JohnWallStreet’s Sports & Media Huddle is a biannual event designed to stimulate thought-provoking conversation and high-level networking among 100 of the most influential executives in sports, media, and finance. It has become a must-attend gathering for senior leaders looking to stay ahead in a rapidly changing industry and build valuable relationships with their peers.

This invite-only event is exclusively for JohnWallStreet IQ members and select guests.

We have three featured speakers lined up for the Fall ’26 Huddle. 

Each will participate in an off-record, deep-dive fireside conversation before we open the floor to the audience for questions/discussion.

Date: Wednesday, September 9
Time: 8:00 am-1:00 pm
Location: Private (NYC)

Below is an overview of the agenda. 

Finding Value in Sports

Avenue Capital Group Co-Founder and CEO Marc Lasry will join us for a conversation about the evolving team and league investment landscape. The former Milwaukee Bucks owner will share lessons from his time as a control owner, discuss the value the Deer District brought to the franchise, and explain why he views live sports assets as valuable defensive investments in an increasingly digital economy. He’ll detail where Avenue’s $1 billion-plus sports fund continues to see attractive risk-adjusted opportunities and how the firm deploys debt, preferred equity, and structured capital across the ecosystem. We’ll also examine the commercial trajectory of women’s sports and what separates durable emerging properties from well-marketed concepts.

Media Rights in Transition

IMG Executive Vice President and Head of Americas Hillary Mandel will offer her perspective on the evolving sports media rights marketplace. She’ll discuss how tier-one leagues should balance rights fees with reach, promotion, and long-term audience growth and how those same rights owners can build local fandom in international markets. We’ll also cover the growth of emerging sports in the U.S. (see: rugby), how challenger properties should address distribution, the importance of building audiences beyond live games, and which capabilities rights holders should develop internally to increase the long-term value of their media assets and intellectual property.

Investing Beyond the Game

Bruin Capital Founder and CEO George Pyne will join us to discuss investing in the technology, media production, data, marketing, and distribution companies that power the global sports economy. Fresh off a $1 billion capital raise, George will talk through how media fragmentation, technological change, and the globalization of sport is creating “second-level enablers” with more attractive economics than the underlying assets themselves. We’ll hit on Bruin’s investment in Matchroom Sport and its pending $530 million sale of Full Swing to Versant too.

Those interested in attending can express interest here. Seating is limited.

Reach out to [email protected] to learn more about joining our exclusive IQ community, including membership benefits, upcoming programming, and pricing.

To discuss partnering with us on this unique event, reach out to Jacie Brandes at [email protected].

We look forward to our seventh Huddle!

On the latest episode of JaneWallStreet Presents: At The Table, JaneWallStreet Executive Chair Deirdre Lester sat down with Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) Commissioner Kim Ng for a discussion on creating more league viewing hours through market selection, the need to keep the game moving, converting adult softball participants into fans, and more.

📺 Watch the full episode on JohnWallStreet’s YouTube page.
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

We’ll be back with the next episode of JaneWallStreet Presents: At The Table on August 6. Jomboy Media CEO Courtney Hirsch will be our guest. 

Catch previous episodes of At The Table, including our sit-down with LOVB Chief Growth Officer Stephanie Alger, former Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) Global Head of Sports Julie Souza, Head of Fubo Sports Network & Fubo Studios Pamela Duckworth, former Barstool Sports CEO & Mule Media Co-Founder Erika Badan, ATHLOS Acting President Kayla Green, former CEO of CBS News Wendy McMahon, A-Rod Corp Chief Business Officer & Minnesota Timberwolves Chief Strategy Officer Kelly Laferriere, and Rasenberger Media Founder & President Cathy Rasenberger on JohnWallStreet’s YouTube channel.