More than 300 academics and industry professionals attended the three-day conference, which included academic presentations, industry panels, and an undergraduate and graduate student case study competition.
A mega sporting events panel, which was moderated by STHM Assistant Professor Ashley Gardner (far right), was one of the highlights at the 2026 Applied Sport Management Association Conference.
Photo by Ryan S. Brandenberg
Earlier this month, an estimated 124.9 million viewers tuned in to watch Super Bowl LX. This summer, when Philadelphia hosts the FIFA World Cup 2026, the audience is going to be a bit larger than that.
Try 18.9 billion viewers larger.
“There are going to be 19 billion people that over the course of 40 days are going to tune in to watch the World Cup, so that is just how significant this is as a mega sporting event,” said Meg Kane, host city executive/CEO for Philadelphia Soccer 2026, during a recent Mega Sporting Events panel discussion held at Temple University’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM).
The panel was one of the keynote events of the 2026 Applied Sport Management Association Conference, which was hosted by STHM and held Feb. 11–13 on Temple’s campus. This marked the first time Temple hosted the conference, which was attended by more than 300 academics and professionals, including faculty and students from across the country and industry experts. It was also the first time that the event was held in the Northeast.
Joining Kane on the panel was Brea Webster-Stanko, deputy executive director for PHL Sports and deputy tournament officer for FIFA World Cup, and Jack Jumper, associate athletics director for external relations for Saint Joseph’s University, which is hosting the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship first and second rounds this year. The panel was moderated by Ashley Gardner, an assistant professor at STHM.
Planning a mega sporting event like the World Cup or the NCAA Tournament is no small task. During the Mega Sporting Events panel discussion, attendees received a glimpse of everything that must be considered for organizers as they work to ensure large-scale events are optimized for maximum impact.
“When bringing mega sporting events to a city, there are a lot of stakeholders, and everybody wants something. So, how do you balance that?” asked Gardner while moderating the panel.
“One size is never going to fit all. Philadelphia is very different from Kansas City or Los Angeles, for instance,” Kane said. “So, that is a message you have to get through, even when you’re first making a bid for an event like the World Cup.”
The Mega Sporting Events panel was just one of many highlights across the three-day conference. Attendees also viewed academic presentations, industry panels, and took part in undergraduate and graduate student case study competitions.
“This conference was a great opportunity to bring students, faculty and industry professionals from across the country together in one of the hottest sport cities in the country,” said Elizabeth Taylor, an associate professor at STHM who secured the bid to host the conference and planned the event and who also serves as Temple’s faculty athletics representative. “This year, more than 26 case study teams took part in the competition, which was the largest number in conference history.”
Temple performed especially well during the case study competition as STHM students took first place in two graduate student divisions and one of the three undergraduate divisions. Students who were on the winning teams include undergraduates Cee Rivers, Leah Stein, George “Taff” Smith and Giovanni Fornia, as well as graduate students Megan Hunt, Ashlyn Casey, Sophia Trad and Julia Oakes.
“It was a true pleasure to welcome scholars, their students and our valued industry partners to our campus for the Applied Sport Management conference. Over the course of the event, so many people shared how impressed they were with our faculty who led the event and all of our student volunteers who supported all of the activities, ensuring everyone felt welcome. Bringing this community together in our classrooms and learning spaces highlights the power of collaboration and the experiential spirit that defines our work at Temple University,” said Amy Giddings, associate dean at STHM. “Hosting our colleagues in Philadelphia makes the moment even more special—2026 is an extraordinary year for our city and region and we are proud to showcase the energy, opportunity and hospitality that make this place such a dynamic environment for sport.”
