

The President is elected by secret ballot for a term of four years in the year of the Summer Olympic Games and takes up the position on 1 January of the following year.

The nomination of Mr De Vos was the sole candidature received by the official deadline of 25 March. In line with the ASOIF Statutes, Full Members may nominate one of their executive body members for the position of ASOIF President.

Ingmar De Vos has served as FEI President since 2014 and as ASOIF Council member since 2019. An IOC Member since 2017, he is part of the IOC Coordination Commission for LA28, the Legal Affairs Commission, and the Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commission. He is also a SportAccord Executive Committee member, ASOIF representative on the WADA Executive Committee, member of the Board of Directors of the Belgium Olympic Committee, and a UN International Gender Champion.

The 48th General Assembly will be organised during the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit, which takes place from 7 to 11 April in Birmingham, United Kingdom. It will be fully livestreamed on YouTube. Click here to learn more about the agenda.

[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord is thrilled to announce Wiz-Team, an independent, leading provider of comprehensive Events and Games management solutions, as Official Supplier for the World Sport & Business Summit in Birmingham - the West Midlands, on 7-11 April 2024.

Next month, sport’s most influential gathering will bring together more than 1,500 delegates, including leaders and key decision makers from over 120 International Federations (IFs), the International Olympic Committee, host cities and organisations involved in the business of sport.

In the run-up and during the Summit, Wiz-Team will support SportAccord and the local organisers with important solutions and services based on its all-in-one event management platform “Event-Works”, which will ensure smooth event delivery, from the registration of participants to the management of arrivals, departures and accreditations, to accommodation and access control, to name just a few.

SportAccord 2024 - #WhereSportMeets

In addition, Wiz-Team’s Delegate Mobile App, which has been custom branded “SportAccord”, will support the key purpose of SportAccord - networking and facilitating meaningful connections between the delegates, speakers and exhibitors. Delegates will have instant access to the event’s full programme, speakers listing, information on local cultural activities, as well as all relevant social media streams and other useful information. Thanks to the App, attendees will also be able to include their preferred sessions directly into their own agendas and use their personalised QR code to access the event venue.

Martin Gibbs, Managing Director of SportAccord said: “Wiz-Team is internationally recognised for their innovative event technology, smart data management and seamless event delivery services – all crucial to help ensure an excellent delegate experience. We are absolutely delighted we can count on them as our official supplier for SportAccord 2024.”

“Wiz-Team has long-standing links with SportAccord and the International Federations it unites. Supporting the return of the Summit, long awaited by so many, is a matter close to our hearts,” said Tim Goethals, COO of Wiz-Team. “We are looking forward to meeting many old and new friends all in one place next month in Birmingham, a city we know well through our work with the Commonwealth Games, and supporting the continued success of this unique event.”

Delegates can meet Wiz-Team at their booth number 17 in the exhibition space.

About Wiz-Team

Wiz-Team delivers cutting-edge technology and support services to the world’s greatest events across sport, institutions, hospitality, and entertainment. An industry-leading independent solution provider since 2012, it designs and delivers comprehensive Events and Games management solutions and services, including internationally renowned all-in-one event management platform “Event-Works”.  Designed by event managers for event managers, Event-Works provides a suite of customisable tools aimed at flexing and scaling to the changing needs of event operations and delivery. Wiz-Team’s innovative platform empowers event professionals across industries to manage various event types, sizes and demands, from major sports competitions like the Commonwealth Games and World Cups, to high service level meetings, such as Congresses, Summits, and General Assemblies.

[Source: SportAccord] Join us at MediaAccord (Day 4 - Thursday, 11 April) to hear from Olympic Broadcasting Services and Agence France-Presse - leading global news agency and long term SportAccord Media Partner - on the most technologically complex and visually stunning Olympic Games in history.

Paris 2024 - unique in so many ways

Paris 2024 will be showing the world the best France has to offer in just 140 days, transforming world-famous monuments into magnificent competition venues - from the Eiffel Tower and Trocadéro to Roland-Garros Stadium and Château de Versailles.

“It’s not only the athletes who will have to be at the top of their game in Paris: this is the ultimate test for media companies. MediaAccord is a rare opportunity for all the stakeholders in sport to come together, listen, discuss and learn about the latest trends and developments,” explained James Pearce - award-winning sports journalist & broadcaster, covering eight Olympic Games - and MediaAccord’s moderator.

Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) will be taking broadcast coverage of Paris 2024 to an entirely new level, with more coverage than ever before and innovative technologies being used - the stage is set for a spectacular Games in Paris that will redefine how viewers experience this global event.

