MIES (Switzerland) - The FIBA NXT Leaders Program is going from strength to strength after wrapping up a successful second in-person event in Miami, with the stop proving to be a big hit with all the participants.
Building on the positive experience of the inaugural in-person gathering in Doha, Qatar, a few months ago, those on the program recently gathered in the Sunshine State from March 10 to 13.
Those present relished the opportunity to visit and learn from four major sporting and media organizations in a varied schedule that was carefully focused on supporting participants in further building their capacity and skills.
The focus of the week was to guarantee practical exposure to sports business operations, including digital marketing, fan engagement, sponsorship, ticketing, hospitality, media rights, and game‑day management. Day 1 offered an opportunity to not only visit the Florida Panthers ice hockey franchise but also take in the first of two major live events.
The NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings was followed by a chance to see the Miami Heat hosting the Milwaukee Bucks in an NBA game on Day 3.
Sandwiched between those two experiences on Day 2 was the chance to learn from the work of Major League Soccer franchise Inter Miami FC.
On Day 4, participants visited the NBCUniversal Telemundo Global headquarters at Telemundo Center. A state-of-the-art facility, it serves as the hub for all Telemundo operations, incorporating 15 broadcast studios, advanced production technology, and operating as a workspace for over 1,300 employees. All of the site visits included operational insights from professionals at the relevant organizations, while a group dinner was held to foster networking and peer exchange.
As usual, presentations were made by industry experts and FIBA representatives, including Frank Leenders, Director General of FIBA Media and Marketing Services, and Gustavo Arellano, Head of Commercial Development of FIBA Media and Marketing Services.
The participants were also treated to a speech delivered by FIBA Executive Director Americas, Carlos Alves, to open the session in Miami. Now the focus will be placed on more online work, ahead of the third and final in-person event to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, later this year.
Delivered by FIBA and executed through the FIBA Academy, the FIBA NXT Leaders Program has been created for current and emerging strategic leaders and executives of National Federations, Leagues, and Clubs, as well as former players.
The Program is designed to assist with their respective career transitions and build capacity and skills in the sport. It offers rich and diverse content designed to develop basketball leadership expertise. The curriculum spans the evolution of basketball leagues, FIBA national team competitions, European and North American sport models, 3x3 basketball, and emerging areas like eFIBA.
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