The 19th annual PrimeTime Sports Management Conference & Trade Show will be held at The Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto, Canada Nov. 12–14. The conference will feature more than 70 industry speakers, including business leaders, industry executives, athletes and broadcasters. The PrimeTime conference hosts two sessions, a business case competition and the Careers in Sport Workshop, designed to advance the careers of current students and new industry professionals.
PrimeTime Sports & Entertainment hosts its 19th annual conference
Every year, 550 sports industry executives and decision-makers gather at The Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto, Canada, for PrimeTime Sports Management Conference & Trade Show for three days of networking and connection. This year’s 19th annual conference will take place Nov. 12–14.
While the conference will be jam-packed with speakers, panels and discussions on the future of sports, this year will also host two new panel formats.
“Our goal is for everyone to learn from and network with the leaders in sport, and join the conversation of sharing best practices, overcoming challenges and creating meaningful connections for future engagement in the industry,” says Patrice Whiffen Hunnicutt, director of marketing and events for PrimeTime Sports & Entertainment Inc. “This event has become an annual reunion of the sports industry, and we hope to continue to see attendees year after year!”
What’s New
The conference regularly hosts panels on distinct topics in the sports industry; this year, it will host its first panel on AI. Also new this year is the combination of business- and team operations-focused panels. In previous years, each topic received a dedicated day.
“The goal here was to ensure all delegates can participate and learn from panels catered to their specific roles in sport on both days of the program,” Hunnicutt says.
The Speakers
The conference will feature more than 70 industry speakers, including business leaders, industry executives, athletes and broadcasters, across three days.
Attendees can look forward to hearing from Rowan Barrett, general manager and executive vice president of men’s high performance for Canada Basketball; John Chayka, general manager for NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs; and Jason Hernandez, general manager for MLS’ Toronto FC; and Kathleen McGinn, board chair for Rugby Canada.
Shaping the Youth
In addition to educating industry veterans, the PrimeTime conference hosts two sessions designed to advance the careers of current students and new industry professionals. With academic partnerships across North America, PrimeTime encourages student participation by distributing information to schools and school clubs.
The first session for emerging professionals is the business case competition. Hunnicutt says it was created to present students with an opportunity to apply their skills to a real-world problem facing industry partners. Twelve teams of three to four students are given a real-world business challenge from a major sports organization. After working on a solution and presentation, teams will present it live at the conference to a panel of judges.
“This hands-on competition has provided the next generation an opportunity to showcase their critical and creative thinking to industry judges and has resulted in job offers and industry connections built on actionable engagement with a current issue facing our industry,” Hunnicutt says.
and is the second professional development session catering to students, recent graduates and new professionals. “The engaging dialogue that takes place allows for a more inviting environment for learning, and networking in a comfortable and inclusive environment,” Hunnicutt says. During the session, speakers help prepare the next generation of industry leaders by sharing their experiences and discussing career pathways.
