SEPTEMBER 22-24

Indianapolis, Indiana

2026 SCHEDULE

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

7:15 PM

Welcome Reception

Location: Terrace Suite, Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Hosted by

8:00 PM

Indiana Fever vs. Minnesota Lynx

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

3rd floor, JW Marriott Downtown

All content sessions will take place in Salon 6 unless noted otherwise.

7:30 AM

Registration

Pick up badge at Salon 6

Hosted by

7:45 AM

Salon 9 & 10

Breakfast

Hosted by

8:00 AM

Salon 9 & 10

SBJ Connect: Structured Networking

SBJ Connect: Structured Networking is a facilitated networking experience focused on:

Connecting attendees through guided conversations and topic-driven discussions
Sharing insights and exchanging ideas
Building lasting professional relationships in a structured yet relaxed setting

8:45 AM

Welcome & Opening Remarks

9:00 AM

Reflections on a Lifetime of Leadership

Herb Simon, Owner & Chairman, Pacers Sports & Entertainment & Founder, Boxcar Development

Moderator: Abraham Madkour, Publisher & Executive Editor, Sports Business Journal

9:30 AM

Industry Insight

Powering Hospitality and Fan Experience on the World’s Biggest Stages

Discover how technology is leveraged to deliver a premium and seamless experience for fans across global sporting events, empowering venues and event organizers to deliver at unprecedented scales.

Rick Bornhauser, Director, Ticketing & Event Operations, On Location

Adam Petrus, Director, Sports & Entertainment, Zebra Technologies

Britton Stackhouse, President, North America, Fortress US

Moderator: Dan Kaufman, Managing Director, Sports Business Journal

9:50 AM

Setting the Standard: Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta - 10 Years of Transforming Revenue and Real Estate

Mike Plant, President & CEO, Braves Development Company

Derek Schiller, President & CEO, Atlanta Braves

Moderator: Abraham Madkour, Publisher & Executive Editor, Sports Business Journal

10:35 AM

Networking Break

Hosted by

11:00 AM

Skating Smarter: Inside the NY Islanders’ Data-Driven Transformation with KAGR

Kelly Cheeseman, President, Business Operations, New York Islanders & UBS Arena

Jessica Gelman, CEO, KAGR (Kraft Analytics Group)

Moderator: Joe Lemire, Senior Writer, Sports Business Journal

11:30 AM

Industry Insight

Unlocking Value in the Secondary Market: How Sports Organizations Are Leveraging Open Distribution

Learn first hand how NBA and WNBA organizations are leveraging Automatiq’s open distribution platform to understand market behavior, expand fan reach, and unlock new revenue in the secondary market.

Michael Dillon, CFO / COO, Minnesota Timberwolves & Lynx

Sam Sherman, CEO, Automatiq

Moderator: Dan Kaufman, Managing Director, Sports Business Journal

11:50 AM

Future Models & Trends: The Strategies Reshaping Ticketing Revenue

Scott Aller, Regional Vice President, Sports, Ticketmaster

Adam Budelli, Vice President, Business Development, AXS

George Postolos, Co-Owner & Managing Director, Eventellect

Jim Van Dam, Vice President, Ticket Sales & Service, Indianapolis Colts

Moderator: Ethan Joyce, Staff Writer, Sports Business Journal

12:20 PM

Celebrating 10 Years: Eventellect Emerging Executives Recognition

12:25 PM

Salon 9 & 10

Lunch

12:25 PM

Workshop - Invite Only

Hosted by

Learn more about the topics discussed here

Fia'Apia Findley, Director, Industry Advisor, Salesforce

Joseph Graziano, Chief Commercial Officer, Pacers Sports & Entertainment

Rachel McMahan, Area Vice President Enterprise Sales, Salesforce

Inquire to attend: jtong@sportsbusinessjournal.com

1:30 - 3:10 PM

Concurrent Sessions

1:30 PM

Salon 7

Building a Strong Data Governance Framework: Lessons from the Detroit Lions

Jonathon Lorenz, Director, Data Governance, Detroit Lions

Facilitator: Joe Lemire, Senior Writer, Sports Business Journal

Salon 6

New Players, New Approaches: Using Ticketing Technology to Deepen Fan Relationships and Drive Growth

