SPORTEL’s comeback in Singapore concluded on a high note, strengthening its role as the leading connector between global sports media and the dynamic Asia‑Pacific region.
Held from 24 to 25 March at the Orchard Hotel Singapore, SPORTEL Asia brought together 370 participants representing more than 220 companies from 35 countries.
SPORTEL Asia Key Takeways
Over two days, the event featured a strong international mix of industry leaders, broadcasters, rights holders, technology providers, and media companies through a programme combining exhibition, conference sessions, and multiple networking opportunities under one roof.
Beyond the scheduled meetings, networking remained at the heart of the SPORTEL experience, with highlights including the Welcome Cocktail hosted by World Table Tennis and an exclusive immersive tour of the National Stadium and the Singapore Sports Museum in collaboration with The Kallang, offering participants additional moments to connect, exchange ideas, and extend conversations well beyond the formal programme.
SPORTEL Asia in numbers:
- 370 participants from more than 220 companies
- 20% of new companies
- 63% of C-level attendees
- 1/3 of content buyers
- 35 countries represented
- 55% of participants from APAC and the Middle East & 45% from Europe and the Americas
The event also demonstrated strong commercial activity, with around 1/3 of participants representing content buyers and approximately 1/3 of rights holders — creating ideal conditions for discussions around future partnerships, rights acquisitions, and distribution strategies.
A Key Moment for the Asian Sports Media Market
Alongside the exhibition, the Conference Summit programme explored the key forces shaping the future of sports media across Asia-Pacific. Sessions addressed the evolving landscape of sports media rights in the region, strategies for commercial expansion for European leagues in APAC, the growing legacy and economic influence of women in Singapore’s sports industry, and content acquisition approaches in an increasingly digital-first market.
Industry leaders also discussed emerging trends in sports technology — including cloud production, generative AI, and automation — alongside panels on streaming personalisation, piracy, cybercrime in sports broadcasting, and the rapidly evolving sports media ecosystems in Australia and New Zealand.
To close the event, the Pitch Perfect Innovation Contest spotlighted five innovative companies — Phygital International, BitMovin, S.O. Casual Creative, Appear and Layer Cake — some attending SPORTEL for the first time and offering them an exclusive opportunity to showcase their solutions to the broader SPORTEL community.
The lucky winner, Padraig O’Donovan from Layercake, was awarded a full-access Attendee pass for the next edition of SPORTEL Monaco (19–21 October), providing them with the opportunity to further engage with the global sports media industry.
Expanding the SPORTEL Community
SPORTEL’s international editions play a pivotal role in expanding the community by introducing the SPORTEL brand to new regional stakeholders. Hosting events in key markets such as Singapore enables companies discovering the platform for the first time to connect with the global industry while building long-term relationships within the SPORTEL network.
This edition in Singapore serves as a stepping stone for companies across Asia-Pacific and beyond before attending SPORTEL Monaco (19–21 October), the flagship event where the global sports media industry gathers each year.
Commenting on the successful 2026 edition, Agnès Marsan, Executive Director of SPORTEL Asia, said: “Singapore has once again proven to be a strategic gateway for connecting the Asia‑Pacific sports media industry with the global SPORTEL community. Beyond the business conducted during the event, these regional editions are essential for welcoming new companies into the SPORTEL ecosystem and introducing them to the opportunities it offers — because SPORTEL is where deals are made, partnerships are built, and announcements come to life.”