Yiannis Exarchos, Chief Executive Officer of Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) and Executive Director of the Olympic Channel explained: “Technological enhancements like UHD HDR, immersive sound and AI integration contribute to our commitment to capture the essence and emotions of athletes. With a desire for more human interaction post-pandemic, Paris 2024 coverage will provide more content than ever before and behind-the-scenes material for a deeper connection to the Games experience.”

Paris 2024 - breaking news with tech twist

In Paris, across France and in Tahiti – where surfing will be staged – the editorial coverage will be immense, and this time with a technological twist.

“At MediaAccord, we’re looking forward to discussing the attractiveness of innovations including robotics and artificial intelligence for measuring and increasing the audience for the Paris Olympic Games editorially,” explained Pierre Galy, Head of Sports at Agence France-Presse, International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially recognised news agency and member of the IOC Press Commission.

Immersive technologies - transforming sports fan experiences & content design

MediaAccord also has two fascinating tech-focused sessions looking at how immersive technologies are converging with artificial intelligence to create brand new experiences for sports fans around the world.

Join Andy Miah - Chair in Science Comms & Future Media at University of Salford, Manchester - for his Towards a World of Immersive Experience session.

Want to know how AI and wider tech impacts how media content is designed? Meet Ellie Roach - Digital and Data Services Lead at InCrowd Sports, and Ross Tanner - Director at Magnifi, for the Data, AI, OTT: Navigating Digital Opportunities session.

"The importance of data in driving engagement and creating connections between sports organisations, brands and fans is undeniable,” said Roach. “I’m looking forward to sharing thoughts on the best data technology stacks to help deliver more cohesive, immersive and personalised digital experiences."

“The sports media industry is evolving at a rapid pace, and keeping up is a challenge for Federations - I will be sharing my insight on how new technologies, especially in AI, are giving new opportunities for fan growth and associated revenues,” explained Tanner.

SportAccord 2024 - join world’s leading sports industry experts

Meet renowned global experts in sport, industry and academia and join over 1,500 delegates and exhibitors at SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit on 7-11 April at the award-winning International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham - West Midlands.

Register now:  https://register.event-works.com/sportaccord/birmingham2024/e/ce/

Partners

SportAccord2024 is supported by a number of partners and suppliers:

• Gold Partner: Sport Event Denmark
• Silver Partners: EventScotland, Explore Edmonton, Tourism & Events Queensland
• Bronze Partner: Sport Liverpool, Sports Authority Thailand
• Official Suppliers: DB Schenker, Wiz-Team

Host City is a media partner of SportAccord

[Source: SportAccord and Host City] SportAccord is pleased to welcome back its longstanding media partners including AFP, FrancsJeux, GlobalData, Host City, SportBusiness and SportsPro. Armed with this dedicated team of experienced media content providers, the quintet will provide outstanding news and content coverage from the World Sport & Business Summit in Birmingham this April.

SportAccord is committed to delivering exceptional content using a variety of formats including breaking news, exclusive interviews, featured articles, video broadcasts, and news bulletins, to ensure global audiences are primed with the latest stories in sport.

Martin Gibbs, Managing Director of SportAccord said: 

“Our global audience of leading sports decision makers and influencers really benefit from the unrivalled content and news analysis the World Sport & Business Summit brings.

“International news coverage in several languages enables audiences worldwide, to stay connected and gain insights from key innovators and organisations attending the Summit, with content delivered through our highly networked media partner channels.

“We’re delighted to welcome the return of our media partners who are also involved with the business of sport on many other levels too, involving stakeholders, international federations, leagues, city destinations, and industry.”

AFP – leading news gathering network across 151 countries, covering 6 languages

AFP is a leading global news agency providing fast, comprehensive, and verified coverage of the events shaping our world and the issues affecting our daily lives. Drawing from an unparalleled news gathering network across 151 countries, AFP is also a world leader in digital verification. 

Pierre Galy, Head of Sports at AFP said:

"AFP and SportAccord have been partners for many years. AFP is one of IOC's officially recognised news agencies and a member of the IOC Press Commission. Our commitment to producing quality editorial content throughout the world, about all disciplines, in six languages, in both sporting and non-sporting fields, makes us a benchmark in the world of sports coverage. It is therefore only natural that we should support the IOC, SportAccord and the international federations in their joint discussions through the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit. 

“We are also taking part in a MediaAccord discussion on the attractiveness of innovations such as robotics and artificial intelligence for measuring and increasing the audience for the Paris Olympic Games.”

