The first edition of the SUNSET Sports Media Festival will be remembered for top athletes and prominent sports experts who discussed current topics and global trends in the world of sports and media. Not only were the most relevant problems in sports and media identified, but new solutions were found and new horizons were developed through panel discussions. Also, new standards in the organization of sports business events were achieved, which was a stated goal.
“I would like to thank all our partners and sponsors who recognized our idea and the importance of the SUNSET Sports Media Festival and who supported us and helped us organize this unique event. Namely, as active participants in the world of sports and media, we had the opportunity to understand the main challenges of the industry and to recognize innovators and key players on the scene. Furthermore, the position and role that Croatia has in the world of sports gives us the opportunity to become the leader of events such as this one,” said Boris Kovaček, organizer of the first SUNSET Sports Media Festival in Croatia.
Several global superstars took part in the program, which gave participants a unique opportunity to listen to lectures by the likes of former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, winner of many trophies, including the Champions League with Manchester United and the title of European Championship with the Danish national team; former American football players, three-time Super Bowl champion and MVP, Julian Edelman who played 12 seasons in the NFL for the legendary New England Patriots; and Ray Lewis, a player who is considered one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history.
Several interesting topics were discussed at the SUNSET Sports Media Festival, including “Everybody wants to rule the world: Football vs. Football”, which covered the phenomenon known as the NFL and the key elements that separate the two sports as they fight for global dominance and the attention of fans around the world. Stephen Espinoza, the president of Showtime Sports, shared his experiences of the historic success he achieved in the world of boxing, in the lecture “Inside the ring with Stephen Espinoza”. The famous Croatian-American, producer and director Pete Radovich, winner of 41 Emmy awards, executive producer of ‘Inside the NFL’, coordinating producer of the UEFA Champions League, and vice president of production and creative director of the CBS Sports media company, brought us closer to the topic of storytelling in “The Power of Story”. Many other current and interesting topics were discussed, such as “The Game Changers” and “The Future of Serie A”, “Engage and Empower”, “Athletes Owning Their Brands”, “Out of the Box”, “Started From the Bottom, Now We’re Here” and “Underdogs”, featuring Italian sports media sensation Diletta Leotta.
In addition to the inspiring lectures, visitors had the opportunity to enjoy the best of Croatian music, with performances by true legends of the local music scene, singer-songwriters Petar Grašo and Neno Belan & Fiumens.
“Listening and learning from the world’s greatest sports experts and athletes is an immeasurable benefit not only for the visitors and those following the festival, but also for the promotion of Croatia around the world through their arrival and media coverage. I think we have shown that our festival, as a meeting of the global sports media industry, strengthens the touristic significance of the city of Zadar and Croatia,” said Damjan Rudež, program director of the SUNSET Sports Media Festival.
Sport has traditionally been one of the strongest assets when it comes to the promotion of Croatia in the world. However, the SUNSET Sports Media Festival has now positioned Zadar on the world map as an unavoidable destination for the sports and media industry. In the global context, Croatia is most recognizable precisely for sports and tourism, and the SUNSET Sports Media Festival combines the best of both worlds and contributes to the creation of a unique experience and presentation of our beautiful country in the best possible light.
Participants of the first edition of the SUNSET Sports Media Festival had the opportunity to network and acquire new knowledge, but also to make friends and create wonderful memories.
