The annual global sports marketing convention SPORTEL has abandoned plans to hold its event from February 22 to 24 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The event had been postponed from its usual October slot.

SPORTEL has said it will hold a series of webinars to replace the sessions that had been on the original agenda for next month’s event.

“Finally, while preserving its DNA of face-to-face events, which enable deal making and networking, a series of free to attend webinars will launch beginning in March 2021. Following the success of a collaborative esports webinar organised last November, SPORTEL will continue to connect with the sports business community digitally. Industry heavyweights and dynamic innovators will discuss key industry trends emerging through the disruptive COVID climate including: navigating media rights negotiations, ‘crossover’ partnerships between parallel ecosystems such as esports, exciting new tech and digital evolutions and more,” SPORTEL said.

“When I postponed SPORTEL Monaco to February 2021, the horizon was quite positive, but
today I have to face the reality. We cannot hold an international event in this current sanitary
context. The regulations and health situation in Monaco, France, Europe and the world as a
whole, evolve and change by the day, stating the obvious that the sports industry is not able
to travel and meet face-to-face. However, the vaccine is giving us hope for the near future.
We are not giving up and will continue to work hard to be ready for the day we can organize
an event that can meet the expectations of our clients.” Mr Puons, who is also CEO of Monaco
Mediax, said.

SPORTEL teams are now working on the 2021 calendar, which may be adapted depending on the
evolution of the pandemic, so that the convention can be held in its usual form in October.

SPORTEL Monaco is an event of global importance in bringing together broadcasters, television networks, International Federations, marketing agencies, production companies, rights owners and many other professionals from the wider world of sport.

PHOTO: Laurent Puons