Regional Summits

Culture & Entertainment Summit during WNBA All Star Week

Jul 23 • Hosted by rEvolution • Chicago

Join us as we explore how marketers turn sport investments into authentic fan connection and real cultural relevance. Moving beyond logo placement, the focus shifts to purposeful activations that puts brands inside the communities and conversations shaping modern fandom.

Brands that activate strategically outperform those that rely on passive visibility. When investment is backed by strong storytelling, community engagement, and cultural fluency, sponsorship becomes a true growth engine, driving brand equity, deeper engagement, and measurable impact.

From the momentum of the WNBA and women’s sports to soccer, motorsport, and more, we’ll explore how brands are showing up with purpose and becoming a force across sports, entertainment, and culture.

9:00 AM Breakfast and Registration
10:00 AM Opening Remarks

Brandon Gutman, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Brand Innovators

Marc Sternberg, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Brand Innovators

Joe Varano, Vice President, Content & Community, Brand Innovators
10:10 AM The Myth of Niche: Building a Platform at the Intersection of Sport and Culture

Culture has changed. The brands shaping it aren’t trying to reach everyone. Brand loyalty comes from a true connection with your audience. This session explores how serving an overlooked audience can create outsized cultural impact, and what brands can learn from building alongside those communities.

Featuring award-winning veteran NBA correspondent Cassidy Hubbarth, the conversation will center on how she, seven-time WNBA All-Star Skylar Diggins, and entertainment production studio Wavelength built AND MOM, a platform designed to turn overlooked conversations around motherhood, ambition, and identity into a cultural movement with relevance far beyond sports.

Cassidy Hubbarth, Co-Host of the ANDMOM Podcast and Sideline Reporter, NBA on Prime

Christine De La Rosa, Executive Producer, Wavelength

Moderated by: Jon Weidman, Senior Vice President Development, Wavelength
10:45 AM The New Architecture of Fan Engagement

Today’s fans engage across platforms, not just in venues. This conversation will focus on building activation strategies that extend beyond game day and position athletes as always-on cultural touchpoints.

Heather Woodard, Director, Brand Partnerships & Experiences – Brand, Content & Culture Marketing, McDonald’s
11:10 AM Networking Break
11:25 AM The WNBA: Built for What’s Next

Description: The WNBA is entering a new phase of commercial momentum. This session will explore how brands are structuring partnerships to drive meaningful fan connection and long-term business impact.

David Picioski, Head of Marketing, Team Sports, Wilson Sporting Goods Co.

Elyse Slayton, Chief Marketing Officer, Dallas Wings
12:00 PM Lunch
1:00 PM Sport 🤝 Culture

Sport doesn’t sit adjacent to culture, it exists within it. This discussion will explore how brands show up alongside athletes, fans, and creators in ways that contribute to culture and build authentic connection over time.

Marnie Boyer, Chief Marketing Officer, MyFitnessPal

Ashley Hegan, Manager, Media Strategy, McDonald’s

Brian Szejka, Chief Revenue Officer, NBA Take-Two Media
1:35 PM Panel: Inside the Culture: Earning Your Place

Audiences expect brands to show up with purpose and credibility. This panel will examine how to build authentic, locally relevant campaigns that resonate during both everyday moments and global stages.

Hank Kauffman, Basketball Lead, Brand Partnerships, DoorDash

Dominic Lucq, Vice President, Partnerships, Golden State Warriors
2:00 PM More Than a Logo

Sponsorship has evolved beyond visibility into full ecosystem integration. This session will explore how brands combine media, experiential, and content to drive measurable impact.

Guy Cartwright, General Manager, Channel & Partnerships, Ramp

Tara Giuliano, Chief Marketing Officer, Nuveen

Cari Wilber, Vice President of Marketing, World Wide Technology

Andrea Z. Wilson, Director, Sponsorships & Experiential Marketing, AT&T

Moderated by: Bruce Bundrant, Chief Commercial Officer, rEvolution
2:55 PM Reverse Panel: The Live Moment Multiplier

Even in a digital-first world, physical experiences remain powerful. This panel will explore how brands design in-person moments that translate into shareable, high-impact content.

Roderick Blaylock, Vice President Marketing, Casamigos, Diageo
3:30 PM After the Final Whistle: What’s Next for Brands in Soccer?

The World Cup may be over, but the opportunity is just beginning. This conversation will focus on how brands carry momentum forward and stay relevant in the next phase of the global soccer cycle.

Kay Bradley, Chief Marketing Officer, Chicago Stars

Kiren Devereux, Director of Marketing, Ferrara

Dan Moriarty, Chief Marketing Officer, Chicago Fire FC

William Karas, Senior Director, Partnership Strategy & Development, U.S. Soccer

Moderated by: Paulina Chapa, Senior Director, Corporate Marketing, rEvolution
4:05 PM The Next Generation Fan

Where sponsorship is headed across women’s sports, global soccer, racing, and beyond—and how brands can lead instead of follow.

Colie Edison, Chief Growth Officer, WNBA

Lora Loesch, Head of Media, Foot Locker

Amanda Viscelli, Senior Director, Consumer Experience & Influencer, COACH
4:45 PM Happy Hour and Wrap