Inaugural Sports Matters provides forum for industry in Asia

Held at Singapore’s St Regis Hotel, the Sports Matters programme will address pertinent issues facing players in the sports industry, including broadcast/media rights, sponsorship, social and digital futures, fan engagement, technology and education.

Supported by the Singapore Sports Council and the Singapore Tourism Board with a three-year programming strategy, a new industry association will be formed, made up of Asian sports industry personnel, that will act as the platform from which to provide internships, launch scholarships and nurture excellence in the region.

Co-produced by Branded (owners of Digital & Music Matters and Social Media Matters) and Haymarket Media (publishers of Campaign magazine, F1 Racing, 4-4-2 and producers of the Spikes Asia creative festival), Sports Matters will coincide with the week of the F1 Singapore Grand Prix.

Lynette Pang, executive director of F1 and sports at the Singapore Tourism Board, said the event will complement Singapore’s healthy sports calendar.

The Sports Matters advisory board includes:

• Maurizio Barbieri, head of sports, Samsung Asia
• Michael Corcoran, consultant
• Mark Fischer, MD, UFC Asia
• Arjan Hoekstra, MD, Eurosport Asia (presently)
• Peter Hutton, president MP & Silva
• Mike Kerr, CEO, Asian Tour
• Daniel Metcalfe, Asia-Pacific sponsorship manager, Tennis Australia
• Michael Morrison, VP and GM Asia-Pacific, ESPN
• Patrick Murphy, president, Catalyst Marketing AG
• Adrian New, MD Asia, Chelsea FC
• Geraldine Pamphile, SVP digital, NBA Asia
• Po, Yu Khing, COO, Singapore Sports Hub
• Michael Roche, executive director, Singapore GP
• Helen Soulsby, director Asia, Sports Recruitment International
• Richard Young, MD, NFL China
• Mike Rich, CEO, GroupM ESP

Rich said sport continues to present one of the few mass-audience vehicles for the advertising industry. "I'm hopeful that Sports Matters will provide me with the opportunity to learn and share ideas on how to improve the fan experience and in doing so drive commercial benefits for rights owners, distributors and advertisers.”

Branded CEO Jasper Donat, who has also worked for Eurosport, Sports Corporation and ESPN Star Sports, said: “This addition to our event portfolio is particularly exciting for me. Not only is it the logical next step as regards the wider entertainment industry, but after nearly 20 years in Asia, I am certain that hosting an event at the sharp end of sport here in Singapore is timely and relevant in a way that it has never been before.” 

Tim Waldron, managing director of Haymarket Media Group Asia, said: “For many years we have felt that the region lacked an arena to discuss the commercial development and potential of sport in Asia. Sports Matters will be the ideal platform to do this and we are delighted to be again working with Branded on what will become the most important forum for sport in Asia.”