2021 Schedule

Scott has become one of America’s most admired sports executives, having led NBA, NHL and NFL teams and leagues. He will share his seven principles to keep you present, grounded, and thriving which have helped him become a “leader among leaders.”

Go from Stuck to Unstoppable and Win the Day!

Misha will share how compelling stories and genuine connections inspire sponsors to take a journey with you. He will share some of his most notable adventures in taking a brand from prospect to partner and what he’s learned along the way.

Change Your Thinking, Change Your Outcome

Despite a global pandemic, Wisconsin State Fair secured new sponsors, earned more revenue from new sponsors, and continued to innovate. Jen will share how channeling the spirit of resiliency has been the key to building culture and sponsorship growth and laying the groundwork for success in 2022.

As the World’s Largest Music Festival, Summerfest hosts 800 bands and welcomes 900,000 fans over 3 weekends on 11 different stages. We will take you behind the scenes to see how they rock it at the new American Family Insurance Amphitheater.

Two of the renowned entertainment venues in the nation are joined by their title sponsors to talk about how their sponsorships came together. These closely aligned partnerships raised the value of both parties and reinforced a shared vision for the future.

Customized, creative ideas are the soul of a sponsorship program, but customization begins with the very first interaction. Gerry will guide attendees through an immersive workshop to help position your capabilities to drive more revenue.

From the dugout to the conference room, the Chicago Cubs have hit partnerships out of the park. Matt Pensinger, EVP and Managing Director from Jack Morton will ask Alex Seyferth and partners hard-hitting questions about how the partnerships were formed, how they navigated the past 18 months, how decisions are made, how success is measured, and engaging activations.

Why Your Brain Needs You to Celebrate

Industry veterans Amy and Dan combine their sponsorship excellence to share an insider’s view of what brands need, why they are buying, and how they measure success. They’ll help sponsorship marketers understand how to prepare for success in 2022 and beyond.

With experience on both sides of the sponsorship table, Allen has a long history of developing cutting edge partnerships that create shared value and unlock growth potential. He’ll share current examples of how UnitedHealth Group is raising the stakes on how partnerships are cultivated, developed, and executed to deliver on their mission to help people live healthier lives.

Maintaining Wellness and Vitality During Times of Change

Amber turns sponsors into friends and friends into fans. At the SMS, she will share a powerful example of how remaining friends with one sponsor after a break-up brought them back together again.

SMS takes on the Windy City! Hold on to your hats as we dive into day two of SMS from the iconic Wrigley Field and welcome an incredible lineup of speakers and presenters who will dig deep and keep it real.

This session will dive into how organizations like Seattle Storm, Seattle Pride and Seattle Center attract sponsors who share their commitment to social responsibility. Panelists will share specific examples of how their partnerships bring attention to important issues at the heart of communities.

Adopting High Performance Habits to Help You Win

What comes to mind when thinking about leading and creating a strong sales team? What does it mean beyond “team” and “teamwork”? Being fortunate to work with some of the best and brightest leaders in sports, David will speak about the tools and ingredients needed to become a strong leader and build high performing sales teams.

Sponsorship trailblazers Tamika Hillman and Charles Johnson will share how local and regional sponsorship properties are helping brands like T-Mobile and Seattle Mariners meet their business objectives. Tamika and Charles will also shine a light on how sponsorship marketers balance changing business needs alongside short and long-term planning.

Tapping into a Champion Mindset

Weeks before the anticipated opening of the Climate Pledge Arena, Mike will talk about how Amazon dedicated the naming rights to The Climate Pledge to bring attention to climate change and how Oak View Group went beyond typical partnership boundaries to build the first net-zero carbon arena in the world.

Charece will share how sponsorship success comes from a deep desire to be part of an authentic solution. Success begins by showing up with an open and creative mind and ends with leaving a legacy.

Paula shares the results from the 2021 Sponsorship Brand Research Study. Paula will give attendees a crash course in what is happening in the sponsorship industry right now and share her real-life experience and plans for the future. You will be the first to hear the results of the recent 2021 Sponsorship Brand Research Study. All attendees will walk away with this full report! This valuable tool will help you understand what brands are thinking for 2022 and how you can best prepare.