WASHINGTON—The 2026 NAB Show will expand its Sports Summit to four days, convening leaders from across leagues, teams, broadcast networks, streaming platforms and technology companies to examine the rapidly evolving business of sports media.
“The economics of sports media are being rewritten in real time,” said Karen Chupka, executive vice president and managing director, NAB Global Connections and Events. “With Jon Miller and leaders from across leagues, teams, venues and investment groups, we’re bringing together the executives who are actively shaping the future of rights, partnerships and fan engagement.”
The 2026 NAB Show takes place April 18-22 (exhibits April 19-22) at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Presented in the Sports Theater on the West Hall show floor, the four-day Summit will explore how production, distribution, investment and policy are reshaping live sports experiences and driving new revenue opportunities. The Summit is open for the first time to all attendees with a Show Floor Pass.
Headlining the Sports Summit, Jon Miller, president of Acquisitions and Partnerships at NBC Sports, will have a fireside conversation on the Main Stage with John Ourand from Puck's "The Varsity" on "NBC Sports Playbook: Rights, Partnerships and What's Next," examining the strategy behind NBC's major rights acquisitions and distribution partnerships at a pivotal moment for the industry. The session comes on the heels of NBC Sports's "Legendary February," which packed the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Super Bowl LX and the NBA All-Star Game into the shortest month of the year.
"The media world continues to evolve, but broadcast television remains stronger and more important than ever before," Miller said. "Our long-term sports deals always have broadcast as a key component for our partners."
The Sports Summit will dive into other sports business drivers like:
- "The State of Sports Media: Rights, Reach & Revenue" — a global snapshot of where leagues stand on media rights, platform distribution and revenue models amid fragmented viewership.
- "Privacy Equity, Sovereign Wealth and the Future of Sports Ownership" —examining how new capital is entering leagues and teams and what that means for governance and long-term growth.
- "Athletes as Enterprises: Power, Platforms and Ownership" — exploring athlete-driven brands, production companies and equity stakes.
- “Sports Betting and the New Fan Economy” — analyzing how wagering, data rights and evolving regulation are reshaping fan engagement and media partnerships.
- “Women’s Sports at an Inflection Point” — a discussion of how rights strategy, brand investment and distribution models are converting momentum into long-term enterprise value.
- “Globalization of Sports: Building Fans Beyond Borders” — an exploration of strategies for expanding leagues and fandom across international markets through localized content and global partnerships.
- “The Fan Experience Reimagined” and “Stadiums of the Future: Tech-Driven Venue Experiences” — sessions examining how personalization, immersive production and venue innovation are converging to create connected, technology-driven fan experiences across physical and digital environments.
Confirmed speakers include:
- Laura "LJ" Johnson, executive producer and senior director of game presentation and live events for the San Francisco 49ers
- Allen T. Lamb, co-founder and CEO of EuroStep Ventures and controlling owner of Levallois Metropolitans Basketball Club
- Rebecca Kacaba, co-founder and CEO of DealMaker, an AI-driven capital raising platform that has facilitated more than $2.5 billion in investment volume, reflecting the Summit’s mix of team, ownership and investment perspectives
- Ameeth Sankaran, CEO of Religion of Sports, which was co-founded by filmmaker Gotham Chopra, NFL legend Tom Brady and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan
- Jeff Roth, partner at Bruin Capital
- Shelby Williams, head of Integrated Sports Marketing at AWS
The organizers also reported that sports-focused exhibitors include: Canon, DJI, Dolby, EVS, Google, Imagine Communications, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Ross, Shure, Sony and Verizon.
Major sports leagues with registered attendees include: MLB, NBA, NASCAR, NFL, NHL, PGA Tour, U.S. Soccer Federation and UFC.
Major teams with registered attendees include: Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Liverpool F.C., Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns and San Francisco 49ers.
Attendees in the West Hall Lobby can partake in an interactive demonstration. AWS and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) will present an AI-enabled digital basketball shooting experience that will analyze participants’ shots in real time and generate personalized performance insights. This hands-on experience is one example of how AI and cloud technologies are influencing both athlete performance and fan interaction.
Attendees, exhibitors and accredited press can learn more and register at nabshow.com/las-vegas.
