Program Agenda
Exhibits and Registration Open
Registration hosted by
Continental Breakfast
9:00
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Richard Weiss, Publisher,
SportsBusiness Journal/Daily
9:15
State of
The 2009 racing season has seen tremendous change as the economic climate has forced racing series, teams, venues and sponsors to recalibrate their strategies and business models. How are motorsports entities re-evaluating their programs to become leaner and more efficient while providing added value? During this roundtable discussion, you will hear from Jeffrey Belskus, President & CEO, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indy Racing League; Tom Compton, President, NHRA; Ken Hudgens, COO, Feld Entertainment; Steve Phelps, CMO, NASCAR; and Chris Powell, President & GM, Las Vegas Motor Speedway; as they discuss how this year has established a new era in motorsports and how these changes will impact the sport in the coming years.
10:15
FEATURED INTERVIEW:
David Hill and John Wildhack Speak Out on
During this interview, you will hear from FOX Sports Chairman David Hill, and ESPN’s Executive VP, Programming & Acquisitions John Wildhack, as they discuss their motorsports media platforms and their efforts to drive ratings, increase viewership, engage fans and embrace new technologies that enhance the viewing experience.
10:45
Networking and Refreshment Break
11:15
Case Study:
Examining Ask.com’s Motorsports Debut
With many brands pulling back their sponsorship execution, Ask.com jumped into the NASCAR scene this year, partnering with NASCAR, NASCAR.com and Hall of Fame Racing. In this in-depth case study you will hear from Andy Donkin, Managing Director, Ask.com New Ventures, as he outlines the company’s unique marketing approach and how it increased its brand awareness and user conversion among traditional and non-traditional race fans.
11:45
How to Activate and Engage Fans
The at-track connection with race fans is vital to many brands, whether the goal is to build awareness, sample products or increase consumer preference. How are brand-marketers activating their business goals in and around a facility, and how do they successfully reach and engage their fans in a very cluttered market place? You will hear from Vipe Desai, Director, Marketing, Monster Energy; Rebecca Durham, Motorsports & Sponsorships Manager, Stanley Tools; Mike Hargrave, Senior VP, Motorsports Platform Executive, Bank of America; Jeff Herbert, Senior VP & Marketing Chief, Office Depot; and Daryl Wolfe, VP & CMO, International Speedway Corp., as they discuss their activation tactics.
12:30
Lunch
2:00
One-On-One Interview:
Acclaimed IndyCar Series Driver Danica Patrick
One of the most marketable stars in motorsports, Danica Patrick’s popularity transcends beyond the traditional race fan. During this one-on-one interview, she will share her thoughts on sponsorship, racing, competing in a predominantly male sport and the possibility of competing in dual racing circuits.
2:30
Investing and Activating in Motorsports
Few sports can claim as much success as motorsports in offering brands unique marketing platforms and opportunities to activate in multiple series. Forrest Lucas, Owner, Lucas Oil; Ryan Luckey, Director, Sports & Entertainment Marketing, MillerCoors; Ben Reiling, Director, Motorsports Marketing, Coca-Cola North America; Tom Tiernan, Chief of Outreach & Events, U.S. Army; and Eric Vaden, Motorcycle & Powersports Marketing, Geico, will discuss how they develop their marketing strategies for each series, covering at-track, media and online.
3:30
Networking and Refreshment Break
4:00
Social Media/Viral Marketing Case Study:
M&M’s Racing Connects
How do you provide fans with an opportunity to connect with a sport they are passionate about while creating brand affinity? In this in-depth case study, you will learn how M&M’s Racing launched an aggressive, integrated campaign using word-of-mouth and social media efforts to drive entries for “The Most Colorful Fan™ of NASCAR” contest. Presenters include Ryan Bowling, Director, Public Relations, Integrated Marketing Communications Group, Mars Chocolate North America
4:30
Featured Interview:
The Forces, a Dynamic Duo in the NHRA
John Force is an icon in the NHRA, winning more championships than anyone else in the
5:15
Cocktail Reception
9:00
What Will Racing Look Like in 10 Years?
After remarkable growth, the motorsports industry is leveling off, which has resulted in new and significant challenges. So now, how will the sport rebound and what will it look like over the next five to 10 years? During this discussion, Steve Gaffney, VP, Corporate Marketing, Sprint; Eddie Gossage, President & GM, Texas Motor Speedway; Tom Knox, VP, Business Development, IMG; Darren Marshall, Senior VP, Research, rEvolution; Rod Moskowitz, Executive VP, Motorsports Management International; and Lee White, President & GM, Toyota Racing Development USA; will share their insights on the factors that will have the
10:00
One-On-One Interview:
When it seems like many NASCAR teams are struggling to remain competitive, Michael
10:30
Break
11:00
Motorsports Media: Where It is and Where It’s Going?
This roundtable session will examine topics ranging from growing distribution and ratings to integrating personalities and drivers into the race coverage, to the impact of uniform start times. You will hear from Jay Abraham, COO, NASCAR Media Group and VP, Content & New Media, NASCAR; Marc Fein, Executive VP, Programming, Production & Business Operations, VERSUS; Steve Lauletta, President, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing; Mark Lazarus, President, Media & Marketing, Career Sports & Entertainment; and Hunter Nickell, President, SPEED; as they answer these and other questions relating to HD, social networking and mobile.
12:00
Sessions Conclude
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