BLACK SPORTS BUSINESS SYMPOSIUM ANNOUNCES ALL-STAR SPEAKER LINEUP INCLUDING RICH PAUL, MARIA TAYLOR, TJ ADESHOLA & MORE
Media looking to cover the Symposium, including interviewing panelists and attending select sessions, please contact Tatum Texada at ttexada@rams.nfl.com.
The Black Sports Business Symposium, powered by ESPN, is proud to announce their all-star lineup of dynamic speakers for the second annual Symposium in Atlanta, GA, on April 13-15, 2023, in an effort to create a more inclusive and equitable professional sports community.
The Black Sports Business Symposium gives attendees the one-of-a-kind opportunity to participate in engaging panel discussions and workshops featuring a distinguished group of sports industry experts, leaders, and innovators who offer a unique background of experiences and knowledge. The discussions aim to provide valuable insights on a wide range of topics including professional development, DEI efforts, women in sports, sports and hip hop, financial literacy and more, all from a predominately Black perspective.
Notable panels and speakers include:
- Lucky Me: A Conversation with Rich Paul – Earlier this month, the Black Sports Business Symposium announced that Rich Paul, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of KLUTCH Sports Group and Head of United Talent Agency, will headline day one. He will join ESPN and Andscape journalist Jesse Washington for an exclusive fireside chat titled “Empowerment Through Community,” which will explore how to uplift athletes, create a business, excel in a challenging environment and the power of innovative thinking.
- Taylor Made: A Conversation with Maria Taylor – Industry powerhouse TJ Adeshola will sit down with one of the with the most respected voices in sports, Maria Taylor, as she shares insights about her journey to becoming an industry icon. This keynote conversation will take students, professionals, and the industry at large inside the career of Maria Taylor like never before.
- Black and Global: International Sports Work – Sportsdom has always been international. It’s the keen interest in cross-continent expansion efforts that are rapidly growing. With the rapid fanbases growing in Soccer, Motorsports, Basketball, and Football, all entities are set on the future with their globalization efforts, but where do Black Sports Professionals sit in these efforts? The “Black and Global” panel will showcase how Black voices are transcending work in the USA, the challenges in international work, and how these opportunities increase global perspectives on Blackness and all its beauty with moderator Nicole Britenriker, National Basketball Association Senior Team Talent Advisor, and panelists Nana-Yaw Asamoah, National Football League Senior Vice President of Partnership Strategy & New Business, Mike Taylor, National Basketball Association Vice President of Team Marketing & Business Operations, and Cicely M. Nash, Sportico Senior Event Producer.
- Sports and Hip Hop: I Put On For My City and Best of Both Worlds: Hip Hop and Sports – Hip-hop and sports have a long history. Stretching beyond the perceived mainstream contemporary sports culture, we have seen the beautiful pairing of hip-hop representation in sports dating back to its 50-year origin. From the groundbreaking relationships of Run DMC and Adidas and the prominence of Nike and Jordan to LeBron’s rapping on TikTok and Serena Williams’s appearance in Beyonce’s visual album, Lemonade, there are numerous examples of this seemingly perfect pairing. This panel series will feature some of the most prominent music executives as they discuss the intentional connection between sports and Hip hop. The panels moderated by Alexis Roe, Atlanta Hawks Director of Diversity and Inclusion, and Nzinga “Zing” Shaw, Recording Academy Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Officer, will feature panelists Kennard Garrett, Recording Academy Trustee and Emmy-Nominated producer, musician, arranger, educator and app developer, Justin “Henny Tha Bizness” Henderson, Recording Academy Atlanta Chapter Board President, Shaneika Dabney-Henderson, New Orleans Saints and Pelicans Vice President of Digital Production and Branded Content, Amina Hussein, Prime Video Head of U.S. Sports On-Air Talent and Development, Daniel “D Smoke” Farris, Grammy-Nominated Recording Artist, Darian “Big Tigger” Morgan, DJ for V-103 Atlanta, Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Falcons.
