PREVIEWING:
THE MAD//SPORTS STAGE
MAD//FEST 2026
In partnership with:
24 June 2026
MAD//Sports is where sport, media and marketing collide.
Across the day, we’ll explore the trends shaping the future of sports marketing, from fan engagement, live data and sponsorship innovation to rights, athletes as creators, and purpose in sport.
And the action doesn’t stop on stage.
The MAD//Sports Clubhouse is your base for the day: interactive demos, competitive games and networking with the brands, agencies and rights holders shaping the industry.
The sports marketing hub of MAD//Fest.
The Female Athlete Creator
Women's sport is one of the fastest-growing properties in the market, and its sharpest asset is the athletes themselves. The ones building real audiences, telling their own stories, and turning that into commercial value a brand can't manufacture. This MAD//Sports fireside brings together a league, a brand and a player who's living it, on how backing the female athlete as a creator became one of the smartest growth plays in sport.
With Ruth Hooper, Chief Marketing Officer, Women's Super League Football (WSL).
Metro Bank + the English Cricket Board: Transforming the future of women's + girls' cricket together
Anyone can put a badge on a shirt. Metro Bank didn't. Their partnership with England Cricket and the award-winning Girls in Cricket Fund was built around a single question: how do we become genuinely useful to the communities we serve? The result is a masterclass in what it looks like to move from transactional sponsorship to genuine social impact, and why that distinction matters more than ever.
This session tackles the tension every marketing leader knows: the CFO wants hard metrics, but the CMO knows the numbers don't capture everything. Metro Bank's experience shows how to make both arguments at once with a measurement framework that honours business value and social value, and a compelling case to take to your CEO.
With Danielle Lee, Director Brand & Marketing, Metro Bank and Ben Bradley, Head of Commercial Partnerships, England Cricket (ECB).
Goals Front Three
Get match-ready with GOAL's Front Three as they bring their unique brand of football entertainment to MAD//Sports. With millions of fans tuning in for challenges, quizzes and unforgettable moments, this special live session is the perfect warm-up before the World Cup watch party. Expect laughs, surprises and plenty of football banter from the team behind one of the game's most popular digital channels.
Head over to MAD//Sports at the end of Day One at MAD//Fest and join the watch party!
Hoops to Hype: Growing the NBA brand internationally
The NBA is more than a sports league, it’s a global cultural powerhouse. Join Laura Pinnell, VP of Consumer Group, Europe & Middle East at the NBA, as she shares how one of the world’s most recognisable sports brands is winning fans far beyond the court. From navigating the complexities of diverse markets to building relevance through culture, partnerships and fandom, this session will explore the strategy, challenges and opportunities behind the NBA’s international growth. Discover how the league is engaging new audiences across Europe and beyond, and what it takes to turn global interest into lasting passion.
You can’t fool a fan: what brands keep getting wrong about superfans
What really unites fans? Drawing on new ITV research, this session explores the four behaviours that drive fandom and how they've played out during the World Cup so far, with practical lessons for brands looking to connect with audiences.
With Ed Chamberlin, Sports Broadcaster, ITV and Lucy Irving Head of Cultural Strategy, ITV.
From Pints to People: The Power of IRL Fandom
In a world obsessed with clicks, likes and algorithms, what happens when brands bring fans together in real life? Join Charlie Copsey, CEO & Founder of Underground Fan Club, and Sam Feasey, Global Sports Marketing Manager at Diageo/Guinness,, as they explore the growing power of IRL fandom and the communities built beyond the screen. From creating unforgettable experiences to turning shared passions into lasting brand loyalty, this session will unpack how meaningful, in-person connections are helping brands transform audiences into advocates, and why the future of fandom might be more human than digital.
BRAND
SPEAKERS INCLUDING:
Backing the Sky Blues: Monzo's Partnership in Coventry City's Return to the Premier League
As Coventry City returns to the Premier League, Monzo’s partnership with the Sky Blues is about far more than putting a badge on a shirt. It’s about backing a community, celebrating a city’s identity and showing up for fans in meaningful ways. In this session, discover how Monzo is using football as a platform to build authentic connections, create cultural relevance and support one of the game’s great comeback stories. From fan engagement to community impact, explore what it means to be a true partner to a club, its supporters and the city it represents.
With Charlotte Ford, Senior Director of Brand, Content & Partnerships, Monzo.
The Lions: Keeping a Brand Alive Between Tours
For most sports properties, four years of silence would be a challenge. For the British & Irish Lions, it’s an opportunity. With only one tour every four years, maintaining relevance, connection and excitement in the years between is no easy task. This session explores how one of sport’s most iconic brands stays culturally connected when there are no matches to play. From storytelling and content to partnerships, heritage and community building, discover how the Lions keep the spirit of the red jersey alive between tours, sustaining interest, deepening loyalty and building anticipation for the moments that matter most.
With Shane Whelan, Chief Marketing Officer, British & Irish Lions.
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