Careers In Sport Podcast – Irina Lebedeva – Strategic Marketing Manager – FC Zenit

We all forget what was said or done, but we always remember how it made us feel!

Last week, I had the chance to step out of the office and into the inspiring International Sports Convention at the spectacular Tottenham Hotspur Football Club Stadium. Alongside my Pulselive colleagues, I immersed myself in thought-provoking discussions with industry leaders, exploring the evolving ways fans engage with sport.

From the power of brand partnerships and striking the right balance to new ways of capturing data and insights, gamification, and emerging OTT strategies, the event was packed with valuable perspectives shaping the future of sports engagement.

A fantastic few days of learning, connecting, and challenging perspectives!

It was a pleasure to be part of the discussion on Brand Partnerships in Women’s Sports with these wonderful panelists  where I had the chance speak about Rakuten TV Branded Originals: Ona Carbonell, Sandra Sánchez, and Champions, amongst others!
Many thanks to International Sports Convention for the invite!

My sincere thanks to the International Sports Convention for the invitation to speak on an international panel at the 2025 convention at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium today.

Representing the Gambling Commission , I was joined on the panel by hashtag#GroupofCopenhagen colleagues Corentin Segalen and Christine C., and Stefano Barone, CFE from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime to discuss the prevention and fight against sports manipulation.

It was evident from the discussion that despite the different approaches taken in our respective countries, partnerships and a collective focus can achieve results especially if stakeholders are open to sharing experiences, expertise and information.
Collaboration is key.

The International Sports Convention London 2025 was by far the best sports conference / convention event I have attended in recent years.

I was particularly encouraged that Women’s Sport and Leadership was clearly positioned as integral to the growth of sport rather than being an add on or a separate strand of the conference.

Finally, thank you International Sports Convention. A truly brilliant event, discussing topical and relevant matters in sport through open and honest discussion.

Attending the International Sports Convention was an incredible opportunity to dive deep into the ever-evolving intersection of business and sport with Unilever. From impactful partnerships to data-driven fan engagement, the sessions provided valuable insights into how brands can leverage sports as a platform for growth and purpose.

It was inspiring to learn from industry leaders and peers across the business and sports worlds, exchanging ideas on how brands can drive meaningful impact through sport. An example of these learnings is the importance of moments in data and analytics mentioned by Wen Miao and how that can be more impactful than the data itself.

We were delighted to have attended the International Sports Convention this week. Insight into partnerships, monetising platforms and hugely important to us safeguarding within the sport community. The diversity of ideas and the high level participation gives comfort that all the sports we love are in good hands. Our thanks to the ISC and TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM LIMITED for their hospitality this week.

I was pleased to represent Starlizard Integrity Services and introduce the panel on integrity issues facing football, at the same time revealing some of the findings from our imminently forthcoming report on suspected match-fixing in global football in 2024.

I very much enjoyed talking about the challenges and opportunities faced here with The Football Association, Football Association of Wales and KNVB in a session expertly moderated, as ever, by ANDREW JAMES (who I think has now proved himself to be an authority on sports integrity, with the astute line of questioning he has developed after covering this topic for so many years).

Had an interesting time at the International Sports Convention this week! It’s clear that brand partnerships are seeking much more sophisticated returns from rights holders, with tech and AI encouraging those demands but also offering solutions. Thankfully pure creative thinking remains integral for generating innovative campaign ideas and is needed as much when shaping commercial deals. Kudos to Nigel Fletcher and the dedicated staff for their hard work. And I can confirm, the food at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club lives up to the hype! 🌟

Reflecting on a great few days at International Sports Convention where a whole range of interesting topics were covered from Women’s Sport, Fan Engagement, OTT, Sponsorship Activation, AI, the use of Data & Analytics and sustainability.

It was great to catch up with customers / friends in the industry and meet lots of interesting and inspiring people. Apologies to those I wasn’t able to meet during the event but I will follow up if I haven’t already.

The standout moment for me? Knowing that the IOC presidential election result was pending…cue the IOC’s Benny Bonsu (mid panel) announcing Kirsty Coventry’s victory, which was met with a full room of applause 👏. What a milestone moment for women in sport!

Back from an inspiring visit to the International Sports Convention in London – hosted at the stunning Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. A truly impressive venue for an event full of exciting conversations and meaningful meetings.

A special highlight: our COO Viktoria Geresi had the honor of serving as a judge for the prestigious Fan Engagement Award! I am proud of her representing ML Marketing among such a strong international jury – evaluating cutting-edge innovations that bring fans closer to the sports they love.

Big thanks to International Sports Convention for the opportunity, and huge congratulations to the Brooklyn Nets for taking home the award in the Best Fan Engagement – Clubs category!