Madrid will host ‘Estadios Summit’, the first event specialising in stadium design, operation and business

The event will be held on October 10 and will feature representatives from FIFA, the Spanish and Portuguese football federations and LaLiga.

MADRID, 26 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Madrid will become the epicentre of the design, operation and business of stadiums and sports centres with the celebration of the first edition of ‘Estadios Summit’, organised by Planner Exhibitions and which will take place on 10 October at the El Beatriz Madrid auditorium.

This event will be the first in this area to be held in the Spanish capital and aims to become the reference meeting for business directors and stadium managers, public administrations, architects, construction and engineering companies, financiers and investors and suppliers of materials, services and solutions for sports venues.

Stadiums have evolved beyond being simple venues for holding matches and major events, as they have become drivers of change for the cities that host them and their impact has extended to economic, social, cultural and urban aspects.

For the CEO of Estadios Summit, Enrique Martín-Ambrosio, Estadios Summit has had a “great reception” among the main stakeholders of the sports and stadium industry, as demonstrated by the fact that almost all of the LaLiga EA Sports clubs have confirmed their participation.

“We think that it has arrived in Madrid at a propitious time, since, for example in the case of football, and thanks to the financing received through the CVC funds, almost all stadiums and sports infrastructures are in the process of being renovated and put in place for the organisation of the 2030 World Cup in Spain, Portugal and Morocco,” he said.

Martín-Ambrosio stressed that the programme will have a comprehensive approach and will cover everything from the conceptualisation and design of the stadiums to their operation and management, as well as the new technologies used and the spectator experience. “Without forgetting the challenges involved in organising a competition of the calibre of a football World Cup,” he added.

This event will be attended by the main companies in the sector and national and international organisations such as FIFA, the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the Portuguese Football Federation and LaLiga, which will help define the future of stadiums and their transformative role in cities.

BUSINESS MODELS AND METAMORPHOSIS OF CITIES

Stadium conceptualisation and business models determine the starting point for the construction and renovation of stadiums. This prior analysis is essential to analyse factors such as urban planning, the use that will be given to the stadium, sustainability, spectator experience and the use of advanced technologies.

The first session will analyse the importance of conceptualisation in stadiums, with the participation of Jaime Blanco, director of the LaLiga Club Office; Fran Canal, general manager of CA Osasuna; Javier Doña, stadia and sports management advisor; and Raúl Respaldiza, CEO of Zertior.

Sports stadiums have the power to transform their surroundings, regardless of whether they are located in the city centre or on the outskirts. The agenda of the day will continue with an analysis of how stadiums and sports centres act as true agents of urban transformation.

The construction or renovation of these spaces can also revitalize and leave permanent legacies in their communities. During the session, new projects and success stories will be explored, with the participation of Manuel Fernández, head of Museums & Expos at Acciona; Susana Closa, Manager of the Barcelona Sports Institute of Barcelona City Council; César Frías, CEO and creative director of Morph Estudio; Tristán López-Chicheri, CEO and senior partner at L35 Architects; and José Martí, partner architect at ERRE Arquitectura.

Another highlight of the event will be the implementation of design, sustainability and innovation in the design of stadiums of the future. A round table will be made up of those responsible for the design and construction of some of the most emblematic stadiums at a national and international level: Tayomara Gama, sports leader at Gensler; David Castro, associate director and leader of the Sports business at ARUP; Diego Rodríguez, project manager at Sports&Events Architecture at Idom; Mark Fenwick, partner at Fenwick Iribarren Architects; and Alberto Díaz, CEO of Soluciones Solurban.

EXPERIENCES FOR THE SPECTATOR

Building or refurbishing stadiums involves significant investments, which require smart strategies to ensure that clubs can maximise profitability and diversify their income 365 days a year. The key to achieving this lies in efficient management and having a trusted operator.

This topic will be discussed in a debate featuring José Moya, director of LaLiga Business School; Fernando Fariza, director of social and operations at Club Atlético de Madrid; Iván Maroto, director of business and operations at CD Leganés; and Antonio de la Rosa, VP attractions & events at Legends.

Sport requires a thorough analysis of the development and improvement of the spectator experience, not only during match days, but also at other major events. It is essential to offer a unique experience to each type of user. In this session, Jorge Betancor, Spain Principal at Populous; Carlos Rivera, Client Director Southern Europe, Medallia Spain; and Fran Carrasco, CEO of MolcaWorld, will break down the best strategies to optimize these experiences.

In the case of football, CVC funds have allowed clubs, city councils and other owners to invest in infrastructure beyond their stadiums, creating authentic cities in their facilities, combining sport, health and education in a single space: sports cities, academies, medical centres or residences for players.

In this session, led by Alberto Meneu-Díaz, corporate general manager of Baskonia-Alavés Group; accompanied by Carlos Cao, director of infrastructure and relations of RC Celta; and Brandon Páramo, international business manager of Villarreal CF, some of these innovative projects will be presented, including the ambitious project that the Baskonia-Alavés group is developing in the Buesa Arena area.

WORLD CUP 2030

Taking advantage of the 2030 World Cup being held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, Estadios Summit will conclude with a round table discussion made up of key figures directly involved in the organisation of the tournament, including Fernando Sanz, member of the executive committee and director of international business development of the RFEF; José María Arrabal, general secretary for sport of the Junta de Andalucía; Ricardo Pérez de los Cobos, Head of Architecture of the Insular Institute of Sports of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria; and Marian Otamendi, CEO of WFS.