2018 RSN Summit

Full Program

Tuesday, June 26:

Location: Red Lacquer Room, Fourth Floor

3:30 p.m.: Registration and Technology Showcases Open

4:00 – 4:15 p.m.: Welcoming Remarks
Presented by:
Robert Carzoli
, Program Productions, President/CEO (Click here for audio)
Jon Slobotkin
, NBC Sports Regional Networks, SVP, Content and Live Programming; RSN Summit Chair (Click here for audio)

4:15 – 4:45 p.m.: 
RSN Market Analysis: Audience Measurement & Commercial Trends
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Nielsen Sports will provide regional sports network audience insights including a view on the changing media consumption habits of sports fans. The presentation will also look at the top commercial trends impacting the global sports industry.
Presented by: Lyndon Campbell, Nielsen Sports, SVP, Leagues and Rights Holders

4:45 – 5:05 p.m.: Technology Showcase Preview

5:05 – 5:30 p.m.: State of the RSN Industry: Network Presidents on the Opportunities and Challenges Ahead (Part 1)
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Presidents from two of the biggest players in the RSN market – NBC Sports Regional Networks and NESN – take the stage to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities facing the industry in 2018 as it undergoes a tectonic shift on multiple fronts. Expect a wide gamut of topics to be addressed, including the evolving rights and distribution landscape, OTT and streaming, ratings and audience measurement, the latest production technologies and techniques, business and programming opportunities, and much more.
Moderator: Jason Dachman, SVG, Chief Editor and RSN Summit Program Director
Panelists:
Ted Griggs, NBC Sports Regional Networks, President, Group Leader and Strategic Production & Programming
Sean McGrail, NESN, President and CEO

5:30 – 7:00 p.m.: Opening Night Reception in Technology Showcase Area

Wednesday, June 27:

Location: Red Lacquer Room, Fourth Floor

8:00 – 8:55 a.m.: Registration and Breakfast in Technology Showcase Area

8:55 – 9:00 a.m.: Welcoming Remarks
Presented by: Jon Slobotkin, NBC Sports Regional Networks, SVP, Content and Live Programming; RSN Summit Chair

9:00 – 9:40 a.m.: Production Perspectives: Where Storytelling and Technology Collide
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Unlike national networks, RSN’s are uniquely positioned to tell the story of a team’s journey throughout the entire season, delving deeper into storylines and putting a brighter spotlight on key players and personalities. And today, RSN production teams have more ways to enrich their storytelling than ever before, including ultra-high-speed cameras, augmented reality, player tracking, and much more. How are they making use of these tools, what is on producers’ wish list for next-generation technologies, how do they embrace these tech toys in a cost-effective manner?
Moderator: Ken Miller, Altitude Sports and Entertainment, EVP and General Manager/Executive Producer
Panelists:
Jeff Filippi, MSG Networks, SVP of Production/Programming and Executive Producer
Ron Gralnik, Fox Sports Regional Networks, VP, Production
Doug Johnson, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, VP and Executive Producer
Jon Slobotkin, NBC Sports Regional Networks, SVP, Content and Live Programming; RSN Summit Chair
Jared Stacy, Spectrum Networks, VP, Production and Strategy

9:40 – 9:50 a.m.: Comcast Technology Solutions Case Study: Linear Rights Metadata Management
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Presenter: Stuart Kurkowski
, Comcast Technology Solutions, Principal Architect

9:50 – 10:05 a.m.: State of the RSN Industry: Network Presidents on the Opportunities and Challenges Ahead (Part 2)
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The president from one of the biggest players in the RSN market – AT&T Sports Networks – takes the stage to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities facing the industry in 2018 as it undergoes a tectonic shift on multiple fronts. Expect a wide gamut of topics to be addressed, including the evolving rights and distribution landscape, OTT and streaming, ratings and audience measurement, the latest production technologies and techniques, business and programming opportunities, and much more.
Moderator: Jason Dachman
, SVG, Chief Editor and RSN Summit Program Director
Speaker: Patrick Crumb
, AT&T Sports Networks, President

10:05 – 10:45 a.m.: Networking Break in Technology Showcase Area

10:40 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: MORNING WORKSHOP: RSN SOCIAL MEDIA SHOWCASE
LOCATION: CHICAGO ROOM, FOURTH FLOOR

This morning workshop will take an up-close-and-personal look at how several RSNs create and distribute content across a swath of social media channels. In addition to presenting behind-the-scenes case studies on their own operations, these social-media pros will offer practical tips and best practices on how to make the most of your social efforts. More information on specific sessions will be available soon.
Moderator: Brandon Costa, SVG, Director of Digital
Case Studies To Be Presented By:
Michael R. Hall
, NESN, SVP, Digital
Kelly Higgins, ‎NBC Sports Regional Networks, Director, Marketing
Kevin Sullivan, YES Network, Managing Editor, YESNetwork.com

