We're delighted that Thomas Eggar are sponsoring this year's Sports Summit. Tom Barnard, a sports lawyer from the firm, blogs about what they are looking out for on 4 June.
The Sports Summit is an event that we always look forward to here at Thomas Eggar. The topics are always exciting and relevant; the speakers high profile and knowledgeable. 2015 is no different. But this year we’re more excited than ever: for the first time, were proud to be the Summit’s headline sponsor.
The theme for this year is “Fit for the Future” and the individual topics address that from many angles. Whether it’s government policy, participation and the sector’s engagement with the public health agenda, inclusion or wearable technology, this year’s Summit offers something for everyone, picking up on issues that will help organisations focus and refine their strategies for the years to come.
Our delegates are looking forward to the panel session on volunteering and engaging the next generation of participants. We speak to many governing bodies and sporting organisations and they tell us that volunteering and participant engagement are always near to the top of their list of challenges. In such a competitive marketplace, with a huge variety of sporting and non-sporting activities competing for the younger generations’ time, how can governing bodies set themselves apart and drive new interest? Is wearable technology the answer to that question?
With new devices coming to market all the time, however, it can be a challenge to stay on top of developments, let alone give thought to the ways in which tech may be able to drive growth or increase participation. We have worked with organisations from all sectors to look at the ways in which they exploit the technological and intellectual property opportunities available to them. Governing bodies are no different, and they need to think about the impact and opportunities afforded by the shifting technological landscape. It will be fascinating to hear from Dave Wright talk first-hand about his experiences using wearable technology to drive not only increased participation, but high quality participation.
Quality participation ties neatly to the debate on public health and the ways in which the sports sector can help improve the fitness of our nation. The Summit really does take a 360 degree look at what sporting organisations need to do to ensure they’re #Fit4Future.
The Summit addresses some of the key issues relevant to governing bodies’ strategies and policies for the future. Of course, those strategies will be shaped by other factors (legal and financial, for example) but we have no doubt the Summit will resonate with all delegates, imparting knowledge and provoking thought that we can take back to our respective organisations and build upon.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Tom Barnard
Thomas Eggar LLP
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