See What Top Senior Sports PR Executives Are Saying About the Sports PR Summit

If you scroll through the Sports PR Summit website, you will see testimonials pop up from our attendees. But in case you’d like to see the testimonials all in one place, here’s what senior sports PR executives are saying about the Sports PR Summit:

Burt Lauten, Communications/PR, Pittsburgh Steelers: “The Sports PR Summit was a great opportunity to learn many different aspects and ideas. It gave me the chance to connect with former colleagues as well as get to know new PR specialists in a relaxed setting. The panels were informative and useful, and the overall experience provided great insight to all aspects what PR professionals deal and associate with on a daily basis.”

Amy Yakola, Sr. Associated Commissioner, Chief of External Communications, ACC:  “The annual Sports PR Summit provides a terrific opportunity and experience for executives in the communications and public relations field. The thought provoking topics and speakers, coupled with the diverse set of experts in attendance from both the collegiate and professional ranks, is invaluable.”

Ben Cafardo, Director of Communications, ESPN: “In a relatively short period of time, Brian Berger and his team have established the Sports PR Summit as an essential event for sports pr personnel. The tremendous speaker list and panel topics are only matched by the multitude of networking opportunities. It’s impossible to leave this event without being a little bit better at your job.”

Tad Dickman, Sr. Manager, PR, Jacksonville Jaguars: “I attended my first Sports PR Summit in 2016 and found the conversations and panels to be extremely insightful. Getting to hear from such a wide variety of communications professionals in the sports industry and what they consider to be their best practices is very beneficial as you continue to internally analyze what you can do better for your organization. I look forward to attending this event in the future and would highly recommend it to anyone seeking to learn more about the intricacies of public relations in sports.”

David Higdon, VP Integrated Marketing Communications, NASCAR: “NASCAR was pleased to participate with our colleagues and friends in other sports at the annual PR Summit, highlighted this year by our great hosts, the Players’ Tribune led by Jaymee Messler. It proved to be both an educational and entertaining day, and we’re glad that NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon was able to join us as he transitions this year from his Chevrolet to the FOX broadcast booth. We hope the PR Summit continues to expand its impact on our chosen profession and those who seek to pursue opportunities in communications.”

Dan Courtemanche, Executive VP, Major League Soccer:
“The Sports PR Summit provided an opportunity to learn from some of the sharpest minds in sports public relations. The panels brought together some of the most prominent names in sports journalism and offered a unique look at how they make decisions and interact with sports communicators. The conference focused on forward-thinking topics that will benefit all of us.”

Gina Lehe, Senior Director of Communications and Brand Management, College Football Playoff
“The Sports PR Summit was one of the best-run seminars I’ve attended. Brian Berger was able to create a timeline that delivered exceptional speakers and content in a powerful one-day session – a feat some organizations struggle to cover in a 3-4 day convention! It was a dynamic group of professional attendees who were able to listen and learn from many of the best in the business.”

Erik Christianson, Managing Director of External Affairs, NCAA
“I applaud Brian’s vision for the summit. As we all increasingly rely on technology to communicate, the ability to connect in person with industry leaders, share best practices and new ideas and drive greater understanding between media and PR reps was invaluable.”

Matt Bourne, VP of Business PR, Major League Baseball
“The Sports PR Summit was a treasure trove of information for sports PR people. The media panel gave unique insights into how media view, work with and perceive PR representatives, which should alter some of the aspects of how sports PR work with them.”

Bill Sanders, Senior VP, Excel Sports Management
“There are countless sports business conferences each year and none of them do an ample job of highlighting the importance of PR in the sports business process. The Sports PR Summit finally gave sports PR the attention it deserves in the scheme of the sports marketing process.”

Cletus Lewis, Director of Public Relations, Detroit Pistons
“The 2015 Sports PR Summit provided access to some of the best professionals in our business. The discussion topics and the panelists assembled were first rated and provided great insight to everyday, real-life situations we may encounter in our jobs. For anyone in the PR/Communications field seeking professional growth, this is a must attend…I found it to be a remarkable learning experience and came away with knowledge that will be beneficial to me and my organization going forward.”

Bill Hofheimer, Senior Director Communications, ESPN
“The Sports PR Summit is a great event because it attracts top players from throughout the industry – from agencies, networks, leagues, teams, conferences and more. It’s a perfect opportunity to share ideas and connect with some of the best in the business.”

Josh Rawitch, Senior VP Communications, Arizona Diamondbacks
“The Sports PR Summit has become a conference that I genuinely look forward to each year, not just for the networking opportunities it provides but the interesting panels and valuable information about our discipline. There’s really nothing else like it in the country and I’ve found myself coming home every year with several new ideas that to implement. I’ve recommended the Summit to several fellow Communications professionals in the industry and they’ve come away with the same impression.”

Casey Taggatz, Director of Public Relations, Phoenix Suns
“The Sports PR Summit is top-notch in every regard. If you’re looking for great insight and innovative ideas from our industry’s finest, as well as a day full of relevant discussion topics in an interactive environment, attending the Sports PR Summit is a must. The event came highly recommended to me, and I now have it at the top of my list when discussing similar opportunities with other communications professionals.”