In a time of rapid change across the global sport industry, Charting What’s Next invites scholars, educators, practitioners, and industry leaders to explore the forces shaping the future of sport business. From media disruption and shifting fan expectations to women’s sports, global markets, new investment models, and data-driven decision making, the sport landscape is being redrawn in real time.
The 2027 GSBA Conference invites participants to examine what is emerging, what is accelerating, and what must be reimagined. As sport continues to connect with entertainment, technology, tourism, health, education, and entrepreneurship, new opportunities are emerging across every level of the industry. These changes raise important questions about how sport is created, experienced, monetized, governed, and studied. Sessions may explore topics such as global sport markets, athlete entrepreneurship, sport technology, fan engagement, sponsorship and branding, sport tourism, NIL and athlete identity, esports, leadership, analytics, and the changing business models shaping the industry.
Charting What’s Next asks us to look forward with curiosity and purpose. Together, we will examine where sport business is headed, challenge familiar assumptions, and identify the ideas, research, teaching practices, and partnerships that can help navigate the next era of global sport.
This year's conference will take place February 18-21, 2027 aboard the MSC Seashore, sailing from Orlando to Nassau and Ocean Key.
This year's conference will feature three distinct research tracks:
- Sport Business - Includes marketing, management, finance, economics, etc.
- Entrepreneurship/Innovation - Includes sport entrepreneurship and innovation, NIL, startup, equity funding, etc.
- Pedagogy - Includes teaching cases, classroom activities, program development, etc.
To be considered for presentation at the 2027 GSBA Conference, abstracts should clearly and concisely summarize the core elements of your scholarly work. This includes the research problem or question, relevant theoretical framework, objectives and value of the work, methodology (used or proposed), and key or preliminary findings. Abstracts should also describe the overall contribution of the research to the field.
Please follow the structured format outlined below to ensure your abstract meets the conference submission requirements:
Abstract Submission Deadline: August 1, 2026
Title page
- Title
- Presentation Type
- Track, Author Info
- Indicate if Primary Author is a Student
- Indicate if Considered for Best Paper
- Between 400 and 500 words.
- Introduction/Problem Statement
- Theoretical Framework
- Research Objectives/Value of Work
- Methodology used or proposed
- Key Findings (Preliminary Findings)
- Contribution
Main document/Abstract
To be considered for Best Paper, extended abstracts (4 to 6 pages) are required and are due via email (gsbasubmission@gmail.com) by January 15th, 2027.
