Basketball Legend Joins Isbc Line Up

The International Sport Business Congress, in association with BT, has netted another sporting great to join an exciting speaker line up for its two-day event this month – with psychologist, organisational consultant, high performance executive coach and basketball legend John Amaechi OBE to give a keynote discussing how sport can impact urban communities on Thursday, 17th July.

After taking up basketball aged 17 and being considered ‘too late to the game’, Stockport-raised Amaechi became an NBA star and just 12 years later his jersey was hung in the US Basketball Hall of Fame.

Amaechi has also represented Great Britain in the Commonwealth Games, was heavily involved in the country’s Olympic delivery and is now a sought-after speaker due to his expertise around leadership, performance, diversity and  community engagement.

‘I am thrilled to be speaking at an event that focuses specifically about sport and cities during the International Festival For Business, as it’s such a key and important part of what economies should be looking at when striving to improve,’ Amaechi said. ‘I am looking forward to discussing what is being done in sport to make cities better and, perhaps, more importantly, what can and still needs to be done.’

Joining Amaechi will join other speakers on the topic of sport and social change in cities such as Sandra Jovchelovitch, a Professor at London School of Economics; Jene Elzie, NBA Vice-President of Marketing; and French rugby legend Serge Betsen.

Jovchelovitch whose work on the favelas in Brazil and studies on the impact the World Cup has had on the country’s socio-economic underbelly has caused quite a stir in the lead up to the world’s biggest football tournament. She’ll share her findings, and her views on the future of the favelas and Brazil as a whole in the aftermath of the World Cup.

Jene Elzie, NBA Vice President of Marketing, will speak about how the NBA’s world-renowned community engagement programmes are helping the league expand the sport across the world. She’ll share where the NBA is headed and the importance of social engagement in that strategy.

Serge Betsen, French rugby legend and one of the country’s greatest ever players, will share how life after playing has turned him to a meaningful cause – working with young, disadvantaged people in Cameroon and helping them through the use of rugby. He’ll share his views on what type of impact a sportsperson can have as a role model, and whether professional sportspeople and celebrities have an obligation to give back.

The two-day International Sport Business Congress on July 17 and 18, taking place in Liverpool and Manchester respectively, features some of best sporting minds discussing topics from the commerciality of sport to measuring the impact of sporting events. The Congress is being held at Liverpool’s BT Convention Centre and Arena and Manchester’s Etihad Stadium as part of the International Festival For Business being held in Liverpool and will feature:

• Sir Howard Bernstein –  CEO, Manchester City Council
• Ian Ayre – Managing Director, Liverpool Football Club
• Robert Elstone –  CEO, Everton Football Club
• Ian Edmondson – Head of Major Events, London & Partners
• Paul Samuel – Executive VP Europe, AEG Global Partnerships
• Nick Varley – Founder, Seven46
• Maurice Watkins CBE – Senior Partner and Head of Sport, Brabners
• Dr Geoff Pearson – Football Industry Group, University of Liverpool
• Professor Stefan Szymanski – University of Michigan
• Professor Greg Whyte OBE – Liverpool John Moores University
• Professor Keith George – Head of RISES, Liverpool John Moores Universtiy

Richard Morris, International Sport Business Congress Event Director, said: ‘We have such an amazing line up for the Congress, so it’s great to be able to add an inspirational sportsman such as John Amaechi to the bill.’

‘It promises to be two days of excellent speakers, insights and conversation with some of the best and most renowned sports minds and in two cities known for their passion for sport. It really is going to be a must-attend event for people involved or interested in sports business.’

The International Sport Business Congress is in partnership with both Liverpool Vision and Marketing Manchester, and the University of Liverpool, creating a unique event in a region where sport has achieved global success and recognition and where the business of sport is one of the key drivers of the local economy. 

For tickets visit http://www.internationalsportbusinesscongress.com/registration. Use promo code ‘early bird’ to get 20% off.