LAUSANNE, Switzerland – Leading international sports investor George Gillett, whose ownership interests include some of the most famous teams in the world, will be a featured speaker at Sportaccord 2009 from March 23-27 in Denver, Colorado. Gillett is co-owner of Liverpool FC of the English Premier League and also owns the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League and the Richard Petty Motorsports in NASCAR. From this unique perspective, he will address the subject of the globalization of the sports business.
Other new additions to the conference programme in Denver are National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman, Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber and Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli. They join a stellar line-up of previously announced speakers including tennis legend Andre Agassi, CNN founder Ted Turner and NBC Universal Sports & Olympics Chairman Dick Ebersol, as well as former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver.
The seventh edition of the convention will take place at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center with expected attendance of 1,500 delegates from 500 organisations around the world. As a special show of hospitality, Sportaccord’s Denver hosts have invited all delegates to be guests at the NHL game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on the evening of March 25.
“Sportaccord 2009 is a very important platform for international sports organizations to communicate and cooperate in pushing forward the development of the international Olympic movement,” said Xu Ruisheng, executive deputy secretary general of the Guangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee and vice mayor of Guangzhou. “The Asian Games Guangzhou 2010 is governed by the Olympic Council of Asia and this event provides a wonderful opportunity to promote the lovely ‘Flower City’ of Guangzhou.”
During the convention, Sportaccord TV will deliver content live to video screens. Sportaccord TV is also lining up interviews with top executives and personalities e attending the event.
“Aggreko is proud to continue our affiliation with Sportaccord and our sponsorship of the TV Suite,” said Gary W. Meador, Aggreko’s director, North America events. “The Sportaccord exhibition and our sponsorship provide us excellent venues to meet and discuss synergies between potential clients and Aggreko's worldwide services and experience.”
Sportaccord week will feature a dynamic exhibition, numerous networking receptions and top-level conference sessions, including the new City Forum, as well as the annual general meetings of the Sports Governing Bodies. The four Candidate Cities for hosting the 2016 Summer Olympic Games will be exhibitors and will make presentations during the conference. Online registration is now open for Sportaccord 2009 at www.sportaccord.com.
For more information, visit www.sportaccord.com.
About Sportaccord
Sportaccord annually brings representatives from the 100 international sports federations affiliated to GAISF (General Association of International Sports Federations), ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations) and AIOWF (Association of the International Olympic Winter Sports Federations), as well as the International Olympic Committee Executive Board, together with sponsors, bidding and host cities, architects, sports lawyers, broadcasters, games organising committees, rights holders and other specialists to discuss the key issues facing the sports industry.
Owned by GAISF, ASOIF and AIOWF, Sportaccord encompasses the annual Congress and General Assembly of each association, while offering the sports community a powerful opportunity to come together in an exclusive and authoritative networking environment to build relationships, exchange knowledge and develop ideas.
