NEW YORK -- The BIG EAST Conference is set to host its inaugural Revenue Summit from July 28-29 in Chicago. The two-day event, hosted by DePaul University, is designed to be a collaborative, forward-looking working session on the future of revenue generation in college athletics and on BIG EAST campuses.
Held at iconic Wrigley Field, the Revenue Summit will bring together BIG EAST campus and conference leaders and industry experts to share best practices and develop actionable strategies centered on the ever-changing ecosystem of college athletics.
"We hope the intra-conference dialogue at this gathering and the input of seasoned sports business professionals will be of great value to our schools as they look to maintain the high quality of their athletics programs and thrive in an increasingly competitive environment," said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. "We believe we have continuing commercial upside from traditional events and programs and see room to create innovative, monetizable assets that build on our history, rivalries, major market locations, broad national television exposure, and the strength of the BIG EAST brand."
On Wednesday, July 29, the Revenue Summit will begin with remarks from Commissioner Ackerman and DePaul Senior Vice President and Director of Athletics DeWayne Peevy before five outstanding panel discussions:
BIG EAST Revenue Summit
Revenue Lessons from Professional Sports
Matt Kobe | Executive Vice President, Revenue & Strategy, Chicago Bulls
Matt Gray | Executive Vice President, Revenue & Strategy, Chicago Blackhawks
Chris Weddige | Vice President, New Stadium Sales & Service, Chicago Fire FC
Steve Brauer | Vice President, Ticket Sales, Chicago Cubs
Ticketing, Premium Sales, and Data-Driven Prospecting
Nick Picadura | Vice President, Global Pricing & Distribution, Ticketmaster
Alan Pandiani | Senior Director, College Athletics, Paciolan
Tyler Reichwein | Senior Vice President, Altius Sports Partners
Courtney Rice | President, Business Operations, WolfCycle
Experiences, Hospitality, and Fan Innovation
Jonathan Marks | Chief Business Officer, Elevate
Amy Latimer | Chief Business Officer, Oak View Group
Andy Blackburn | Vice President, Commercial Enterprises, Chicago Cubs & Wrigley Field Events
Sponsorship
Gil Beverly | President, Playfly Sports
Jessi Sanchez | Senior Vice President, Consulting & Valuation, Playfly Sports
Mike Gordon | Corporate Vice President, Learfield Sports Properties
Chris Termini | Vice President, Business Affairs, NCAA
Ashley Facchini | Senior Director, Corporate Partnership Development, Chicago Cubs
Licensing, Retail, and Brand Monetization
Cory Moss | President, Brand Management & Marketing, Learfield
Jeremy Bare | Chief Merchandising Officer, Follett
Dan Gillham | Senior Vice President, Levy & Rank + Rally
Chad Phillips | Executive Vice President, LidsU
The Revenue Summit will conclude with a meeting with administrators from the attending BIG EAST institutions who will participate in focused discussions on shared practices and partnerships and strategic priorities across the conference's footprint.