FrancsJeux – first French-speaking news website dedicated to sport

FrancsJeux is the first-ever French speaking international news website dedicated to the world sports community providing sports leaders with exclusive daily updates taking place in the global industry.

Alain Mercier, Editor-in-chief of FrancsJeux had this to say:

“First presence for FrancsJeux was at SportAccord 2015 in Sochi; first participation as a media partner was Lausanne in 2016 – a commitment that has been renewed ever since. The facts speak for themselves.

“For FrancsJeux, a leading media outlet in the Olympic movement, SportAccord is not just a must-attend event and date in the diary committed months in advance. It’s much more than that. It’s a unique opportunity to meet the major players in international sport, in the best possible conditions, for discussions and interviews. Birmingham, here we come!”

GlobalData – supports industry giants in making key decisions

GlobalData is a leading provider of data, insights, and analytics for the world’s largest industries so organisations can gain access to exclusive news, and make faster, well-informed decisions on media rights, sponsorship, events, and bidding across the industry.

Sportcal.com is part of a network of 40+ proprietary B2B websites owned by GlobalData with expertise spanning more than 80 markets worldwide. The Sportcal.com channel will publish news stories from SportAccord 2024 to global audiences.

Matt Finch, Head of Sport, GlobalData commented

“We are very excited to continue our partnership with SportAccord for 2024. SportAccord is the premier global gathering for international federations and their stakeholders, all of whom play a vital role in the development and prosperity of sports. Their exclusive World Sport & Business Summit draws over 120 International Federations, who are very much the centre of attention for Sportcal’s news coverage. We eagerly anticipate reconnecting with all our partners in Birmingham in April.”

SportBusiness – global sports intelligence

SportBusiness works with sports organisations around the world to provide them with the intelligence they need to unlock value and grow their businesses. Teams, franchises, leagues and tournaments, sponsors, broadcast companies, agencies, venues, financial institutions, and universities have come to rely on SportBusiness’s information, data and analysis in their decision making. 

“We are excited to be a media partner and to be covering this year’s event when the global sports community comes to Birmingham for the first time”, said Paul Rossi, CEO of SportBusiness.

“Our global news service delivers exclusive and breaking news through SportBusiness.com and social media platforms, while our media rights and sponsorship deal trackers give organisations up-to-date valuations and market insights.”

Host City – connecting the owners, hosts and organisers of major events

Host City shares expertise within the community of international sports, business and cultural events. Host City was launched as a bilingual magazine in 2003 for the 2008 Beijing Organising Committee of the Olympic Games; the publisher's CEO Matthew Astill was awarded the Great Wall Friendship Award by the Vice Mayor of Beijing. The Host City brand now serves all stakeholders in staging international major events, through online publishing and conferences.

Ben Avison, Editorial and Conference Director at Host City said: “We're delighted to renew our longstanding partnership with SportAccord. It is always a great gathering for sports events, and I look forward to sharing exclusive coverage with our audience of destinations, rightsholders and organisers.”

SportsPro – leading aggregator of knowledge, insights and expertise

SportsPro is a leading media and events company for the business world of sports. Generating nearly six million views annually on Sportspro.com through the latest news, in-depth features, special reports, and exclusive interviews, SportsPro bring their content to life through industry-leading global events and intimate communities. They continue to serve audiences year-round with the addition of the subscription product SportsPro+, a personalised and interactive business tool being used by hundreds of experts across the ecosystem.

Francesca Greane, Head of Marketing at SportsPro said:

“We’re delighted to return as a media partner for SportAccord 2024. As the aggregator of knowledge, insights, and expertise for sports business, SportsPro finds a lot of value in collaborating with those that look to gather sports business professionals together to advance the industry, and SportAccord is the perfect example of this. We look forward to enriching both the SportAccord and the SportsPro audiences through this combined partnership.”

Register for SportAccord

Organisations involved in the business of sport are encouraged to join leading organisations at the unmissable World Sport & Business Summit taking place from 7 – 11 April in Birmingham at the International Convention Centre, to take advantage of all the opportunities on offer.

[Source: West Midlands Growth Company] Birmingham and the West Midlands’ sporting offer and major events hosting expertise will be thrust back into the global spotlight from 7-11 April when it welcomes the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit at ICC Birmingham.

Nearly two years on from hosting the biggest-ever Commonwealth Games, the West Midlands will roll out the red carpet for more than 1,500 international delegates from 120 sporting federations to showcase why it is at the heart of sport in the UK.

