Annual Sports Conference
Wednesday 11 February 2026
9.00am - 2.00pm
Farrer & Co, 55, 56 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LJ
Arrival and Breakfast | 9:00 – 9:30
Introduction and welcome from Rachel Nolloth | 9:30 – 9:40
Panel 1 (Investment in sport) | 9:40 – 10:20
Panel 2 (Technology, AI & Data) 10:25 – 11:05
Coffee Break | 11:05 – 11:30
Keynote - Lesley Sackey (Fight Forward) | 11:30 – 11:50
Panel 3 (Integrity at the top: managing serious allegations) | 11:55 – 12:40
Final word from Tom Bruce | 12:40 – 12:45
Networking Lunch | 12:45 - 14:00
Panel 1
Investment in sport
Investing in sports clubs, bodies or related businesses presents unique financial, cultural and operational dynamics. This session will focus on the key stages of the investment lifecycle in sport, from (1) the most important factors to consider prior to making an initial investment to (2) managing the investment after capital has been deployed to (3) where the next wave of growth may come from. The panel will consider how investments can be made whilst safeguarding the role sports clubs and bodies, in particular, play in communities and society more broadly; a factor which makes investing in sport a different proposition to investing in almost any other asset class.
Panel 2
Technology, AI and data
This session explores the evolving privacy landscape within the sports industry, focusing on rapidly developing areas such as: wearable athlete‑tracking technologies, advanced scouting and performance‑analysis systems, and the management of increasingly global fan communities. Alongside discussion of the key legal and regulatory issues, the panel will consider the athlete’s perspective - including autonomy, consent, and data ownership - as well as the commercial considerations shaping how sports organisations collect, use, and monetise personal data.
Keynote
Lesley Sackey
Lesley Sackey will share her journey from elite sport into social entrepreneurship, reflecting on resilience, performance under pressure and the role sport can play in empowerment and recovery. Drawing on her work with Fight Forward and Pillow, she will explore leadership, purpose and what it takes to build impact beyond the ring.
Panel 3
Integrity at the top: managing serious allegations
Allegations of serious misconduct against senior individuals can be highly damaging to a sports organisation. They undermine stakeholder confidence, weaken brand reputation, and jeopardise investment and sponsorship relationships. This session will explore how sports organisations should respond when allegations arise and will address the practical steps organisations can take to mitigate risk and prevent issues from escalating.