The Indian Sports Management Association Conference – Being Part of Something New…All Over Again
When I first arrived in India and began working in the sports industry, the concept of sports conferences was still relatively new. Major organizations like FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry) and CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) were just starting to host events with names like ‘Turf’ and ‘Scorecard’. I was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time—not only attending these conferences but also serving as an organizer. Having spent the early part of my career in North America’s sports industry, where events were meticulously planned and executed with the highest levels of professionalism, I found these initial conferences in India to be a stark contrast. The budgets were tight, speakers often confirmed at the last minute, panel sessions felt disjointed, and programming frequently ran late. Organizers were scrambling to fill seats, and things often felt a bit chaotic. But despite the challenges, the events went on. And at the end of e...