The virtual EsportsNext Conference is designed to help you adapt and thrive in the ever-evolving esports industry.
INDUSTRY LEADERS
Engage with esports luminaries on industry trends and the future of the esports.
CRITICAL INSIGHTS
Gain real-world solutions for urgent challenges your facing today and beyond.
VIRTUAL SESSIONS
Customize your conference experience – no matter where you are.
Set yourself up for success in 2021. Register for this year’s EsportsNext Conference. Not a member? Join today for discounts on professional development, and much more.
AGENDA
Day 1
9 AM - 9:50 AM CST
Join us for a morning networking Coffee Hour before we launch the Conference.
9:50 AM - 10 AM CST
Our Board Chair John Davidson and ESTA Founder and Chair Emeritus Megan Van Petten welcome our attendees, panelists and sponsors to the 2-day conference, as we embark on the journey to get the latest news on the topics covered in the event, participate in various networking sessions, find out who is the winner of the Game Changer Award and listen to chosen contenders present their business ideas in our Elevator Pitch completition.
10 AM - 11 AM CST
Leaders examine and discuss how esports content is produced, disseminated and consumed in an expanding online and "stay-at-home" market? Within an industry that was founded on technology, how will it lead or follow as investments in 5G and crypto emerge across mainstream business and our connected society?
11 AM - 11:30 AM CST
Please take a moment to visit our Sponsors in the Exhibitor Booths.
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM CST
Leading attorneys provide the latest intel on pressing issues inside esports: IP, labor law, corporate structuring, investments and gambling. How do companies utilize their power, inside commerce to lobby and dictate law at the local and federal level, that benefits their pursuits? What legal issues, pressing esports, are the most important and worth fighting for today?
12:30 PM - 1 PM CST
Join us for an Afternoon Networking Session, where we will provide several breakout rooms where you can network and participate in discussions around topics related to esports.
1 PM - 2 PM CST
Sponsorship dollars continue to pay the freight. How do endemic and non-endemic brands plan their media buys, how do they define their allocation to esports and how do they measure their success and ROI? Who actually needs to be sold and who signs off on these investments? What role does the agency play and who benefits the most?
2 PM - 3 PM CST
Why do they make the investment? Teams aren't making money today - so why do ownership groups invest? What's the attraction for esports ownership and when does the investment payoff? Listen in as team owners, players and sponsors discuss the flow of money and how long until they anticipate moving from the red to the black.
3 PM - 4 PM CST
Join us for a Virtual Happy hour, as we come together in discussion, to share a beverage and stories about you, your experience of our conference, share highlights, ask questions. Take advantage of the opportunity to network, meet your fellow attendees and speakers, discuss the panels you have viewed, and find out more about ESTA!
Day 2
9 AM - 9:50 AM CST
Join us for a morning networking Coffee Hour before we dive into Day 2 of the conference!
9:50 AM - 10 AM CST
The award, selected by the ESTA Awards Committee, recognizes those organizations that foster the growth and development of the esports industry in a creative and game-changing way.
10 AM - 11 AM CST
Who is leading this charge and why? What will be the impact of collegiate investment to the commercial world and how long do we need to wait? Are the HBCUs being left behind and if so, what's the effect? Are university leaders and athletic departments focused on the revenue first? What's really at stake and is an education in esports leading to a job in esports?
11 AM - 11:30 AM CST
Please take a moment to visit our Sponsors in the Exhibitor Booths.
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM CST
How's the gaming society taken over? Where did it start and why is it now worth an estimated $1B+? Listen to esports insiders as they provide history, context and reasoning behind the esports explosion. What is bringing families together, who is the consumer spending the households money, how is this impacting buying trends which companies are priming up to making an entrance into a previously unknown industry and world?
12:30 PM - 1 PM CST
Join us for an Afternoon Networking Session, where we will provide several breakout rooms where you can network and participate in discussions around topics related to esports.
1 PM - 2 PM CST
Where's the money and who is behind it? What verticals inside esports are evolving the fastest? Who and what behind the scenes is driving the most interest from the bankers, VC and PE? Why do investors prioritize esports over other industries and what's the attraction for already successful businesses that want to enter the space?
2 PM - 3 PM CST
What developers and companies are mapping out and building the landscape to host esports events? How will these investments size and shape the demand of esports? Let's discuss the opportunity for real estate and bringing fans back to events. Is this the right time to double down, especially during a pandemic? How do traditional sports share the spotlight and participate financially in this pursuit?
3 PM - 4 PM CST
The Elevator Pitch is a contest for up-and-coming esports gaming businesses and those that have a revolutionary product/service who pitch their innovative idea to a crowd in a format of pre-recorded 90-second video. Open to ESTA members only.
4 PM - 5 PM CST
Join us for a Virtual Happy Hour, as we come together in closing of the Conference, to go over the highlights, and create long-lasting connections, share about upcoming plans and find out about upcoming ESTA events.
SPEAKERS
Kelly Cagney
Director, Global Brand Strategy & Marketing Communications
TurtleWax
Miles Dean
Director of Business Development
Fair-Play Corporation
Brett Diamond
Chief Operating Officer
WISE Ventures Esports, Minnesota Røkkr, Version1
John Fazio
CEO
Nerd Street Gamers
Wayne Kimmel
Managing Partner
SeventySix Capital
Jonathon Oudthone
Director of National Programming
Nerd Street Gamers
James O'Connor
President & Founder
Pittsburgh Knights
Wim Stocks
Commercial & Partnerships Lead
Belong Gaming & Vindex
Justin Varghese
Business Development Manager
Shotcall
Ellen Zavian
Professor
George Washington University
SPONSORS
BECOME A MEMBER
Not a member? Join today to gain free access to this event, discounts on professional development resources, and much more.
BECOME A SPONSOR
Interested in becoming a sponsor? For more information about sponsorship, please contact:
Megan Van Petten, Managing Director