Stagwell's (STGW) Sport Beach Activation Will Return to Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2024 with Icons Megan Rapinoe, Sue Bird, Carmelo Anthony, Hélio Castroneves, Justin Jefferson and More Confirmed to Attend

After incredible success of year 1, Sport Beach returns to elevate the power of sports and athletes at the industry–leading conference with focused programming on the most important trends affecting the business and culture of sports

Clio Sports, Genius Sports, and VII(N) The Seventh Estate confirmed as brand partners of Sport Beach, now situated at La Plage du Festival on the famed Boulevard de la Croisette

NEW YORK and CANNES, France, Feb. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, unveiled today the initial athlete and brand partners confirmed to activate at Sport Beach 2024 (June 17–20), the flagship sports business destination at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity (Cannes Lions). In 2023, Sport Beach was built for brands, platforms and athletes to tap into the cultural zeitgeist of sport and explore the power of fandom. It was the first time these groups converged at Cannes Lions to explore the dynamic culture of sports business, and to great success – with nearly 40 athletes and drawing over 5,000 people.

Sport Beach 2024, which moves to a larger location at La Plage du Festival, will build on last year's success to centralize sports' importance across technology and innovation, global growth, reaching new audiences, media, and food & wine / spirits. Against the backdrop of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and EURO 2024 tournament, Sport Beach will elevate the importance of global sports, highlighting how the increased connectivity between U.S. and global audiences has made sports pivotal in driving business for athletes, brands, teams / leagues, and media partners. 

"At Sport Beach, our aim is to foster conversations and curate a setting that can happen nowhere else but here," said Chairman and CEO Mark Penn. "We provide our guests and brand partners the space to navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by the emergence of new technologies and industries within sports and the global communities. Sport Beach is not just about observing these emerging trends, but actively engaging in conversations that shape solutions and drive the future of the global sports industry."

Sport Beach Programming Tracks:

• Athlete Creators and New Media – Curated by WNBA legend Sue Bird and U.S. soccer leader Megan Rapinoe, this track addresses the dynamic shift in the media landscape marked by the emergence of athlete–creators and new media platforms, with a focus on how athletes use podcasts and video to revolutionize brand building and content distribution in sports. As part of this track, Sue and Megan will host a live edition of their podcast "A Touch More" from Sport Beach.
• Wine, Spirits, Hospitality – Curated by NBA legend and entrepreneur Carmelo Anthony alongside Asani Swann, longtime business partner and co–founder of VII(N) The Seventh Estate, this track highlights the growing synergy between sports and the wine, spirits, and hospitality sectors, showcasing how athlete-led brands are innovating and reshaping dining and leisure experiences. These discussions and activations at Sport Beach reflect a broader trend of athletes venturing into entrepreneurship, specifically within lifestyle industries. As part of this programming track, Stagwell and VII(N) The Seventh Estate are collaborating on the first-ever Seventh Estate Wine & Spirits Festival to be held at Sport Beach highlighting athlete-leaders in the wine & spirits industry.
• Tech & Innovation – The track will explore the forefront of sports technology, examining how emerging innovations are revolutionizing how we interact with sports. From wearables to AR to data analytics / data visualizations and more, this track delves into the integration of cutting–edge technologies in sports and gaming, discussing how they enhance engagement and bring fans closer to the action. These discussions are crucial as they reflect the larger trend of technology's growing influence in reshaping the industry's future.
• Culture & Community – The Reaching Fans through Culture & Community track emphasizes the fusion of sports, fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle, exploring how this blend is essential for authentically engaging contemporary audiences. This track is increasingly relevant, highlighting the growing importance of cultural engagement in sports marketing and branding.
• Global Reach – The Global Reach track at Sport Beach will explore effective strategies for brands and athletes to connect and resonate with diverse, international audiences. Discussions will highlight prominent examples, such as the Paris Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, to discuss the intricacies of global sports marketing, addressing the nuances of different markets, investment opportunities and cultural sensitivities.

