The event, jointly organised by the German Handball Federation, Stadionwelt and the European Handball Federation (EHF), is set to take place on 25 and 26 January at the Deutsches Sport & Olympia Museum in Cologne.
The Handball Leadership Conference will be centred around three main themes or pillars of the business aspect of the sport: monetisation, sustainability and digitalisation. Over 20 experts will share their knowledge and experience focusing on these three topics.
Key experts to deliver crucial info for a more sustainable sport
Sustainability is of huge importance, the EHF is aiming to underline the importance of the environment and has made huge strides over the past years in creating sustainable events, at both club and national team level, including the TruckScout24 EHF FINAL4 or the past EHF EURO editions.
The contribution of professional sport in terms of environmental, social and corporate governance has been lagging behind and experts like Christopher Jahns, board member for sustainability and development for Füchse Berlin and co-chairman of HBL Handball Bundesliga’s task force on sustainability; Andreas Rothenhäusler, a sustainability consultant for Focus on Climate Action in Sports and ClimatePartner Deutschland; and Sebastian Rüß, general manager of Velomax Berlin Hallenbetriebs, will offer key insights on how future events can set the benchmark for the future in terms of sustainability.
How does digitalisation improve sport?
Handball has become increasingly popular in key markets throughout Europe and social media is a key part of its success, as proven time and time again over the previous years. With a record-breaking attendance in the first day of the EHF EURO 2024, when 53,586 spectators attended the opening matches in Dusseldorf, the potential is even bigger.
Several experts in the world of digitalisation will address participants, offering key insights on transitioning to the digital world, as well as delivering new information regarding how to best use the content created during competitions on different social media platforms.
Monetisation at the heart of sport
Alexander Steinforth, managing director Germany of the National Football League (NFL), will be one of the key speakers in this part of the Handball Leadership Conference, providing a sneak peek into the growth of a sport and how the newfound popularity can be monetised, helping further improvements.
Ticketing is also covered, with tailor-made strategies for every club or national team being crucial in bringing fans to the arena, offering them a true show to enjoy on and off the court.
Friday will see several speakers address attendance, with a clear focus on the future of handball and event organisation, with key points like the challenges of hosting a mega-event or the new trends in handball being discussed.
The conference runs from 9:00 until 18:00 CET on 25 January and from 9:00 CET until noon on 26 January, and additionally offers networking opportunities in the evening of 25 January and at a breakfast session on 26 January, the day of the EHF EURO semi-finals in the nearby LANXESS arena.
A limited number of tickets for this match day are available for purchase on a first-come, first-serve base for the participants of the Handball Leadership Conference, but the tickets are not included in the participation fee.
All the presentations and discussions will be held in English. Click here for more information and the full programme.