From basketball, bobsleigh and bodybuilding to tennis, triathlon and taekwondo, presidents and CEOs from global sporting organisations will visit Birmingham and the West Midlands for SportAccord’s conference programme, which includes specialist streams CityAccord, HealthAccord, LawAccord and MediaAccord. The summit will also feature panel events, evening networking sessions and a keynote speech during the event’s opening ceremony from International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, ahead of the year’s biggest sporting celebration, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit offers a huge opportunity for the West Midlands’ people, venues and suppliers to come together and put on a great show for international sports leaders, continuing the positive buzz and legacy of the Commonwealth Games.

“Our region has world-class sporting infrastructure, unrivalled connectivity and a passion and knowledge for hosting major events. We will be showing visiting officials and senior delegates why the West Midlands deserves to sit at sport’s top table when they are picking the destination for their next championships, conference or business event, which will provide a welcome boost for our local businesses and communities.”

With less than two months to go until “sport’s most influential industry gathering”, final touches are being made to the summit’s event programme focusing on this year’s theme, the ‘power of sport’, and speaker list. The programme already includes Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman MBE; Secretary General of the World Union of Olympic Cities, Melanie Duparc; and CEO of Global Esports Federation, Paul Foster.

The West Midlands’ cultural, tourism and sporting credentials will also be on show for SportAccord delegates as part of an excursion programme, which will include the region’s Industrial Revolution story at Black Country Living Museum and Ironbridge Gorge; and its arts and literary heritage at Shakespeare’s Birthplace and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The region’s instrumental role in shaping Britain’s sporting tradition – having invented rugby, lawn tennis and the Football League, and hosted the forerunner to the Olympic Games in Much Wenlock – will be covered during a sporting tour, to include Villa Park and Edgbaston Stadium.

Cllr John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “The SportAccord Summit 2024 is a fantastic opportunity for Birmingham to showcase the city and provides the chance to bring people together.

“The city has world-class sporting facilities, which have hosted some fantastic events including the Commonwealth Games, IBSA World Games and the FIG Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships, plus with our famous reputation as a friendly city, we can guarantee a warm Birmingham welcome to all visiting delegates.”

The West Midlands has recently hosted some of global sport’s biggest spectacles, including the Rugby World Cup, The Ashes and the FIG World Trampoline Championships. The ESL One – Dota II esports tournament in Solihull (26-28 April); the European Judo Union Junior Cup in Walsall (15-19 June); and the Kabaddi World Cup (24-31 March 2025) are a snapshot of the sporting fixtures taking place in the West Midlands in the next 12 months, thanks to the region’s Major Events Fund.

SportAccord 2024 will also present opportunities for companies, brands, products, services and destinations to showcase their offer as part of a dedicated exhibition, running in parallel with the summit at ICC Birmingham. Companies and individuals, which provide cutting-edge governance, research, advisory services, sports tech, insurance and fan engagement across the business of sport are encouraged to contact the West Midlands Growth Company to receive more information about getting involved: partners@wmgrowth.com. 

Interested parties can visit the official website here to register their interest in attending.

[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord is pressing ahead with vital structural changes, after Martin Gibbs was confirmed as the organisation’s new permanent Managing Director.

This appointment is one of several concrete steps taken by SportAccord since the dissolution of the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) was voted by its members in late November.

With professional services provider Ernst & Young handling GAISF’s liquidation, the ongoing integration of various activities, responsibilities, and staff members into SportAccord is firmly on track, ensuring continuity for International Federations and the broader sports movement.

Statutes are being revised to fulfil commitments given to the global sporting community, and SportAccord is working on terms of reference for a new Membership Commission, which will oversee the application process for International Federations to join the Alliance of Independent recognised Members of Sport (AIMS).

Under SportAccord’s revised governance structure, the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF) and Alliance of Independent recognised Members of Sport (AIMS) will become Members. They will join the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF).

[Source: SportAccord] Sport diplomacy, technology, virtual events, innovation and esports will be among the key topics tackled in a packed SportAccord Summit conference programme during the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

In announcing the theme of the conference as ‘A United Approach to Building Bridges in the Ever-Expanding World of Sport’, SportAccord has confirmed a series of unmissable addresses, panel sessions and presentations at the SportAccord Summit on Wednesday, 18 May 2022.

The SportAccord Summit will sit alongside SportAccord 2022’s other conference streams across the week of the highly anticipated gathering in Ekaterinburg, which will welcome global sport’s most influential decision-makers from 15-20 May 2022.

