SXSW Moments: It’s Time for Sports!
The Forrest Four-Cast: June 6, 2019
Did you miss something at SXSW 2019? Want to relive the magic? Look to this space over the coming weeks for links to video and audio replays of some of the most incredible experiences from this year’s event.
There’s never a true off-season for sport. As the NBA Finals race to their conclusion and the Women’s World Cup kicks off, this week makes a great time to take a listen to some of the diverse and fascinating discussions from SXSW 2019 around the wonderful — and changing — worlds of sport.
How Gen Z is Changing the World of Sports
Young sports fans consume content differently. Gen Z is not beholden to long, live sports games and commentary from old men in suits. They are re-imagining sports and entertainment media. From a discussion moderated by Kathleen Grace, CEO at digital studio New Form, learn how to target and reach the Gen Z audience from Jeff Toney, chief business officer of YouTube sensation Dude Perfect, and John West, CEO of Whistle.
Sidelined: Women’s Sports in Mass Media
Thanks to Title IX, women are participating in sports in record numbers. But media coverage of women’s sports remains out of step. This panel discusses the ways women athletes are represented (and misrepresented) across a variety of channels including film, sports news, and new media — and offer actionable solutions for better representation.
The Future of the North American Soccer Experience
Major League Soccer has emerged as one of the fastest growing leagues, featuring a unique young, diverse, millennial-fueled supporter culture, and the most tech savvy fan base of any North American sport. How is Major League Soccer staying out in front of the shifting expectations and consumption habits of millennial and Gen Z fans? MLS leadership and innovation partners discuss emerging technologies the league is leveraging to deepen fan engagement, enhance the stadium experience, and evolve on-field technology.
Capturing the Beautiful Game
Watching live sports captivates fans in a way that is unparalleled, creating memories and “I remember where I was when” moments that last a lifetime. From goal cameras and aerial footage to “going live,” capturing the sights and sounds of the largest sporting events requires expertise, precision, and a bit of luck. This panel discusses the creative techniques and technology used by photographers and commentators to immerse worldwide audiences in the beautiful game and the world’s biggest sports events.
The eSports Gamification of Real Sports
The interactivity of video game participation, and in turn, eSports fandom, has drawn a younger generation of fans away from professional sports and to eSports. Hear from Emmy-winning producer of both traditional sports and eSports behemoth League of Legends, Ariel Horn; broadcast talent from both traditional sports (formerly of ESPN) and Madden League, Adrienne Lawrence; and NFL veteran and current video game streamer, Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson, as they share their unique perspectives.
The Heartbeat of the American Sports Fan
Report has gathered an unparalleled understanding of the American millennial and Gen-Z sports fan — their desires, their behaviors and ultimately, their essence. Bleacher Report Chief Brand Officer Ed Romaine shares the multi-faceted journey inside the heart and mind of the connected sports fan as B/R attempts to entertain and enlighten and make it easier to tap into the power of a growing demographic.
Adaptive Athletics: The Rise of the Super Athlete?
Paralympic athletes are breaking records at an unbelievable pace. Using sports-specific prostheses, athletes are running faster and jumping farther than ever before. Today, many people question whether technology provides an unfair advantage or disadvantage and whether it increases access to sports for a wider range of people with disabilities. Current and former Paralympic athletes, including Scout Bassett, will discuss the controversy that is reshaping the landscape of competitive sports with academic and prosthetic experts.
Leveling the Playing Fields for Minorities in Sports
How do sports industry leaders bring more diversity onto their own teams, understanding that diversity breeds innovation? This panel, which includes Danita Johnson, President and COO of the Los Angeles Sparks, highlights women and men who are working to level the playing field, igniting an inclusive conversation around intentional initiatives that will produce more innovative and successful business results and extend opportunities not readily available before to minorities.
Show Me the Moneyline! A New Era in Sports and Media
May 14, 2018, opened the door for a much-anticipated shift in the U.S. sports landscape when the U.S. Supreme Court deemed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 unconstitutional. This panel features representatives from the sports, media, and gaming industries discussing how the proliferation of legal sports betting will change the fan experience.
Storytelling in Sports: How to Make Good Sh*t
Bill Gates coined the term “content is king” over 20 years ago, yet increasingly, meaningful, dynamic and insightful content is increasingly scarce. In sports, we’ve gone from daily refresh (the newspaper) to hourly (SportsCenter) to more news, information and stories than anyone could possibly consume. Given that reality, how do we make sure we’re telling the most compelling stories to cut through the noise? Three master storytellers talk about about what they do to ensure their vision cuts through the clutter.
More Memories from SXSW 2019
Change is Coming
Urban Mobility
Saving the Ocean
Military Matters
Women’s Health
Social Media Power
Telling New Media Stories
Motherhood
Marvel’s Magic
Future Health
May the Fourth
Women in Tech
Growing Unicorns
Thriving at Work
Making a Difference
Fighting Fake News
Disaster Response
Hacking Democracy
Pete Buttigieg
Kara Swisher
Arlan Hamilton
Do these audio recordings inspire you to get involved in a SXSW session next year? Enter your forward-thinking speaking proposal for March 2020 via the SXSW PanelPicker. Speaking proposals for next year’s event are accepted via this interface from July 1 through July 19.
Hugh Forrest serves as Chief Programming Officer at SXSW, the world’s most unique gathering of creative professionals. He also tries to write at least four paragraphs per day on Medium. These posts often cover tech-related trends; other times they focus on books, pop culture, sports and other current events.
