SEEN Saturday Series
Sports ETA is the essential resource for sports commissions, sports destinations, industry partners and more.
Since being established in 1992, our promise has been to deliver quality education, ample networking opportunities and exceptional event management and marketing know-how to our members - destinations, right holders, and industry partners - and to protect the integrity of the sports events and tourism industry.
As the non-profit 501(c)3 trade association for the sports events and tourism industry in the United States, Sports ETA is the most essential resource for sports commissions, sports destinations, sports event owners, and industry partners. We believe sports tourism and the events that our members own and host have the power to transform society for the better. Our passion is to help sports events and tourism professionals achieve previously unimaginable levels of performance. We do this by nurturing a diverse and inclusive community of smart, creative, and interesting people: our members.
SEEN Saturday Series
Jon Tibbs, The Strategy of Sport: How Geopolitics Shapes Host Cities
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Live from Las Vegas, this is Symposium Sessions, featuring exclusive interviews and educational highlights from the 2026 Sports ETA Symposium. Join us as we dive into the latest trends in sports events and tourism with the industry’s top leaders and innovators.
In this week's episode, we pull back the curtain on the world of international sports politics. While many consultancies focus on the logistics of an event, JTA specializes in the intricate "International Relations" that happen behind the scenes—a field often more complex and high-stakes than mainstream politics.
We discuss immediate, actionable steps destinations can take to establish themselves as global players and look ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Join us as we explore what this massive tournament means for U.S. host cities through a geopolitical lens, moving beyond the scoreboard to understand the true impact of hosting the world's most popular sport.
Key Takeaways:
- Why sports diplomacy is the "hidden engine" of successful hosting.
- Tangible strategies for destinations to apply to their current sports marketing.
- A geopolitical preview of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.