Variety and Sports Illustrated partnered to host an exclusive Sports and Entertainment summit on July 14, following the ESPY Awards at Vibiana in Los Angeles. The event brought together leading influencers, visionaries and change agents from each industry. On hand to keynote the event was five-time NBA Champion, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, NBA MVP, and NBA’s 3rd all-time leading scorer, Kobe Bryant and 3-time NBA Champion and 12- time NBA all-star Dwyane Wade.

During the one-day summit, Sports Illustrated and Variety examined how the sports and entertainment industries have evolved and what is to be expected in years to come. Topics that were covered included: The State of Live Sports Coverage; The Future of In-Stadium/Arena Entertainment; The Future of Sports Marketing; High Tech Sports – VR, AR and Analytics; Engaging Millennial Sports Fan; and Masters of Sports Storytelling. The summit also featured a special panel with Kevin Demoff, Jeff Fisher, and Stan Kroenke of the Los Angeles Rams.

The editors of Variety and Sports Illustrated weighed in on the ways technology is stimulating swift transformation across sports and entertainment and the impact that transformation is having on fans, rousing an insatiable desire for round-the-clock access and content. Discussed was the mounting influence of these industries and the audience they serve, speaking about ways to capture and hold the attention of an ever-connected sports community.