Hello Black Sports Business Community,
I hope this message finds you well. When fellow co-founders Steve Wyche, Kevin Demoff, and I first gathered to discuss what was possible for Black professionals, emerging college students, and individuals seeking a path into the sports and entertainment industry, we promised to go big or go home.
Steve Wyche served as the connective tissue between the three of us, a partner in crime in other endeavors, with a shared mission to provide access and opportunity, as evident by his work with the Black College Football Hall of Fame, Polynesian Hall of Fame, HBCU Legacy Bowl, and HBCU Battle of the Brains, among many, many other great organizations.
When Kevin Demoff came to the table, he brought a passion for positive change in an industry that desperately needs it as well as the collective, championship excellence of the Los Angeles Rams with him.
The vision was immediately and wholeheartedly supported by Mr. Arthur M. Blank, the collective infrastructure of the Arthur M. Blank Family of Businesses, inclusive of AMB Sports and Entertainment, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Atlanta Falcons, and Atlanta United.
The Walt Disney Company and ESPN provided foundational, unprecedented structural support for an idea that often resembled a dream. Without ESPN and the aforementioned, the Black Sports Business Symposiumwould not have been possible.
How I know God has a sense of humor, is the two biggest rivals of my beloved New Orleans Saints being the All-Pro team we needed to achieve the unthinkable. Trust me, the jokes never stop.
When Alexis Johnson, Asia Gholston, Demeka Fields, Kanke Kathleen Ikpi, and Kelly Lewis joined the team, collectively, our Executive Leadership Team, the dream became inevitable. We pride ourselves on our speakers, sponsors and attendees all enjoying the event while delivering unmatched professional development and networking opportunities. Professionals and students have been fortunate to learn from and engage with speakers headlined by Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, Coach Dawn Staley, Rich Paul, Maria Taylor, Dr. Valerie Daniels Carter, TJ Adeshola, Kevin Warren, and Bubba Wallace, while also interfacing with a roster of speakers including industry executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs. What I’m most proud of in the first two years of the Symposium is that with over 400 speakers across nearly 150 sessions on seven stages, more than half of our speakers have been women, reflecting the immense contributions of Black Women in the sports and entertainment industry. Another thing that brings me joy is all of this has been corporately sponsored, and thus, has been brought to our Black sports community free of charge for all non-sponsored attendees.
Because of the belief in the community of early supporters in leagues, teams, and brands lead by the National Football League (NFL), NASCAR, Major League Baseball (MLB), Atlanta Hawks/State Farm Arena, Atlanta Braves, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans, BSE Global, adidas, Amazon/Prime Video & Amazon Studios, and The Coca-Cola Company, among others, and of our attendees, we were able to prove what is possible.
Tomorrow’s task is ensuring equitable access to all of the opportunities this industry has to offer while continuing to effectively and comprehensively educate, inspire, and enrich our Black sports professional and student community for years to come. A professional Homecoming, perhaps. To ensure sustainability with the quality attendees have grown accustomed to, the Black Sports Business Symposium will be moving to a paid registration model, further extending the opportunity of access to our growing population of Black professionals in sports, talented college students, and highly qualified professionals interested in joining the industry. While moving to a paid model, there will be opportunities to attend the 2024 Black Sports Business Symposium free of charge, including through our Submit A Session programming initiative and the Arthur M. Blank 100 for HBCU & college students. Symposium offerings will expand in year three to increase the return of your collective investment.
I encourage you to follow @BlackSportsBiz on all social media platforms and sign up for our mailing list on blacksportsbiz.com. If you thought what we did together the first two years was special, you won’t want to miss what we’re about to do next.
See you in 2024!
Sincerely,
Gregory Gibson Jr.
Co-Founder & CEO
Black Sports Business Symposium
