Summer Games

Care for a game of pickleball with NBA legend Chris Paul? How about a jog along the seashore with multiple Olympic gold-medal-winning runner Mo Farah? If you’re one of the 15,000 advertising and marketing executives heading to France this month for the annual Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, you may be in luck. More than 50 top athletes from all over the world are expected to convene at the third edition of Sport Beach, which leverages sport as a door opener into the conversations driving the business landscape.

In this unique environment, these multihyphenates can explore ways to grow their personal brands or passion projects in partnership with perhaps the only group of people on the planet even more competitive than they are: professional marketers. The four-day event—staged by global media group Stagwell—comprises panel discussions, workshops, booths for dealmaking, and a roster of sports activities such as golf, flag football and basketball. The evenings end with drinks and dinners, where some guests can mingle with the athletes they might have played alongside earlier that day.

“Our goal is to provide a space where athletes, guests and brand partners can navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by the emergence of new technologies, industries and communities in global sports,” says Beth Sidhu, chief brand and communications officer at Stagwell.

The North Face, a partner of Sport Beach, created an interactive rock-climbing wall / Photo: Courtesy of Stagwell’s Sport Beach

“Sport Beach is about building relationships,” adds Shannon Pruitt, global CMO of Stagwell’s Brand Performance Network. “Sports stars are now content creators, with interests in all sorts of commercial or philanthropic endeavors. Many directly run their businesses and are always on the lookout for new opportunities, which may arise from emerging technologies or industries outside of their spheres.”

The best thing about the event, according to Pruitt, is how casual the vibe is. “You really can make personal connections—forget job titles, here everyone is a sports fan first. The most serendipitous of meetings could lead to a collaborative venture,” she says. “That’s why so many athletes, from globally famous names to the trailblazers of niche sports, are keen to attend. Of course, if you throw a really cool party, people always want to come.” Apart from Paul and Farah, other big names who have already signed up for this year’s event include the Olympic gold-medal-winning gymnast Jordan Chiles, soccer hero Megan Rapinoe, baseball legend Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez, basketball players Kyle Kuzma, Joakim Noah and Candace Parker, and three-time Grand Prix-winning F1 driver George Russell.

Pickleball clinic with the founders and pros from Recess Pickleball / Photo: Courtesy of Stagwell’s Sport Beach

Sidhu says, “Our incredible turnout in 2023 and 2024 demonstrates a hunger from athletes and brands alike to get together at Cannes
and have important conversations about making the most of the business opportunities in sports.” sportbeach.com