Sarah Keane, President of the Olympic Council of Ireland will be the keynote interviewee at The Sport for Business Game Changer Conference on Women in Sport on November 30th.
Keane’s story of bringing the Olympic movement here back from the brink of the Rio crisis which engulfed it a year ago has been one of the sports administration masterclasses of this or any other era and we will explore what needed to be done, how it was achieved and how the future looks now for Irish Olympians.
We will also feature an in-depth look at the most important sponsorships in Women’s sport with contributions from Lidl and Ladies Gaelic Football and a special link to Madrid where Liberty Insurance are hosting the first ever Camogie All Stars Tour.
Rónán O’Coisdealbha, the Head of Sport at TG4, John Greene, Editor of the Sunday Independent and Emily Glen from the Fair Game Podcast will look at the opportunities that are now presenting themselves for greater coverage of Women’s sport here in Ireland.
Roisin Duffy, Chair of Women on Air will be joining us to look at how Women in Sport can help each other by creating great networks.
The half-day session will take place in the Fitzgerald Chamber at UCD and promises to bring together many of those who have been among the most passionate and effective advocates for Women in Sport over the past year and in the coming months and years.
We will also be joined from the UK by Lynsey Douglas from Nielsen Sports who will provide exclusive insight into how Women’s sport is changing around the world and what we can learn from insight into changing audiences, increased investment from sports and sponsors and the power of female sports fans.
Douglas has 10 years experience in the sports industry, both rights holder side with Williams F1 and on major brand’s sponsorship activation, including Land Rover and Lucozade Sport.
Outside of her career, Lynsey achieved 30 caps for Scotland including playing in two Rugby World Cups, was previously chair of Wasps Ladies RFC and a founding member of the Women’s Premiership Group.
There will be a special session looking at the different ways in which women can transition from the playing field into positions of authority within their sport.
Among those joining us to tell their story in this area will be Su Carty, player, referee and former Head of Women’s Rugby at World Rugby. Carty has recently been appointed to co-chair the review of Women’s Rugby underway at the IRFU.
Also on the stage will be Paula Brady who is one of Ireland’s most successful referees at UEFA and FIFA level.
Other elements on the morning will include a hard look at where education is failing young girls in sport and how that might be improved and an invitation to those present to really make a mark in how sport for Women can move forward in 2018.
Timetable:
0830: Registration and Networking
0910: Opening of the Game Changer Conference
MC Joanne Murphy and Rob Hartnett, Sport for Business
0920: Creating Greater Networks
Roisin Duffy, Chair Women on Air
0940: Transitioning from Player to the Next Chapter
Paula Brady, Su Carty, Bobby Gamble
1010: The Engagement Game for Sponsors
Liberty Insurance and Lidl Ireland Share their Stories
1040: Opportunity Knocks
Some of the key sporting opportunities for Women’s Sport in 2018
1100: Refreshments and Networking
1120 Education – Where can we do better?
Jessica Myles, Keeping Girls in Sport; Georgina Dwyer, UCD Sport
1150 What Can We do? – Interactive Session
1210: The Media Landscape
Rónán O’Coisdealbha, TG4; John Greene, Sunday Independent; Emily Glen, Fair Game Podcast
1240: Women’s Sport is Changing – What the Data Tells Us
Lynsey Douglas, Nielsen Sports
1310: Closing Keynote Fireside Interview
Sarah Keane, President of the Olympic Council of Ireland
1340: Close of Conference and Light Lunch