SMEA Summer Conference 2026 
Preparing Students for the Sports Media Industry That Exists Now.

The conference will be built around a central question: What are we preparing sports media students for now? That question gives the event its shape. It reflects the wider shift taking place across sports media, where traditional journalism roles are shrinking or changing while opportunities across the broader sports media industry continue to grow. The conference is designed to address what that means for curriculum, assessment, student preparation, research, and industry collaboration.

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Tentative Plan and Schedule. Speakers and Topics to be Updated
 

Day 1
 Industry, change, and big-picture discussion

 

1:00–1:15: Welcome and opening remarks

An introduction to the conference theme, the purpose of the two days, and the central question running through the event.
 

1:15–2:15 Panel 1
The Creator Economy and the Future of Sports Media Work

This panel will explore the growth of creator-led work, freelance careers, branded content, entrepreneurial media and the wider shift away from older newsroom models.
 

2:15–2:30 Break
 

2:30–3:30 Panel 2
Where Do Students Start Now? Placements, Pathways and Industry Entry Points

This panel will focus on entry routes into the industry, what organisations are looking for, where meaningful opportunities exist, and how placements or work experience should fit into sports media education.
 

3:30–4:00 Break
 

4:00–5:00 Panel 3
AI, Trust and Authenticity in Sports Media

 This panel will look at the growing role of AI in journalism and sports media, with a particular focus on ethics, trust, audience perception and authenticity.
 

5:00–5:15 Closing remarks and Day 2 preview

A short wrap-up of the day, along with an introduction to the Day 2 workshops and some prompts for delegates to reflect on overnight.

5:30–10:00 Conference social
Hideaway Pub
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Day 2
Workshops, access, research and next steps
 

9:30–10:00 Arrival, breakfast rolls, tea and coffee
 

10:00–11:00 Workshop 1
Designing Curriculum for the Jobs Students Actually Get

This workshop will focus on curriculum and assessment. It will ask what skills matter most in the current sports media landscape, what should still be rooted in journalism values, and how courses can adapt without simply chasing industry trends.
 

11:00–11:20 Break
 

11:20–12:20 Workshop 2
Shared Projects, Placement Systems and Research Priorities

This workshop will focus on practical next steps and possible collaboration. Discussion may include shared placement ideas, educator-industry projects, common research themes, and areas where SMEA could support more joined-up work across institutions and organizations.
 

12:20–1:30 Lunch
 

1:30–2:30 Panel 4
Paywalls, Access and the Cost of Learning Sports Media

This panel will explore how subscription models, paywalled content and digital inequality affect students’ ability to engage with sport, analyse coverage and produce work. It brings an important structural question into the conference: who can access the material needed to learn and participate?
 

2:30–2:45 Break
 

2:45–3:45Panel 5
What Don’t We Yet Know? Research Gaps in Sports Media Education

This panel will look ahead to the questions the field still needs to answer. It will explore gaps in current research around industry change, student pathways, AI, audience behavior, trust, and other emerging areas that deserve more sustained attention.
 

3:45–4:00 Break
 

4:00–4:45 Closing discussion
What Should SMEA Do Next?

 This final session will bring the two days together by focusing on action. It will ask what SMEA should actually do next, whether through research, resources, future events, working groups or industry partnerships.
 

4:45–5:00 Closing remarks
Final thanks, reflections on key themes from the conference, and an outline of any agreed next steps.

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