[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 U?ur 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 U?ur Erdener has congratulated us and hailed Birmingham as the best SportAccord ever.”
Tag: SportAccord
-
Birmingham’s SportAccord 2024 hailed as “best ever”
-
“Festivalisation” divides opinions at SportAccord
In this age of constant access to entertainment, sports events are under pressure to become ever more entertaining and offer more activities within the schedule. But is this phenomenon of festivalisation – part of the DNA of mega events – a good thing for smaller events?
“It’s definitely a good thing for promoting and reaching out to new target groups and bringing communities together and entertaining them,” says Georg Spazier, who brought several events to the Region of Tirol following heading up marketing and communications at the 2012 Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee Company. He is now running his own agency, ITS GR8, with which he organises Europe’s biggest mountain bike festival.
“But for organising committees it’s additional work, additional budget, additional staff and coordination and so on. You probably need an extra team running it. If it’s the one organising committee, doing everything can be overwhelming in many ways.
“There is a threat that sport moves out of the spotlight. We have to look at it more from a holistic entertainment perspective.”
The 2023 Olympic and Paralympic Games will incorporate a number of different cities beyond Brisbane, the nominal host. “I think it’s great thing because I think it just gives more cities more opportunity,” says Alana Vought, Program Manager, City of Gold Coast’s Olympic and Paralympic Games Brisbane 2032.”
Involving wider regions can help to involve more diverse communities and in events, especially those communities that lack sports infrastructure, Vought says. “The Pacific islands have no training infrastructure at all. So to be able to bring some training camps into the country, to Australia, into the Gold Coast and have them train – it’s a great opportunity for them and it’s also a fantastic opportunity for our athletes to share.”
Birmingham, in the UK’s West Midlands, hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2022. “Festivalisation was good for Birmingham because it suited what we wanted to do with the Games, and that was could we involve more communities and different types of audiences,” says Nicola Turner MBE, CEO, United By 2022, who was Director of Legacy for the Games.
Birmingham 2022 wrapped a cultural and festival event around the Games for six months. “We eventually sold more tickets for the cultural and arts festival than we did for the Commonwealth Games itself, and actually then the community decided to put on Festival 23 the next year because they liked it so much.”
Triathlon is a sport which has seen huge rise in in popularity, and the events are getting bigger and bigger. This brings challenges as well as commercial opportunities, according to Kris Gemmell, Head of Marketing and Commercial, World Triathlon.
“There was an opportunity to give sponsors more bang for their buck, and they had more time to activate, but it was taxing for them to be in one place for a greater length of time,” he said.
“The question is, how big is too big?” -
SportAccord confirms Istanbul as Host City for 2025 Convention
[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord is delighted to announce that Istanbul, Türkiye, will host the SportAccord Convention 2025 from 9 to 12 June.
With the theme “Shaping the future of sport in a changing world”, the world’s most influential sports industry gathering will bring together key decision-makers to explore the evolving sports landscape and drive meaningful discussions on its future.
The SportAccord Convention is a unique gathering that provides sports business leaders access to all International Federations, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), future Olympic Games organisers, other multi-sport event organisers, and leading sport-related international associations, all in one location.
This year’s edition is particularly important, coming at a crucial moment of transition within the Olympic Movement and against the backdrop of significant geopolitical developments impacting the global sports industry.
Istanbul: a leading hub for global sport
The SportAccord Convention 2025 also marks a return to Türkiye, over ten years after the highly successful 2014 edition in Belek, Antalya. Spanning the two continents of Europe and Asia, Istanbul epitomises the event’s global significance, combining rich cultural heritage, world-class infrastructure and a pivotal role in international sport.
The award-winning Istanbul Congress Center (ICC) will host this year’s flagship event, offering state-of-the-art facilities for an exceptional delegate experience.
With Istanbul also set to host the 2027 European Games, bringing the world’s leading sports decision-makers to the city in 2025 will further solidify its position as a premier destination for major sporting events. The SportAccord Convention 2025 will serve as a key platform for stakeholders to connect, collaborate, and shape the future of global sport, while laying the groundwork for Türkiye’s continued sporting ambitions.
An unmissable opportunity for the global sports community
The SportAccord Convention 2025 will offer a unique platform for leaders in sport, business and governance to strengthen connections, exchange fresh perspectives and engage in high-level discussions on the future of sport. Full details of the conference programme will be announced soon, and delegate registration will open shortly.
Organisations looking to renew or establish partnerships with the SportAccord Convention, or secure coveted exhibition space next to the popular SportAccord Café, are encouraged to engage early.
For more details about the SportAccord Convention 2025 in Istanbul, please visit our event website sportaccord.sport. -
Host of 2026 SportAccord Convention announced
[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord, the world’s leading sports business conference, today confirmed that the SportAccord Convention 2026 will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 24-28 May 2026, following the signing of the Host City Agreement.
