SSAC

Disruptive Leadership: Using Culture, Data, and Technology to Drive Change in Sports

Moderator: Alison Fragale

Panelists: Lorissa Horton, Mike Ybarra, Tim Armstrong

Year after year, the overlap between the technology and sports sectors grows stronger. Teams and leagues have used technology to revolutionize how they make decisions on the field; technology companies in turn have looked to sports to highlight their capabilities, enhance user engagement, and find new areas of growth. Moderated by leading organizational psychologist Alison Fragale, this panel brings together executives that built careers in the technology sector before taking leadership roles in sports businesses of Flowcode, PrizePicks and SumerSports. Hear the lessons learned from scaling products and divisions at Microsoft, Google, Cisco, and AOL, and the impact these experiences have on their visionary leadership in cutting-edge sports organizations today.

New Frontiers: How Emerging Leagues Are Reshaping Sports

Moderator: Shira Springer 

Panelists: Mike McCarley, Katlyn Gao, Mike Buckley, Steve Argeris

As investment accelerates in professional sports, new leagues and teams are emerging, redefining competition and engagement. Mike Buckley, Katlyn Gao, Mike McCarley, and Steve Argeris are shaping this transformation from different angles—league founders driving innovation and an industry leader navigating the financial landscape. Buckley is bringing sailing to a broader audience through SailGP’s global expansion, backed by private equity. Gao is building League One Volleyball (LOVB) from the ground up, creating a sustainable pipeline from youth development to the professional stage. McCarley is reshaping golf with TGL, a tech-driven primetime league supported by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Adding a financial and operational lens, Argeris brings insights from his leadership in the United Football League (UFL), where he helps navigate investment strategies, media rights, and long-term league stability.Together, they will examine the future of emerging leagues, the evolution of revenue models, and what it takes to thrive in a landscape dominated by legacy sports organizations.

Investing In Sports: Around the Game from Teams to Tech

Moderator: Steve Heiner

Panelists: George Pyne, Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, Mitch Lasky

Sports investing has expanded far beyond traditional team ownership, with capital now pouring into areas such as sports technology, media rights, betting, athlete-backed ventures, and emerging leagues. This panel will explore how the smartest money in sports is being allocated and what factors investors consider when evaluating these non-traditional assets. Are these emerging opportunities a passing trend, or do they represent the future of sports investment?

Breaking Glass with WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and Her Agent Jade-Li English

Moderator: Michele Steele

Panelists: A'ja Wilson, Jade-Li English

2x WNBA Champion, 2x Olympic Gold Medalist, and 3x MVP A’ja Wilson, alongside her agent Jade-Li English, will delve into the dynamic intersection of sports, entrepreneurship, and personal growth. They’ll share A’ja’s journey from athlete to businesswoman, navigating opportunities on and off the court. The discussion will also highlight the critical player-agent relationship, explore how strategic decisions shape careers, personal brands, and long-term success amid the booming women’s basketball landscape and reflect on the sport’s evolving impact and exciting future of women’s basketball.

'To A Touch More' with Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe presented by Wasserman Foundation

Panelists: Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, Lauren Holiday

Everyone watches women's sports—and now, there's a podcast for that.Take a front row seat with world champion athletes Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, as they sit down with Lauren Holiday to discuss their shared journeys through sports and life. Hear deep cut stories from their experiences as athletes, and the inside look at moments illuminate the intersection of sports and pop culture.

The Globalization of Sports

Moderator: Saj Cherian

Panelists: Mark Tatum, Christine Dorfler, Paul Caine

As the sports industry continues to evolve, US-based leagues are increasingly looking internationally to capture new audiences and drive growth. Our panelists will explore the current climate of sport globalization and its future trajectory, focusing on how leagues identify and prioritize key international market while sharing the unique challenges by culture, language, and access. In addition to understanding grassroots support through youth development programs and leveraging digital platforms can engage global fans, hear about the unique challenges of global events (e.g. Olympics, World Cup). The conversation will also address competition from international leagues, potential international team expansion, and varying fan expectation when traveling or locally-based. Bringing together executives and insiders from the NFL, NBA, and On Location who supports all 3 to discuss their strategies for global expansion and the corresponding challenges they face.

Gymnastics' Rebalancing Act: AI Judging, Analytics, and Economics

Moderator: Jessica O'Beirne

Panelists: Mohini Bhardwaj, Brody Malone, Josh Dixon, Li Li Leung

Gymnastics remains the most-viewed Olympic sport and top women's college sport, presenting a unique opportunity to boost fan engagement and economic expansion leading up to the LA28 home Olympics. This panel will explore cutting-edge solutions like Fujitsu’s AI Judging Evaluation program and the USOPC’s International Scouting Analytics project, which played a key role in securing Olympic medals in Paris. Additionally, we will discuss the emerging economic ecosystem within gymnastics, including athlete-driven revenue opportunities, sponsorship growth, and innovative platforms that allow gymnasts to capitalize on their success. Join Olympic medalists, industry leaders, and the president of USA Gymnastics for a deep dive into the innovations shaping the future of gymnastics performance, safety, and business strategies driving audience engagement forward.

Women's Sports Are Taking Off: Why the On-Field Data Must Grow Too presented by Wasserman Foundation

Moderator: Corbin Petro

Panelists: Stacy Lewis, Julie Uhrman, Jennifer Rizzotti

Women's sports have grown tremendously in popularity but many leagues still lack the data infrastructure long-established mens league's have. This panel will explore the critical need for better data collection and analysis in women’s sports, and how past efforts have directly translated to on-field success. The panel will discuss the challenges of limited data availability, how it affects athlete development, fan engagement, and media coverage, and highlight the importance of accurate, comprehensive data to drive investment and visibility in women’s sports.

Coming to America: Cricket and Rugby

Moderator: Mark Donaldson

Panelists: Jonathan Atkeison, Mihir Warty, Todd Myers, Jarrod Kimber

Two internationally renowned sports, cricket and rugby, are betting on the appeal of a World Cup to break into the American market. But how effective is this strategy? And what can be done strategically to get this bet to succeed? The World Cup approach relies on a significant upfront investment with considerable risk, but potentially high rewards in the world's largest sports market. This panel will explore how USA Cricket approached the 2024 World Cup, and how USA Rugby is planning for the 2031 (Men's) and 2033 (Women's) World Cups. It will synthesize learnings and best practices as well as what's next for both of these governing bodies, and the growth of these sports in the U.S. from the grassroots to professional levels.

Mastering the Mind: The Psychology of Winning

Moderator: Lauren Rosen

Panelists: Allison Feaster, Sian Leah Beilock, Steve Magness

Winning isn’t just about talent or preparation—it’s about mindset and the chemistry between athletes, coaches, and teams. While pressure and clutch performance are often the focus of sports psychology, this discussion takes a different approach: how do athletes build mental resilience, foster productive relationships, and sustain long-term success. Dr. Sian Beilock, an expert on cognitive performance, and Steve Magness, a leading voice in mental toughness, come together for a conversation on self-doubt, burnout, and the mental side of teamwork. Drawing from their books Choke and Win the Inside Game, they’ll explore how team dynamics, leadership styles, and communication shape mental performance—and how today’s athletes can use psychology to thrive rather than just survive. This is a discussion about mindset, chemistry, and adaptability—not just in sports but in life.