York U. annual sports business conference hosts CBC Sports executive Nancy Lee

Share

TORONTO, February 19, 2003 -- Executive Director of CBC Sports, Nancy Lee, is the keynote speaker at the York University Sports Administration Association (YUSAA) 5th annual sports business conference Feb. 27-28 entitled, The Convergence of Sport and Entertainment. The conference will examine current issues in media, marketing and entrepreneurship in both amateur and professional sport.

Winner of the 2001 Canadian Women in Communications (CWC) Trailblazer Award, Nancy Lee is the first woman to run CBC Sports. She has championed both the advancement of women and the recognition of amateur sport in broadcasting. Lee will discuss the current challenges facing CBC sports broadcasting and the components needed to adapt successfully in a continuously evolving sport industry. She will also share her experience of climbing the ladder in a male-dominated industry.

This year’s breakfast speaker is John Stanton, founder of The Running Room, North America’s largest specialty running store. Stanton will share his experience as an entrepreneur who began in one room in an old house and grew his business into a 49-store empire. Stanton promotes his health and fitness philosophy through running clinics. He also sponsors, organizes and promotes walking and running events that raise money for charities and other non-profit organizations. He is testament to the belief that success in business does not have to compromise one’s values and vision.

Rounding out the line-up of mealtime speakers is Mike Lipkin, President of Environics/Lipkin, the motivation and sales empowerment branch of Environics Research Group. Specializing in helping people boost their personal productivity and build stronger teams, Mr. Lipkin’s list of clients include: Deloitte & Touche, Royal Bank of Canada, Toyota, Coca Cola, Volkswagen, Oracle and Microsoft.

This year’s workshops will be led by some of Ontario’s biggest sports boosters working in key sectors of the industry:

 

Professional Sport Workshop – Brad Watters, President Toronto Rock

Amateur Sport Workshop – Curt Harnett, Sport Alliance of Ontario, Olympic Medalist

Entrepreneurship Workshop – Carmella & Mark Gelgor, Sport Ball; Jamie Elliot, President, Vector on Rope

Sport Media Workshop – Josh Cogan, TSN, Toronto Maple Leaf Insider Magazine

Sport Marketing Workshop – Tom Anselmi, VP, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment

Invited guests from the sports industry and more than 100 delegates from university and college campuses across Ontario will be in attendance. For a detailed program, please check the Web site at www.yorku.ca/yusaa and link to SBC.

-30-

For more information on SBC, please contact:

Candace Alfarero Susan Bigelow
SBC External Communications Officer Media Relations
York University Sports Administration Association York University
Phone: 416-736-2100, ext. 77227 416-736-2100, ext. 22091
Cell: 416-838-3482 sbigelow@yorku.ca
Fax: 416-736-5996
E-mail: candacea@yorku.ca


About YUSAA:

The York University Sport Administration Association (YUSAA) is a student organization in the Sport Administration Certificate Program, which is offered in the School of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University. The seven-course certificate program includes a mandatory internship placement and thesis. Students of the program come from various academic backgrounds, including kinesiology, sociology, psychology, business, communications and economics. All share the goal of becoming the sport industry leaders of tomorrow.

For more information on YUSAA and the Sport Administration Certificate, please contact:

Jim Shaw
Program Coordinator
Sports Administration Certificate Program
Phone: 416-736-2100, ext. 44755
Fax: 416-736-5996
E-mail: jimshaw@yorku.ca

YU/014/03