As vaccines are rolled out globally, we are all looking to the great beyond and asking, ‘what next?’ for life as we know it.

This Wednesday Sport for Business member Fuel is bringing together global leaders from across the areas of entertainment, corporate business, sport and public health to tackle the critical questions facing their industries.

The virtual event, Fuel the Future: The Reboot, will kick off at 12.30 pm Wednesday, 10th March and it is free to attend for all of us.

Hosted by Fuel Directors Brian McDermott and Jamie Deasy, and with a special live performance by Irish singing sensation Lyra, the event will aim to address the lack of clarity around the roadmap back to festivals, live and sporting events.

Fuel have put together an accomplished panel of experts to share their fascinating insights and predictions for their respective industries:

Managing Director of Festival Republic (Electric Picnic) Melvin Benn
World Rugby Council Member, Specialist in Performance and Wellbeing Su Carty
General Practitioner and Clinical Lecturer Dr. Sumi Dunne
Economist, Author and Broadcaster David McWilliams

The world has changed dramatically in the last 12 months, with technology accelerating changes to our socio-economic fabric. This panel of experts will deep dive into what issues lie ahead over the next 12 months for live entertainment, public health, business, corporate entertainment and sport, such as:

Will life mirror the Roaring 20s? Are we in for a decade of post-pandemic partying? We have all missed the euphoria of live gigs but what will the festival and concert experience look like after Covid-19 – has technology transformed how we consume live entertainment forever? And how long before our pent-up desire for the festival field is satisfied?

The death of the business traveller; the birth of a new junket: Corporate travel has been slashed thanks to Covid-19, calling time on business trips and conferences across the globe for workers worldwide – the financial impact of which is expected to be 10 times the 2008 recession. But it might not be all Zoom and gloom! If work-from-home is here to stay, and with it a move from city living to satellite towns and the countryside, could there be a rise in a new kind of junket, where the city becomes the playground? How will companies retain talent when the onsite perks of the office are no more?

Tap to clap: Teams may be back playing in stadiums but when will the fans return? The IRFU is predicting that stadiums here won’t have full capacity until 2022. So, what does that mean for loyal supporters who want to remain a part of the action from home? Gamification may hold the answer to keeping fans engaged, as they can react in real-time to matches and interact with other fans with a little help from technology.

The road to recovery: With the UK seemingly streaking ahead in the vaccination race, have they really taken a better approach to Ireland and the rest of the EU? Or are there positives to our approach? Meanwhile, successive lockdowns and limited socialising have taken a toll on us all. Collectively speaking, the mood is low. On the other hand, we picked up some good habits during the pandemic such as sea swimming, yoga, running and walking. So, what is the prognosis for the nation’s mental health? Has the Irish government failed to deliver hope for our economy? And with the roll-out of the vaccine here, how can we ensure we continue to prioritise our well-being as the hustle and bustle of life resumes?

For all this and much, much more, sign up for the event free here https://www.fuelthefuture.ie/. Donations can also be made to mental health organisation Aware live at the event.

Sport for Business Partners