2026 SCHEDULE
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
7:15 PM
Welcome Reception
Location: Terrace Suite, Gainbridge Fieldhouse
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 outside of JW Grand Ballroom 6
Hosted by
7:45 AM
JW Grand Ballroom 9 & 10
Breakfast
Hosted by
8:00 AM
JW Grand Ballroom 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
Tom Andrus, President, North America, AXS
Abraham Madkour, Publisher & Executive Editor, Sports Business Journal
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
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
JW Grand Ballroom 9 & 10
Lunch
12:25 PM
Workshop - Invite Only
Hosted by
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
JW Grand Ballroom 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
JW Grand Ballroom 7
Building a Strong Data Governance Framework: Lessons from the Detroit Lions
Jonathon Lorenz, Director, Data & Analytics, Detroit Lions
Facilitator: Joe Lemire, Senior Writer, Sports Business Journal
2:00 - 2:05 PM
Transition
2:05 PM
JW Grand Ballroom 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
JW Grand Ballroom 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
2:35 - 2:40 PM
Transition
2:40 PM
JW Grand Ballroom 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
JW Grand Ballroom 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
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
Hosted by
8:30 PM
Evening concludes
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
8:00 AM
JW Grand Ballroom 9 & 10
Breakfast
9:00 AM
Defining the Future of Sports: What Leaders Are Betting on Next
Nic Barlage, CEO, Rock Entertainment Group
Catie Griggs, President, Business Operations, Baltimore Orioles
Ryan Gustafson, President & CEO, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment
Mel Raines, President & CEO, Pacers Sports & Entertainment
Moderator: Abraham Madkour, Publisher & Executive Editor, Sports Business Journal
9:30 AM
Industry Insight: The AI-Native League: What Breaks, What Gets Built
Ryan Dillon, Chief Growth Officer, Next 3
Tom Glick, CEO, Hometown Soccer Holdings
Shripal Shah, Chief AI & Innovation Officer, Next League
Moderator: Dan Kaufman, Managing Director, Sports Business Journal
9:50 AM
Building a Leaguewide Agentic AI Data Strategy: Insights from MLS & DataGrail
John Sullivan, Chief Information Officer, MLS
Eric Brinkman, Chief Product Officer, DataGrail
Moderator: Joe Lemire, Senior Writer, Sports Business Journal
10:20 AM
Networking Break
Hosted by
10:50 - 12:30 PM
Concurrent Sessions
10:50 AM
JW Grand Ballroom 6
Building the BI Engine for the World’s Largest Single-Sporting Event
Presenter: Caio Dimov, Head, Business Intelligence & Analytics, FIFA World Cup 2026
Facilitator: Terry Lefton, Editor at Large, Sports Business Journal
JW Grand Ballroom 7
The Next Revenue Surface: How ASB GlassFloor Creates New Value
Chris Thornton, CEO, ASB GlassFloor America
Moderator: Bret McCormick, Staff Reporter, Sports Business Journal
11:20 - 11:25 AM
Transition
11:25 AM
JW Grand Ballroom 6
From Data to Dollars: How AI Is Driving Sales Performance
Presenter:
David Simbandumwe, Vice President, AI, Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment
Facilitator: Terry Lefton, Editor at Large, Sports Business Journal
JW Grand Ballroom 7
Game Day, Reimagined: How Smart Tech Is Elevating the Live Experience
Thomas Alomes, Senior Manager, Client Solutions, PMY Group
James Benesh, Vice President, Ballpark Experience, New York Mets
Julia Chongarlides, Senior Director & Executive Producer, Game Presentation & Stadium Productions, Mercedez-Benz Stadium
Michael Martin, Chief Technology Officer, Anthony James Partners
Moderator: Joe Lemire, Senior Writer, Sports Business Journal
11:55 - 12:00 PM
Transition
12:00 PM
JW Grand Ballroom 6
No Lines, No Friction: The Future of Entry to Concessions
Rupak Anto, President & CTO, retialcloud
Dave Keitel, Vice President, Operations, Sodexo Live!
Matt Sebek, Chief Experience Officer, St. Louis CITY, SC
Moderator: Ethan Joyce, Staff Writer, Sports Business Journal
JW Grand Ballroom7
Bringing Content In-House: Unlocking New Opportunities
Matt Bunting, Senior Vice President & Executive Director, Hawks Studios, Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena
Luka Dukich, Vice President, Content Marketing, Chicago Bulls
Dan Moriarty, Chief Marketing Officer, Chicago Fire FC
Moderator: Dan Kaufman, Managing Director, Sports Business Journal
12:30 PM
JW Grand Ballroom 9 & 10
Lunch
12:30 PM
Workshop – Invitation Only
Hosted by
Michael Dillon, CFO / COO, Minnesota Timberwolves & Lynx
Sam Sherman, CEO, Automatiq
Inquire to attend: Georgie-Woodley@sportsbusinessjournal.com
1:35 PM
Stewarding a Legacy, Shaping the Future
Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Owner & CEO, Indianapolis Colts
Moderator: Ben Fischer, Staff Writer, Sports Business Journal
2:05 PM
Unlocking Fan Lifetime Value: The Next Generation of Revenue Growth
John Coombs, Co-Founder & CEO, Rover
Philippe Dore, Chief Marketing Officer, Desert Champions
Whitney French, Senior Vice President, Consumer Lifecycle & Marketing Technology, AXS
Alena Jasinski, Vice President, Ticket Sales & Service, Charlotte Hornets
Moderator: Ethan Joyce, Staff Writer, Sports Business Journal
2:35 PM
Networking Break
Hosted by
3:05 PM
The New Revenue Playbook: Where Will the Next Dollar Come From?
Jonathan Gibson, Executive Vice President, Marketing & Business Development, Penske Corp.
Vito Iaia, Chief Revenue Officer, AXS
Urel Martinez, Chief Revenue Officer, LA Galaxy
Roger VanDerSnick, Chief Commercial Officer, Indianapolis Colts
Moderator: Ben Fischer, Staff Writer, Sports Business Journal
3:35 PM
The Top 10 Trends You Should Be Watching
Presenter: Abraham Madkour, Publisher & Executive Editor, Sports Business Journal
4:05 PM
Networking Reception at the hotel
5:15 PM
Depart for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum via motorcoaches
5:45 PM
Evening at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum
Reception, Content & Interactive Activities
6:30 Welcome and featured Q&A Session with Indy Car Driver and Indianapolis 500 Champion, Alexander Rossi
7:00 Guests free to tour museum, use simulators and visit the gift shop
8:30 Event concludes and guests depart
6:30 PM
Welcome and featured Q&A Session with Indy Car Driver and Indianapolis 500 Champion, Alexander Rossi
Moderator: Jamie Little, Pit Reporter, NASCAR & Indy Car, FOX Sports
7:00 PM
Guests free to tour museum, use simulators and visit the gift shop
8:30 PM