Numerous officials from International Sport Federations (IFs) will participate in the conference, alongside leading International and Russian figures from the sports governance, technology, and commercial sectors.

Expert speakers will explore topics as diverse as ‘The Power of Sport Diplomacy’, ‘New Approaches and Harnessing the Commercial Potential of Sport’, ‘Virtual Event Success Stories’, ‘How to Stay Connected and Engaged in a Changing Global Village’ and ‘Technology’s Role in the Ever-Expanding World of Sport’.

“With such a variety of topics on the agenda, the SportAccord Summit will provide a range of vital perspectives from different areas of the global sports movement,” Dr. Raffaele Chiulli, President, SportAccord and GAISF, said.

“From sport diplomacy to esports and future commercial strategies, the SportAccord Summit in Ekaterinburg will offer an essential snapshot of the most pertinent challenges and opportunities facing International Sport Federations and the sports industry as a whole.”

The SportAccord Summit is one of several conference streams at SportAccord 2022. The established CityAccord, HealthAccord, LawAccord and MediaAccord streams will be of interest to a broad range of stakeholders in sport.

As the only global sports industry event attended by all IFs and their stakeholders, SportAccord brings together organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, as well as top-level experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.

Registration is open for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 in Ekaterinburg, the 19th edition of SportAccord’s flagship annual event. Organisations interested in becoming an official partner or exhibitor can contact SportAccord to discuss these investment opportunities by emailing sales@sportaccord.sport, with SportAccord also offering an interactive exhibition floorplan and 3-D flyover of the SportAccord 2022 exhibition space.

You can follow SportAccord’s portfolio of events via Twitter @sportaccord or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, VK, and Instagram.

[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord has launched the host city application processes for future editions of the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit from 2023 and the Regional SportAccord from 2022.

Cities interested in hosting the global sports industry’s most influential annual gathering have been invited to submit a Bid City Application Form for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit. The next edition of the event will take place from 15-20 May 2022 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

The inaugural edition of Regional SportAccord Pan America took place in December 2019 in Fort Lauderdale, USA, and those interested in hosting future editions can complete a Bid City Application Form. Applications will be considered to host a dedicated Regional SportAccord for Europe, Asia, Africa or Oceania, as well as Pan America.

Information about who attends both events, as well as hotel accommodation requirements, short- and long-term hosting benefits, the financial commitments and hosting terms, and the bidding and selection processes can be found by accessing the City Application Information Packages for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit here and Regional SportAccord here.

The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit, first held in 2003, is the only global sports business gathering attended by all international sport federations and their affiliated umbrella organisations, as well as organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, plus experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.

With more than 1,500 key decision-makers representing over 1,000 different organisations and over 150 cities and regions in attendance, the six-day event in March, April or May each year features high-level meetings, a conference programme split into multiple sector-specific ‘streams’, an exhibition and numerous social events.

Nis Hatt, Managing Director, SportAccord, says: “We have been greatly encouraged by the significant number of destinations that have expressed an interest in hosting future editions of our industry-leading events as the global industry continues its recovery from the pandemic. We look forward to receiving formal applications in the coming weeks and months for these events, which will take place after the highly anticipated SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 in Ekaterinburg marks a milestone in the global sports movement’s resurgence.”

Regional SportAccord was launched in order to bring together international sport federations and organisations involved in the business of sport for a specific region, with the 2019 Regional SportAccord Pan America event attended by international sport federations, cities and ministries, rights-holders and industry experts. Designed to welcome more than 500 delegates from over 50 countries representing well over 200 different organisations, Regional SportAccord, held over three days, also showcases a two-day conference programme and an extensive sports industry exhibition.

Click here to check out the City Application Information Package and here to access the Bid City Application Form for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit. For Regional SportAccord, the City Application Information Package can be accessed here and the Bid City Application Form can be found here.

Each Bid City Application Form should be submitted along with a formal Letter of Commitment that has been signed on behalf of the prospective host city.

For any questions regarding the Bid City Application Process, please contact SportAccord Managing Director Nis Hatt by email at nis.hatt@sportaccord.sport or by phone at +41 79 126 62 28. Every Bid City Application will be presented to the SportAccord Executive Committee for review, and each city will receive feedback in due course.

Registration is open for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 in Ekaterinburg, the 19^th edition of SportAccord’s flagship annual event. Organisations interested in becoming an official partner or exhibitor can contact SportAccord to discuss these investment opportunities by emailing sales@sportaccord.sport, with SportAccord also offering an interactive exhibition floorplan and 3-D flyover of the SportAccord 2022 exhibition space.