Confirmed Athletes to Date

• Carmelo Anthony (basketball) – 10-time NBA All–Star, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Carmelo Anthony has led a storied career as a three–time Olympic gold medalist and number nine on the NBA's all–time scoring list. Anthony's incredible career has continued to pave the way for his many other business ventures and philanthropic efforts including his wine estate brand VII(N) The Seventh Estate, production company Creative 7, lifestyle brand STAYME7O, as well as his work as the co–founder of The Social Change Fund which aims to support and invest in critical and timely issues that impact the Black community.
• Sue Bird (basketball) – A WNBA legend and decorated athlete, Sue has captured five Olympic Gold Medals, four World Championship Gold Medals, two NCAA Championships, four WNBA Championships, and is a 13x WNBA All–Star. Bird stepped into her entrepreneurial spirit and has co–founded two companies – Togethxr and A Touch More, both in line with her passion to uplift underrepresented voices and stories through allyship and advocacy. 
• Hélio Castroneves (IndyCar) – Hélio Castroneves has over 300 NTT INDYCAR SERIES starts and has scored a record-tying four Indianapolis 500 victories. The Brazilian racer is also a three-time Rolex 24 Hour At Daytona winner and IMSA champion. Castroneves most recently was announced as minority partner to his Indy 500 winning team, Meyer Shank Racing.
• Justin Jefferson (football) – A renowned NFL wide receiver and budding icon, Justin Jefferson has quickly become a household name. His Louisiana roots led him to LSU where he won the 2019 national championship. Months later, he was selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the 22nd pick. In his first three years with the Vikings, Justin has accomplished a number of feats: NFL Offensive Player of the Year, First-team All-Pro, Pro-Bowl selection (3x), NFL receptions leader, NFL receiving yards leader, and broken records set by legends like Randy Moss. Off-field, Justin has starred in several international TV commercials and made his signature "Griddy" celebration the hottest dance move out.
• Brandon Marshall (football) – A top wide receiver in the NFL for 12 years, he is redefining what is means to be an athlete as the creator of the wildly successful podcast, I Am Athlete (IAA), which tackles essential and controversial topics around sports, culture, and society. Marshall is also the founder and CEO of lifestyle wellness brand, House of Athlete and HOA+, through which he continues to serve his community by raising awareness and providing access to mental and physical health resources.
• Paul Rabil (lacrosse) – Paul Rabil is a former professional lacrosse player and considered one of the best lacrosse players of all time. With his brother and Co–Founder Mike, the Rabils started the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). Over four years, they built a league, established a network partnership with ESPN, and struck deals with corporate partners that include Ticketmaster, Cash App, Adidas, BOSE, Progressive Insurance, Champion, Gatorade, Michelob Ultra and more. In 2022, the Rabils were executive producers on "Fate of a Sport," an ESPN documentary about the building of the PLL.
• Megan Rapinoe (soccer) – Two-time World Cup Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, Megan Rapinoe is a fan favorite and soccer legend. A vocal leader in every aspect of her life, Megan helped lead the USWNT to the 2019 Women's World Cup Championship scoring some of the biggest goals of the tournament. Megan is a New York Times' Best-Selling author, Time100's Most Influential People and recent Presidential Medal of Freedom award recipient. At the end of 2022, Megan and Sue Bird launched "A Touch More", a new production company focused on promoting narratives around revolutionaries who move culture forward.

Brand Partners:

• Clio Sports, which celebrates creativity in sports advertising and marketing around the world, returns as a partner with an expanded Sport Beach presence. This year, Clio Sports will host an exclusive event to present a select group of athletes with Honorary Clio Sports Awards, a special recognition given to athletes who are shaping sports culture through ingenuity and innovation. In 2023, Carmelo Anthony received an Honorary Clio Sports Award at the Sport Beach for his inspired creativity on and off the basketball court.
• Genius Sports is the official data, technology and broadcast partner that powers the global ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media. Our technology is used in over 150 countries worldwide, creating highly immersive products that enrich fan experiences for the entire sports industry. We are the trusted partner to over 400 sports organizations, including many of the world's largest leagues and federations such as the NFL, EPL, FIBA, NCAA, NASCAR, AFA and Liga MX. Genius Sports is uniquely positioned through cutting-edge technology, scale and global reach to support our partners. Our innovative use of big data, computer vision, machine learning, and augmented reality, connects the entire sports ecosystem from the rights holder all the way through to the fan.
• Skip Barber is the world's largest automotive education and entertainment company offering safe driving academies, racing schools, and corporate events at the most iconic venues in the United States. The Skip Barber Race Series serves as the ultimate training ground for the next generation of racers while Skip Barber Racing competes in multiple professional motorsports series. Our innovative OEM programs elevate the finest automotive marques and our bespoke corporate programs build teamwork and recognize outstanding achievement.
• VII(N) The Seventh Estate, the global estate wine brand co–founded by NBA legend and entrepreneur Carmelo Anthony and his longtime business partner Asani Swann, will serve as Sport Beach's partner for the first ever Seventh Estate Wine & Spirits Festival.

Stagwell invites brands, athletes, sports leagues/teams, media platforms, journalists, and other interested parties who would like to partner on the ground to reach out to [email protected] for more information.

Sport Beach will be produced by TEAM Enterprises in partnership with Cheerful Twentyfirst.

About Stagwell
Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world's most ambitious brands, connecting culture–moving creativity with leading–edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

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SOURCE Stagwell Inc.