Kyle Burkhardt, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Dallas Mavericks

Lee Schmold, Senior Vice President, Product, StellarAlgo

Craig Swaisgood, Vice President, Data & Analytics, New York Mets

Moderator: Ethan Joyce, Staff Writer, Sports Business Journal

2:00 - 2:05 PM

Transition

2:05 PM

Salon 7

Case Study: What Drives Fan Passion-Using Fan Insights to Grow Loyalty and Revenue

Garrison Cummings, Assistant Director, Brand & Marketing, Green Bay Packers

Kirk Wakefield, Chief Research Officer & Founder, Wakefield Global

Facilitator: Terry Lefton, Editor at Large, Sports Business Journal

Salon 6

The Rise of Ultra-Premium: Designing Experiences for the Highest-Value Fans

Amber Burda, COO & GM, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

Kayla Schine, Senior Vice President, Premium Sales & Service, Legends Global

Scott Shepherd, CRO, Houston Texans

Moderator: Bret McCormick, Staff Reporter, Sports Business Journal

2:35 - 2:40 PM

Transition

2:40 PM

Salon 7

From Data to Decisions: BI Strategies Driving Performance and Revenue

Brooks Deaton, Vice President, Data & Insights, NASCAR

Jon Hay, Senior Vice President, Business Strategy & Analytics, Boston Red Sox

Corey Ruff, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Analytics & Chief of Staff, Chicago Bears

Moderator: Joe Lemire, Senior Writer, Sports Business Journal

Salon 6

The Shifting Dynamics of the Secondary Market

Royce Cohen, Senior Vice President, Business Strategy, L.A. Dodgers

Barry Gibson, Executive Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer, Ticketing and Premium, Pacers Sports & Entertainment & COO, Noblesville Boom

Tony Knopp, CEO, TicketManager

Mike Quarino, Vice President, Club Ticketing, MLS

Guest Moderator: Troy Tutt, Founder, CAZ Advisory Group

3:10 PM

Networking Break

Hosted by

3:40 PM

Year-Round Revenue Hubs: Optimizing Programming, Staffing & Fan-First Experiences

Megan Cantwell, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Events & Commercial Strategy, Marquee Development

Christy Castillo Butcher, Senior Vice President, Programming & Booking, SoFi Stadium & Hollywood Park

Hallie Yavitch, Senior Vice President, Booking & Marketing, Crypto.com Arena, Peacock Theater & L.A. Live

Moderator: Bret McCormick, Staff Reporter, Sports Business Journal

4:10 - 5:10 PM

Facilities Module - Trends and New Developments

Building for the Future: Inside the New Highmark Stadium

Presenter:

Kate Hussmann, Chief Strategy Officer, Buffalo Bills

Facilitator: Abraham Madkour, Publisher & Executive Editor, Sports Business Journal

The Belmont Park Transformation: Blending Heritage with Innovation

Presenters:

Matt Chmura, Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer & Sales Officer, The New York Racing Association

Meg McWilliam, Principal, Senior Architect, Populous

Facilitator: Bret McCormick, Staff Reporter, Sports Business Journal

5:10 PM

Networking Reception at the hotel

6:00 PM

Depart for Lucas Oil Stadium

Guests will walk from the hotel to the stadium

6:15 PM

Evening at Lucas Oil Stadium

6:30 PM

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Roger VanDerSnick, CCO, Indianapolis Colts

7:00 PM

Reception & Interactive Experiences on the field

9:00 PM

Evening concludes

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

8:00 AM

Salon 9 & 10