The Future of Mega Sports Events, the growth of Women’s Sports and Broadcasting, and the Future of College Athletics were among the topics discussed by sports industry leaders at the first Global Sports Business Summit. The event presented by SMU Sport Management and the Dallas Sports Commission was attended by hundreds who packed the auditorium of SMU’s Collins Executive Education Center.
Leadership from major sports franchises including the Dallas Cowboys, Mavericks, FC Dallas, Texas Rangers, Wings along with PGA of America and SMU’s new Athletic Director Damon Evans were among the panelists.
Peter Carton, J.D., says the months of preparation paid off resulting in the event being an overwhelming success with participants from around the country. “We felt there was a need in the marketplace to bring together sports industry executives and students aspiring to move into roles within the industry.” Carton says he hopes the Summit will become an annual event to offer programming to executives and rising stars in the sports industry. He believes it is especially important for students, “so they can see the depth and breadth of opportunities in the sports industry.”
Dan Hunt, President of FC Dallas and Co-Chair of the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee Board, called the Summit an incredible asset to the community. “There are a lot of ideas, a lot of innovation discussed ranging from the importance of social media, TV strategy and broadcast, to streaming that helps all of us in the business think about how we can improve.” Hunt, an SMU Alum (2000), went on to say that hosting the Summit establishes SMU as a leader in Sport Management across the country.
Carton says he is grateful to Monica Paul and her staff at the Dallas Sports Commission and believes the summit has further strengthened the relationship between SMU and DSC.