Digital sport marketing conference heads to Sydney

Rachael Church-Sanders, Europe's leading authority on digital sport marketing, is to provide the opening address at the upcoming 'Fan and Participant Engagement in the Digital Age' conference.
Organised by the Sport Research Group, the conference, to be held in Sydney on Tuesday 13th and Wednesday 14th July, draws on digital sport marketing experts from both Europe and North America.
In addition to Church-Sanders, other presenters will be drawn from teams in the English Premier League, Spainâs La Liga, NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer.
Sport Research Group Director Simon Arkwright explains that the digital focus for this yearâs conference was as a direct result of demand from Australian sport marketers, many who had attended his conferences in 2008 and/or 2009.
Arkwright explains that âthe recent explosion of social media coupled with significant advancements in the provision of digital content has introduced whole new elements into sport marketing.
âThis has created an almost unique situation where sport teams and governing bodies the world over are simultaneously all wrestling with how to accommodate and incorporate this new phenomenon.�?
Arkwright said there were several examples of Australian sporting organisations being more advanced that similar organisations in North America and Europe.
Arkwright believes that it is vital for Australian sport marketers is to understand the extent that social media and new digital technology has changed sport, and that the effect of social/digital sport varies from sport to sport.
âIn some sports, social media and digital technology is a threat but for others it is a huge opportunity,�? adds Arkwright.
The 'Fan and Participant Engagement in the Digital Age' conference will help governing bodies and professional teams alike to come to grips with the financial implications of social media and digital media, Arkwright concluding that âthe conference will include numerous presentations at the conference providing case-study examples of how social media and digital technology has opened up new revenue streams.�?
For details contact the Sport Research Group on +64 4 567 0908 or Simon Arkwright on +64 27 272 5728.
simon@sportresearchgroup.com
http://www.sportisfantastic.com