This landmark agreement was signed today by SportAccord President Prof. Dr. U?ur Erdener with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Youth and Sport, and Baku City Circuit Operations Company.
The SportAccord Convention is a leading global platform that connects key decision-makers and experts from across the global sports industry – from International Federations, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), host cities, and rights holders – to discuss and shape the future of sport.
The Baku Convention Center will serve as the hub for cutting-edge panel debates, meetings, exhibitions and networking, while the iconic Heydar Aliyev Center by Zaha Hadid will host the Opening Ceremony, blending Baku’s modern architecture with its rich cultural heritage.
SportAccord President Prof. Dr. U?ur Erdener commented: “We are thrilled to bring the 19th edition of the world’s most important gathering of sports leaders, the SportAccord Convention, to Baku in 2026.
“Baku has a very strong track record in delivering world-class events, and this will be a significant moment both for SportAccord and the entire global sports industry.
“We are excited to work with our partners from the Ministry of Youth and Sport, and Baku City Circuit Operations Company, to deliver a truly exceptional event.
“Delegates can expect world-class facilities, the warmth of Azerbaijani hospitality, and an environment that fosters new connections and meaningful opportunities for the future of sport.”
The next edition provides a timely opportunity to gather the global sports industry, following the Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, at a time when new leadership in the Olympic Movement and shifting priorities are defining the opportunities and challenges facing the future of sport.
Baku is a city which lives and breathes sport, and its renowned expertise in hosting international gatherings provides a perfect setting for the latest chapter in SportAccord’s illustrious history. Its role as Host City is further underlined by its designation as World Capital of Sport 2026 by ACES Europe, recognising its achievements in staging international competitions and investing in modern infrastructure.
Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sports, H.E. Farid Gayibov said: “Azerbaijani sports have always been supported with great care and attention by our state leader, His Excellency Ilham Aliyev. Our nation’s sports achievements and our ability to host international events are a direct result of this commitment. Hosting the SportAccord Convention is a fantastic opportunity to further showcase our capabilities and to contribute to the global conversation that will shape the future of our industry. We are incredibly excited to collaborate with SportAccord and are committed to handling this event with great care and responsibility to make it a truly memorable experience for all.”
The vibrant capital of Azerbaijan is situated on the Caspian Sea, and enjoys a rich history fused with striking modern architecture which comprises its impressive cityscape. Baku proudly hosted the inaugural European Games in 2015, and has staged World Championships and European Championships across multiple sports, along with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Formula One since 2017.
Its unwavering commitment to the future of sport was further underlined by the UNESCO Global Sports Conference – MINEPS VII in Baku in June 2023, while in November 2024 global leaders gathered for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in the city.
The 2026 SportAccord Convention in Baku promises to stand at the centre of the global conversation on sport, driving the connections and ideas that will define its future.
Further details, including the Convention’s theme, programme highlights, and registration launch, will be announced in the coming months.
SportAccord continues to engage in productive discussions with other interested host cities for future editions of the SportAccord Convention.
SportAccord President Prof. Dr. U?ur Erdener is speaking at Host City 2025 in Glasgow on 1-3 December. Host City is a longstanding media partner of SportAccord -
SportAccord Convention confirmed for Baku, 9-13 May 2027
[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord today confirmed that the SportAccord Convention will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 9-13 May 2027. Following the postponement of the 2026 edition, SportAccord and its partners in Azerbaijan have worked closely together to secure dates that will deliver the best possible experience for all participants.
Baku, recently named World Capital of Sport, will provide an exceptional setting for what promises to be one of the most anticipated editions of the Convention in recent years, bringing together leaders from the International Olympic Committee, International Federations, host cities, rights holders, and the wider sports industry.
SportAccord President Prof. Dr. U?ur Erdener said: “Baku holds a special significance for me, and I have no doubt it will deliver an extraordinary edition of our Convention. The commitment shown by our Azerbaijani partners throughout this process has been exceptional. This edition will also mark an important moment for SportAccord itself, as we continue to evolve our vision for what this Convention can and should be for the global sports movement.”
Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sports, H.E. Farid Gayibov said: “Baku is ready. As World Capital of Sport, the city looks forward to welcoming the global sports community and delivering a Convention that reflects our ambition and our enduring partnership with SportAccord. We are confident that 9-13 May 2027 will mark a defining moment for the future of international sport.”
SportAccord is also continuing to build a strong programme of initiatives for the remainder of 2026, with further updates to follow in the coming weeks. With SportAccord in advanced discussions with several world-class cities regarding future editions of the Convention, the organisation expects to announce additional host locations for the coming years, reflecting a strong and exciting pipeline ahead.