10:45 – 11:20 a.m.: League Perspectives: A View From the Top
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As the sports-media landscape undergoes unprecedented change due to the changing consumption habits of fans, the relationship between leagues and RSNs has never been more important. Broadcast operations leaders from the major U.S. leagues take the stage alongside top RSN production execs to discuss a wide variety of topics, including production operations, the rise of in-market streaming, and how they can work together to create a better product for fans.
Moderator: Larry Meyers, Pac-12 Networks, EVP, Content
Panelists:
Michael Connelly
, Fox Sports Regional Networks, SVP and Executive Producer
Steve Hellmuth, NBA, EVP, Media Operations and Technology
Dan O’Neill, NHL, VP, Arena and Event Operations

11:20 – 11:35 a.m.: The State of Labor in the RSN World
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RSNs face a host of labor-related challenges in today’s rapidly changing market, including an aging work population, fewer entry opportunities due to increasing “At-Home” productions, changing labor laws and increased legislation, and more. However, there is also plenty of reason for optimism with the latest technology and business innovations paving the way for a streamlined approach to crewing. Broadcast production labor services provider Program Productions presents an overview of the state of the current market and what to expect in the future.
Moderator: Joseph Maar, NECF, Co-Founder and CEO
Speaker: Robert Carzoli
, Program Productions, President/CEO

11:35 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Team Perspectives: Creating Quality RSN Partnerships
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For RSNs, maintaining a quality relationship with the teams for which you hold the rights is essential for success. Hear from a mix of team execs and RSN leaders on how they work together to create mutually beneficial partnerships, as well as their views on they see the regional sports industry evolving in the future.
Moderator: Jason Dachman, SVG, Chief Editor and RSN Summit Program Director
Panelists:
Brooks Boyer
, Chicago White Sox, SVP, Sales and Marketing
Kevin Cross
, NBC Sports Chicago, VP, Content
Mike Dimond, Fox Sports North and Fox Sports Wisconsin, SVP and GM
Matt Majka, Minnesota Wild, President
Brian Mitchell, AT&T Sports Rocky Mountain, Executive Producer

12:15 – 1:15 p.m.: Networking Lunch

1:15 – 2:00 p.m.: The Move to OTT: How Regional Rights & Distribution Are Evolving (Sponsored by Sony)
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The regional-sports rights landscape is changing rapidly, as nearly half a dozen MLS organizations, pro franchises like the Portland Trailblazers, and a host of college and amateur sports have moved all or some of their live-game rights to direct-to-consumer OTT platforms. Learn how these new OTT services are looking to change the face of regional sports distribution and how RSNs are reacting to the shift with their own in-market streaming strategies.
Moderator: Brandon Costa, SVG, Director of Digital
Panelists:
Ed Desser
, Desser Media, Founder and President
Lindsey Ross, FloSports, Director of Rights Acquisition
Chris Schlosser, MLS Digital, SVP and GM
Andrew Schnell, Stadium, Managing Director, Corporate Development

1:15 – 3:30 p.m.: TECHNOLOGY & OPERATIONS WORKSHOP
LOCATION: CHICAGO ROOM, FOURTH FLOOR

This workshop take a deep-dive look at how technology and operations are evolving in today’s RSN market. Topics will include A Real-World Timeline for HDR, 1080p, 4K, and IP for RSNs, How AI and Automated Production Could Impact RSNs, and whether At-Home Production Is The Future of the RSN market. 
→ 1:15 – 2:00 p.m.: RSN’s Get Real: A Real-World Timeline for HDR, 1080p, 4K, and IP
→ 2:00 – 2:30 p.m.: Networking Break

→ 2:30 – 3:00 p.m.: Greasing the Tech Wheels: How AI and Automated Production Could Impact RSNs
→ 3:00 – 3:30 p.m.: Point-Counterpoint: Is At-Home Production The Future of the RSN Market?
**FOR PANEL DESCRIPTIONS AND SPEAKERS, PLEASE CLICK HERE**

2:00 – 2:30 p.m.: Networking Break in Technology Showcase Area

2:30 – 3:15 p.m.: All Under One Roof: When Linear-TV Production Meets Digital
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The walls between linear and digital production teams are coming down, as RSNs are looking to become more efficient and distribute content across an ever-growing number of platforms. Whether you work at a multi-RSN organization or an independent, the days of siloing the linear digital operations are gone. Learn from top digital execs and executive producers regarding how their digital- and linear-production teams are collaborating more efficiently and the benefits they are reaping as a result.
Moderator: Brandon Costa, SVG, Director of Digital
Panelists:
Steve Davis
, Ooyala, Chief Revenue Officer
Michael R. Hall, NESN, SVP, Digital
Kevin Marotta
, MSG Networks, SVP, Marketing and Content Strategy
Larry Meyers, Pac-12 Networks, EVP, Content
Michael Wargo, NBC Sports Regional Networks, Senior Director of Multi-Platform Content

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