2026 4S Summit Education Sessions

Tuesday, October 13

  9:55 AMRights Holder Track: Rights Holder Roundtable Discussions: What’s Working, What’s Changing & What Comes Next
October 13, 2026, 9:55 AM - 11:05 AM
Rising venue costs, staffing challenges, shifting market conditions, and increasing expectations from host destinations are changing the way rights holders...
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  9:55 AMSponsorship Track: Sponsorship Roundtable Discussions: Understanding Your Value
October 13, 2026, 9:55 AM - 11:05 AM
Successful sponsorship starts long before the proposal or pitch. It begins with understanding what your organization, event, audience, and community can...
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  9:55 AMSales Track: Sales Roundtable Discussions: What’s Working, What’s Not & What Can We Learn From Each Other? 
October 13, 2026, 9:55 AM - 11:05 AM
A candid peer-to-peer conversation about the realities of selling sports tourism today. Participants openly discuss what's working, what's becoming...
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  9:55 AMStrategies Track: Strategy Roundtable Discussions:  From Priorities to Progress
October 13, 2026, 9:55 AM - 11:05 AM
Every destination has priorities—but turning those priorities into measurable progress is where strategy gets complicated. How are organizations...
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  9:55 AMServices Track: Service Roundtable Discussions: Smarter Service – How AI is Changing the Way we Work 
October 13, 2026, 9:55 AM - 11:05 AM
AI has the potential to help service professionals spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time delivering exceptional event experiences. This peer-to-peer...
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  1:40 PMStrategies Track: Building Community Through Women’s Sports: From Legacy to Year-Round Impact
October 13, 2026, 1:40 PM - 2:25 PM
This session explores how communities can leverage women’s sports as a powerful tool for destination branding, tourism development, and civic pride....
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  1:40 PMSponsorship Track: More Than Logos: The Strategic Value of Sponsorship in Sports Tourism
October 13, 2026, 1:40 PM - 2:25 PM
Stay tuned! We’re putting the final touches on this section.
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  1:40 PMServices Track: Crisis Management
October 13, 2026, 1:40 PM - 2:25 PM
Stay tuned! We’re putting the final touches on this section.
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  1:40 PMSales Track: Breaking Down the RFP: How Destinations and Planners Work Together
October 13, 2026, 1:40 PM - 2:25 PM
Go behind the scenes of the sports tourism RFP process as industry leaders walk through a real-world proposal from submission to selection. Learn what...
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  1:40 PMRight Holders Track: From Strategy to Execution: Building Profitable Digital Marketing Systems for Sports Events
October 13, 2026, 1:40 PM - 2:25 PM
This session provides a practical, case study–driven approach to developing and implementing profitable digital marketing strategies for sports event...
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  2:40 PMRH Track: Rights Holder Roundtable Discussions: Ideas Worth Sharing
October 13, 2026, 2:40 PM - 3:30 PM
Sometimes the best ideas come from simply hearing how someone else does it. This fast-moving Rights Holder Exchange is all about sharing the ideas, practices,...
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  2:40 PMSponsorship Track: Sponsorship Roundtable Discussions: From Opportunity to Partnership
October 13, 2026, 2:40 PM - 3:30 PM
You've identified the opportunity—now how do you turn it into a partnership someone actually wants to buy? Building a successful...
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  2:40 PMStrategies Track: Strategy Roundtable Discussions: Inside the Buyer’s Mind: How Destinations Choose the Right Industry Partners
October 13, 2026, 2:40 PM - 3:30 PM
Choosing the right industry partner goes far beyond comparing services and price points. From identifying a need and researching potential providers...
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  2:40 PMSales & Services Track: Winning the Bid: Navigating the NCAA Championship Bid Process
October 13, 2026, 2:40 PM - 4:25 PM
As destinations prepare proposals during the active NCAA championship bid submission period, this session offers a timely opportunity to hear directly...
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  3:40 PMStrategies Track: MarComm Community
October 13, 2026, 3:40 PM - 4:25 PM
Stay tuned! We’re putting the final touches on this section.
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  3:40 PMSponsorship Track: The Sponsorship Starter Kit: 11 Steps to Getting in the Game
October 13, 2026, 3:40 PM - 4:25 PM
Sponsorship can feel intimidating when you are just getting started, but building a strong sponsorship strategy does not have to be overwhelming. In this...
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Wednesday, October 14

  9:25 AMRH Track: Rights Holder Roundtable Discussions: Inside the Business
October 14, 2026, 9:25 AM - 10:45 AM
Running successful events is only part of the job. Behind every event is a business navigating staffing, budgets, technology, growth decisions, risk, competing...
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  9:25 AMSponsorship Track: Sponsorship Roundtable Discussion: Building Partnerships That Last
October 14, 2026, 9:25 AM - 10:45 AM
Signing the agreement isn't the finish line—it's the beginning of the partnership. The strongest sponsorship programs create...
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  9:25 AMSales Track: Roundtable Discussions
October 14, 2026, 9:25 AM - 10:45 AM
Wrap up the summit with intention and action. In this final roundtable session, you'll revisit the biggest ideas, insights, and strategies from the past...
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  9:25 AMStrategies Track: Strategy Roundtable Discussions: Building the Destination of Tomorrow
October 14, 2026, 9:25 AM - 10:45 AM
The sports tourism landscape is evolving quickly—from changing rights-holder expectations and new technologies to workforce challenges...
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  9:25 AMServices Track: Service Roundtable Discussions: Behind the Scenes – What is Really Takes to Deliver Great Events
October 14, 2026, 9:25 AM - 10:45 AM
Once the business is won, service professionals are responsible for turning promises into reality. This candid peer-to-peer discussion gives...
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  10:55 AMSponsorship Track: What do Sponsors Really Want
October 14, 2026, 10:55 AM - 11:40 AM
Stay tuned! We’re putting the final touches on this section.
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  10:55 AMStrategies Track: Know Your Crowd: Turning Attendee Insights into Sponsorship Value
October 14, 2026, 10:55 AM - 11:40 AM
Discover how location analytics and alternative data can reveal who attends sporting events, where visitors come from, and which brands, destinations,...
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