From Players to Powerhouses: How Sports Became the Entertainment Industry’s Main Event

Welcome to "Sportywood," where the lines between sports, entertainment, and media has almost vanished. Today’s athletes and leagues are more than competitors: they're global brands, cultural tastemakers, and powerful storytellers, driving sports to outgrow seasonal competitions and become year-round entertainment empires that rival traditional studios. From NIL deals to content studios, exclusive merch drops to captivating docuseries - from the established giants of the NFL and NBA to the rising stars of Western sports—are reshaping what it means to be in sports. Speakers include Deirdre Lester, CEO, Teton Ridge; Heidi Browning, Senior EVP & CMO, NHL; Michaela Hammond, Co-Founder, OffBall; Matt Curtin, President, NFL Players Inc.; Tammy Henault, CMO, NBA #sportbeach2025 #stagwellatcannes #sportbeach #canneslions