Triathlon Business International (TBI), the industry organization dedicated to promoting the sport and the business of triathlon, has confirmed the addition of three new speakers to the line-up of keynote speakers for its 25-27 January 2015, 5th Annual Triathlon Business International Conference in Marina del Rey, Los Angeles, California.
The three new speakers are: Gary Roethenbaugh, founder of MultiSport Research; Christian Toetzke, CEO, Lagardère Unlimited Events; and Matthew Le Veque, Senior Vice President, Rogers|Finn Partners and associate professor at USC’s Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism.
Gary Roethenbaugh’s presentation will pull together the first set of analyses from the US Triathlete Survey, conducted by MultiSport Research on behalf of TBI. This survey will be part of a full US Triathlon Market Study set to launch in April 2015.
This is the first-ever comprehensive analysis of the total triathlon marketplace in the United States — the world’s largest triathlon market. The study will address the main ‘revenue buckets’ for triathlon: including events, travel, coaching, and the wide array of gear and equipment expenditure.
Lagardère Unlimited Events North America, USA Triathlon and the City of Chicago are hosting the 2015 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final and World Championships from Sept. 15-20, and Christian Toetzke’s conference address will provide an inside look at planning and the success of Chicago’s 2014 ITU World Series event as well as a preview of the September Grand Final and World Championships.
He also will talk about how this ITU event impacts the sport of triathlon in the US as well as the future of the sport from an international perspective.
For race directors and retailers who want to know more about using social media for events and moving merchandise, Matthew Le Veque will provide tips and tools to get the most out of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
Take-away lessons will include: how these platforms can help raise the profile of the event or store; how to use social media tools for promotions and to drive event participation and store/online sales; how best to use videos and photos to drive community conversation; and the use of various apps to make the most of each respective platform.
Gary Roethenbaugh – Monday 26 January
Gary Roethenbaugh, MultiSport Research founder and managing director, is a law graduate with more than 20 years’ experience in commercial consulting and investigations, research and analysis. He founded MultiSport Research in 2010 as a specialist research and consulting firm to the international endurance sport industry.
The company was born out a personal passion for multisport and the company offers a wide range of services – from consumer and market research to economic impact studies, product and consumer segmentation, pricing analyses, commercial due diligence, branding and strategy.
MultiSport Research also produces triathlonbusiness.com, the dedicated news and information site for the international triathlon and endurance sport industry. Roethenbaugh previously worked in corporate recovery and investigations for global accountancy firm KPMG and in information security.
Matthew Le Veque – Monday 26 January
Matthew Le Veque founded and is a director of Rogers|Finn Partners Digital Strategies Group. Rogers|Finn Partners is a Los Angeles-based public relations agency within Finn Partners, a global PR group with more than 350 staff in 11 countries. As a Senior Vice-President at the agency, he works with clients on the use and implementation of digital communication, social media and Web 2.0 technologies.
Le Veque has created numerous award-winning videos and PSAs that have been featured at opening plenary sessions of international and national conferences, aired at major venues, appeared online and been part of paid advertising campaigns on TV. He has also been recognized with more than 40 awards from professional organizations such as the Public Relations Society of America and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Le Veque is also an associate professor at the University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism.
Christian Toeztke – Tuesday 27 January
Christian Toeztke is CEO of Lagardère Unlimited Events, which is one of six business lines within Lagardère Unlimited, a company with international expertise in sports and talent management, sports academies, event management, marketing of sports broadcast rights, and management of sports venues.
Toeztke co-founded Hamburg, Germany-based Upsolut Sports in 1995, and it became one of the leading sports companies in Europe, producing such events as the Hamburg BG Triathlon World Championships and cycling’s Tour of Germany. Under Toezke’s leadership, Upsolut became a part of the Lagardère family of companies, keeping the Upsolut name until November 2014 when it was announced that all events-related resources would be merged into one company, Lagardère Unlimited Events with headquarters in Hamburg.
Lagadere Unlimited and Upsolut were at the forefront of the development of the ITU Triathlon World Championships structure that includes a series of events, plus a Grand Final, creating an exclusive high quality global series.
The TBI Conference will be packed full of information and opportunities for everyone involved in the business and sport of triathlon. ‘This is where the business of triathlon will get done.’ The Event Director’s track will continue from last year focusing on the issues and needs of this segmented group of industry professionals. Some of the topics and activities for this year’s TBI Conference include:
- Keynote speakers: Felix Walchsöffer, CEO of the Challenge Family of events; Scott Brown, President of Universal Sports Network, broadcast rights owner of the ITU World Triathlon Series; Gary Roethenbaugh, Managing Director, MultiSport Research; Christian Toetzke, CEO, Lagardère Unlimited Events; and Matthew Le Veque, Senior Vice President, Rogers|Finn Partners and associate professor at University of Southern California
- Speed networking – one of the most popular sessions of the conference
- Panel discussions on: what’s new in triathlon; legal issues and challenges; business-to-consumer topics related to pricing, event experience, athlete suggestions to race producers; what can be learned from CEOs
- General Sessions: current research; social media; preview of the ITU Grand Finales and World Championships in Chicago; hot topics
- Event Director Breakout Sessions: financial management tools; business-to-business topics including minimizing litigation, sustaining the bottom line; top 10 items every race director should know
- The Ron Smith Awards Celebration including announcement of top retailers, most innovative triathlon products; top 5 triathlon highlights of the year; top events for the year; best triathlon article, best triathlon photograph and the male and female Ron Smith Award winners
- ACTIVEX morning workouts, and guided running and cycling routes
Sponsors of the 2015 TBI Conference include The ACTIVE Network, Ashworth Awards, FinisherPix, Lapio, MyLaps Timing, Tritats, Chronotrack, Interbike, Endurance SportsWire and IRONMAN.
Triathlon Business International is an industry organization dedicated to promoting the sport and the business of triathlon. Founded by a coalition of industry leaders, Triathlon Business International advocates for the interests of triathlon businesses, provides educational and informative programs, and encourages increased participation in the sport.
