DRIVING GLOBAL SPORTS CHANGE

30 Aug

DOING GOOD
THROUGH SPORTS
ON THE GLOBAL SCALE

Transforming sport into a force for good starts with getting the right people together to take on the task. Global Sports Week is an international gathering dedicated to shaping, shaking, and sharing the future of sports. For the third year, 17 Sport partnered with Global Sports Week to showcase the changemakers and progressive leaders in the industry. Over 2,000 attendees met in-person at Accor Arena, an upcoming Olympic venue for the Paris 2024 games, with more connecting in Los Angeles and through sessions online. The participants all had a shared goal in mind: how sports can be used to enhance the future of our businesses and society.

Global Sports Week set out to address some of the big topics in sports, including sustainability and inclusivity both on and off the pitch. Leaders from adidas, professional sports clubs, tech companies, and other change-driven organizations led sessions with insights on how they ideate and create new practices and programs.

“Our strategic partnership with Global Sports Week is rooted in a shared commitment to enable the industry to do good while doing well.”
- Neill Duffy, Co-Founder and CEO, 17 Sport

SPORTS FOR ALL

Athletes spoke about their challenges and successes getting into the sports world as well as how to open up opportunities for the players coming after them. adidas shared their Breaking Barriers Project, a partnership with 17 Sport constructed to drive gender equity in sports by educating and training the next generation of leaders to foster a more inclusive environment in their teams and organizations. Champions from the Project spoke on the impact sports have had on their personal lives, and the positive influence they see in their communities as a result of the Project.

Leaders spoke on the continued changes the industry needs to take, both from business and player perspectives. At a higher level, organizations addressed some of those changes directly as they shared initiatives they have taken to build and rebuild programs for the future. Inclusion for those who have historically been on the outside was a key point of focus as individuals and companies outlined the ways they are restructuring to make sports a welcoming place for everyone.

CREATING FOR
A BETTER FUTURE

Sustainability was central to the event, with panels addressing large-scale sports events and how to build with mindfulness when planning these global competitions. Neill Duffy joined leaders from adidas and Munster Rugby to discuss the future of events and how to create a world where everyone has access to opportunity while positively impacting the environment.

Technology was featured as an opportunity for sports as well. Tech leaders discussed the potential of the latest technologies and the potential to engage fans in new and unique ways. Sessions focused on web3, blockchain, and NFTs, to name a few, and how these tools can capture a wider audience and revolutionize the sports world.

Reconnecting both online and in-person at the event reignited the passion for driving change and creating a more purposeful world of sports. At 17 Sport, we are committed to transforming the industry and tackling this generation's challenges in sports.

Learn more about how we are bringing sport and purpose to the forefront of business with our work. Find out more here.