The Gold Coast is emerging as the capital of sport with the announcement of a successful bid to host the Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand (SMAANZ) Conference in November 2017.
The conference is expected to attract around 200 sports leaders and professional sport administrators from organisations including the Commonwealth Games Federation, Team Australia and professional sports leagues. Delegates from national and state level sporting organisations as well as academics will also attend.
In time for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, the conference will provide practical insight into Commonwealth Games related sport management themes and examine current sport industry challenges and opportunities.
SMAANZ past Vice President, Associate Professor Popi Sotiriadou said the conference will provide opportunities for international and national delegates to engage with sport industry representatives through an integration of sport industry panels and symposia with a particular attention on mega sporting events and the example of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
“The conference will provide practical insight into Commonwealth Games related sport management themes, such as the legacy of major sport events, as well as current sport industry challenges and opportunities,” Sotiriadou said.
The conference will also provide members of the association with industry and academic fusion opportunities with pre and post conference options to include tours of GC2018 facilities and venues.
“Griffith University is an official partner of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games™ and this partnership will allow our team to enrich the SMAANZ Conference with both highly profiled industry representatives and elite athletes,” Sotiriadou added.
Gold Coast Business Events, director, Anna Case said the city was looking forward to welcoming delegates in 2017.
“We’re thrilled to hear that this conference will convene on the Gold Coast. It’s becoming a logical choice for sporting organisations to meet on the Gold Coast and our close alignment to the world of sport is an added bonus to a destination at the top of its game when it comes to hosting world class conferences and events,” Case concluded.
