Date, Format Changes for Host City 2020 -- Conferences & Conventions

(ATR) The seventh edition of the Host City conference and exhibition will now be a virtual-only event in December.

Organizers had planned to return to Glasgow, Scotland in November and hold the physical event in conjunction with an online platform but the coronavirus pandemic has derailed that.

It was announced this week that the annual international meeting of cities and sports will now be on December 8-9, hosted virtually by Scotland and Glasgow.

The theme for this year remains "The Big Restart: Recovery with a Purpose for the Digital Age".

Agenda topics will include hosting in the new normal, Environmental and Social Governance, digital transformation and international collaboration.

IOC member and former WADA president Craig Reedie, Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games CEO Ian Reid, and Director of Events for VisitScotland Paul Bush are among the speakers who have signed on for the conference.

Click here to register for free.

Corona Travel Restrictions Push SPORTEL to 2021

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic hits SPORTEL 2020 in Monaco. The annual trade show for sport TV and digital content and technology will be postponed for the first time in its 30 year history.

A fixture on the calendar in October since its inception, organizers of the convention said this week that increasing restrictions on travel are the driving force behind the postponement.

The new dates are February 22-24, 2021.

While travel within Europe is possible for some participants, travel from the US and Asia in particular is currently not possible to Monaco.

As many as 3000 delegates have participated in past SPORTEL editions. The Grimaldi Forum will continue as the exhibition venue.

"Giving up is not in my vocabulary. But given the travel restrictions, it is impossible to keep our event in October," said SPORTEL CEO Laurent Puons in a press release announcing the change in dates.

"The easiest solution would have been to simply cancel the event, but the sports business economy cannot afford to put itself on hold for too long. Convinced that this economy will fully recover in the coming months, we must be there when the time comes," he says.

Virtual Smart Cities & Sport Summit

This year’s Smart Cities & Sport Summit will be 100 percent virtual and free for all city entities.

Organizers say the summit, which will be held on Oct. 27-28, 2020, will be streamed via a dedicated online platform and will be available live and in replay.

Forums will be open for discussions among the attendees.

The sessions will be offered at three different times throughout the day to maximize the number of people who can join live and take part in the discussions as they take place.

The available times are from 09:00-11:00, 13:00-15:00 and 18:00-20:00 CET. Discussion forums will remain open after sessions.

For the first time, the Smart Cities & Sport Marketplace will be run as an online forum which will open one week ahead the Summit and be available throughout. This will allow cities and international federations to get in touch and arrange meetings at their convenience in order to share their ambitions regarding the hosting of future events.

Register here to receive free login details and to be informed of the Marketplace’s early opening.

Soccerex Connected 2020

Soccerex next week will be bringing together 2000 stakeholders from around the world to discuss the challenges of the pandemic via a dedicated online platform.

Described as "the meeting place for the global football community to chart the ongoing course through the ‘new normal’", Soccerex Connected 2020 will be held from Sept. 21-25.

The Soccerex Connected platform will include a virtual expo area, SoccerMatch networking sessions and a number of other networking solutions.

Click here to sign up.

Two Versions of Esports Venue Summit

The inaugural Esports Venue Summit will be offered in both live and virtual formats in October.

Organizers describe the new forum as the only one dedicated solely to esports venues and spaces.

The live event will be held at London’s Twickenham Stadium, the home of England rugby, on Oct. 21-22. It will feature nine sessions over the two days and will include six periods for networking, including an evening reception on the first day.

The virtual version will run from Oct. 26-29. It will include two live Q&As with a selection of speakers from the live event as well as new guests. Those choosing the virtual option will be able to replay the live sessions from the week before and download material and videos where available.

Registration for both the live and virtual summits is now open. Early bird rates saving 40 percent on the standard delegate fees are available herethrough Sept. 18.

Should the live event be canceled, those who have purchased the live summit delegate pass will be able to either transfer their pass to the next available live event or use it for the virtual event with the cost difference being refunded.

Homepage photo: Host City

Written by Gerard Farek

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