- Seizing the Window of Opportunity – This conversation will highlight taking on the “people leader” role and provide an overview of how to successfully manage the change in relationships, expectations, skills, and perspective. Panelists Kim Davis, National Hockey League Senior Executive Vice President of Social Impact, Growth Initiatives and Legislative Affairs, Kevin Demoff, Los Angeles Rams Chief Operating Officer, and Brandon Gayle, Spurs Sports & Entertainment Chief Operating Officer, will divulge some common mistakes new leaders make when transitioning into leadership roles.
- It’s Not Just Man’s World: Female Faces in “Male” Spaces Pt. 2 – Professional sports are attempting to diversify their employee population. There’s an emphasis on women and people of color in revenue generating positions, yet Black women are often left out of the conversation. Despite the statistics, this panel highlights several Black women who are running the commercial enterprise of their respective organizations. This panel will serve as a celebration and illumination of the Black women who are making the business run in male-dominated verticals. The panel will be moderated by Jabari Young, Forbes Senior Writer Sports Business, and panelists will include Shelly Cayette, Cleveland Cavaliers Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Qiava Martinez Las Vegas Raiders Senior Vice President and Chief Sales Officer, Meka Morris, Minnesota Twins Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, and Dionna Widder, Houston Dynamo Football Club Chief Revenue Officer.
- A World Cup Case Study – In June 2022, Atlanta was selected as one of the 16 host cities for the largest sporting event in the world, the 2026 World Cup. With Mercedes-Benz Stadium serving as the city’s host venue, participants will have the opportunity to learn from key members of AMB Sports and Entertainment on the background strategy, operational details and future impact of playing on the world’s biggest stage. The panel will be moderated by Shannon Joyner, Atlanta Falcons Vice President of Marketing, and include Tim Zulawski, AMB Sports and Entertainment President, Dietmar Exler, Mercedes-Benz Stadium Chief Operating Officer, Joe Pierce, AMBSE Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Heather Sautter, AMBSE Vice President of Communications, and Tarena Smith, Mercedes-Benz Stadium Vice President of Major Events.
“I’m amazed by the outpouring of support from the sports community for Black students and professionals looking to enter or advance in the industry,” said Gregory Gibson Jr., Co-Founder & CEO of the Black Sports Business Symposium. “With over 70 sessions and more than 200 speakers slated to appear at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the 2023 Black Sports Business Symposium promises to be a truly impactful event. The impressive roster of speakers for our sophomore event is a testament to our commitment to amplifying Black voices and celebrating diversity in sports.”
Visit blacksportsbiz.com to view the full list of confirmed speakers.
The Black Sports Business Symposium was founded by sports industry executives – HBCU Battle of the Brains Founder and Executive Director Gregory Gibson Jr., National Football League Network Senior Correspondent Steve Wyche, and Los Angeles Rams Chief Operating Officer Kevin Demoff – to serve as the epicenter for Black talent acquisition, engagement and development for sports organizations driving impact within the industry.
In addition, the Symposium is ground zero for intentional engagement between employers and prospective candidates, from college students and recent graduates to veterans of the c-suite. Coaches, both current and former players exploring future career options, and entrepreneurs also have a space carved out for them within BSBS.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium will once again serve as the Symposium venue host. The inaugural year of the Symposium saw tremendous support from multiple organizations across the sports industry through ideation, in-kind giving and industry support including AMB Sports and Entertainment (parent company of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United), The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and the Los Angeles Rams.
In acknowledgment of the need for greater diversity in sports and the barriers of entry that exist for young people, AMB Sports and Entertainment Chairman and Owner Arthur Blank has once again committed to sponsoring student attendance through The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation so deserving young professionals can benefit from the event.
For information about the Black Sports Business Symposium, visit blacksportsbiz.com and follow BSBS on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram at @blacksportsbiz. #BlackSportsBiz
This year, the Black Sports Business Symposium is excited to welcome media to cover the event onsite. To request a media credential or for additional information about BSBS, please contact Tatum Texada at ttexada@rams.nfl.com.
About Black Sports Business Symposium
Black Sports Business Symposium is a disruptive, invitation-only event that unites, cultivates, illuminates, and celebrates Black professionals and students in the sports business industry. The Symposium serves as ground zero for Black talent acquisition, engagement, and development within professional sports, spanning leagues, teams, agencies, and beyond, for all career levels and will focus on accelerating access, driving opportunity, cultivating community, inspiring innovation, and celebrating excellence.
