Mims reviews The SportTechie Virtual Conference — State Of The Industry 2020, including keynote speaker Mark Cuban

On Friday I was able to participate in a conference that had over 1,000 attendees!

Don’t be alarmed — it was the SportTechie Virtual Conference — State Of The Industry 2020. This event was planned prior to the declaration of the Covid-19 pandemic. The conference organizer decided not to cancel the event but made a “new normal” decision to have it done remotely. This resulted in 5 times the attendance anticipated — truly a great success.

The conference consisted of information regarding fan engagement, networking advice for college graduates, and team building exercises for major sports organizations. The keynote speakers were Mark Cuban, Owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors President/COO Rick Welts and San Francisco 49ers President Al Guido.

Cuban directly addressed the sports shutdown caused by the pandemic. He suggested that business leaders and organizations use this time to reevaluate and revisit things that may have been pushed off previously. Entrepreneurs and Millennials were encouraged to look for opportunities to interact with brands and business partners in a way that would not be present normally.

Weits and Guido echoed NBA Commissioner Adam Silver who stated prior to the conference; “Let’s take this as an opportunity to rethink the way we’ve been doing things.” Guido and Weits saw the need for venue operators to implement new protocols to safeguard fans, athletes and stadium workers.

My personal take is that games may initially be played in arenas devoid of fans. I see more distance between the players and the fans when they can return. Interviews will be conducted by a small select group of reporters that will have questions for other media outlets.

There will all be a new normal — Businesses that cater to large groups will have accessible hand sanitizer and soap for their guests. This will make the patrons and the employees feel more comfortable when near each other.

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