From Reach to Relevance: Why Creativity Is the New Growth Engine of Sport
In this Q&A, Ed Davidson, VP and Chief Growth Officer at LIONS, explains why now was the right moment to launch LIONS Sport, a dedicated, sport-focused forum within Cannes Lions, and what it signals for the future of sports marketing.
From athletes as media platforms to the shift from sponsorship exposure to cultural relevance, Davidson outlines why creativity has become the ultimate competitive advantage, and how LIONS Sport aims to set a new global benchmark for growth, innovation and creative excellence in sport.
Why was now the right moment to launch a dedicated sport-focused forum within Cannes Lions?
The sports industry is at an inflection point. We’re seeing structural shifts – rights fragmentation, athletes becoming media platforms, creator-led fan content, and sport converging with culture and commerce. Yet the creative playbook hasn’t kept pace. Too many brands still rely on traditional sponsorships and logo placement while fans have moved on.
The gap between where attention lives and where brands are showing up has never been wider. LIONS Sport exists because the people shaping the future of sport need a dedicated space to come together, set the creative benchmark, and redefine what world-class sports marketing looks like. The industry is ready to move from reach to relevance, from audiences to communities, and from media buys to cultural moments.
What makes LIONS Sport a must-attend moment for the global sports industry this year?
I would say three things: the people, the environment, and the access.
LIONS Sport is application-only attendance to ensure the room is filled with senior decision-makers like rights holders, league executives, brand CMOs, athlete-entrepreneurs and platform leaders. We’ve already confirmed the likes of NFL, Fenway Sports, Strava, LIV Golf, and The All England Lawn Tennis Club will be there. These are operators with the budgets and authority to transform the industry.
We’re curating it to be a high-impact space designed for strategic thinking, not passive listening so attendees can expect keynote conversations, exclusive case studies, and business leader networking forums focused on how creativity drives innovation and growth.
Access wise, a LIONS Sport pass includes both the two-day LIONS Sport programme at the Carlton Hotel, as well as exclusive access to SPORT BEACH with curated VIP sessions. So it’s a true immersion in the global sports ecosystem.
For someone attending for the first time, what does a ‘typical’ Cannes Lions experience look like?
There’s no typical experience which is what’s so unique about Cannes Lions.
You’ll be among 12,000+ delegates from more than 90 countries representing every corner of the creative and marketing ecosystem. The content programme showcases a world-class line-up of global thought leaders, pioneering brands and cultural changemakers from across the spectrum of creativity. While the Lions Awards underpin everything that makes Cannes Lions what it is – the home of creative excellence and effectiveness – and each year a new global benchmark is set.
But the real value is in the connections. Whether that’s on the Croisette or in the Palais, you’re constantly meeting people shaping the industry. Serendipity is built into the experience. My advice is to come with clear objectives and not overfill your diaries. Stay open to the unexpected because the most valuable moments often happen when you least expect them.
How does LIONS Sport build on Cannes Lions’ legacy while creating something distinctly tailored to the sports industry?
Cannes Lions has spent 70+ years defining creative excellence and convening industries. LIONS Sport takes that authority and applies it specifically to sport’s unique dynamics.
We’re not fitting sport into an existing framework. The two-day programme at the Carlton is designed specifically for the sports ecosystem, with content focused on how creativity is redefining the US$600bn+ industry. And because it happens during Cannes Lions, delegates access both the tailored sport programme and the broader Festival.
It’s the authority of Cannes Lions combined with a programme built for the realities of today’s sports industry.
How does LIONS Sport complement and extend the existing SPORT BEACH experience?
They’re designed to work together as two sides of the same coin.
Sport at Cannes Lions has stepped up recently thanks to SPORT BEACH. Over the last few years they’ve hosted a star-studded roster of athletes, brands, and marketers, activating at the intersection of sport, culture, and creativity.
LIONS Sport builds on this momentum, offering a curated environment for strategic thinking. The programme, which has just been announced, will explore what’s driving growth in the rapidly evolving sports marketing ecosystem. It’s an immersive event offering a blend of thought-provoking sessions, interactive discussions and unparalleled networking opportunities.
The programme focuses on creativity as a growth driver — what are some of the standout themes or sessions delegates can look forward to?
The themes reflect the structural shifts happening across the industry:
From reach to relevance: How creativity transforms scale into meaning and cultural connection
Athletes as media platforms: How this shift changes partnerships, storytelling and fan engagement
Fan communities and creator content: How brands show up authentically without feeling like intruders
Sport as culture: How innovative brands tap into cultural power to drive growth and create moments that matter
The new playbook: Showcasing brands, rights holders and athletes rewriting the rules beyond sponsorships and logo placement
Attendees can expect keynote conversations with industry leaders, exclusive case studies of breakthrough work, and experiential showcases. The goal is actionable insights, not just inspiration.
Why is creativity becoming such a critical lever for growth in the sports industry right now?
Because the old playbook has stopped working.
For decades, sports marketing was simple: buy the rights, put your logo on the jersey, let reach do the work. But the landscape has changed. Rights are fragmented. Athletes are publishers. Fans engage through creator content and communities, not just broadcast moments. Sport has evolved from competition into culture.
In this reality, reach doesn’t equal relevance. Brands can’t just show up, they have to show up in ways that matter. Creativity is what transforms scale into meaning, turns sponsorships into cultural moments, and allows authentic connection with fans.
The brands that are winning like Asics, adidas and Nike are consistently executing with creativity. The ones still leaning on well-worn tactics are being left behind. Creativity isn’t a nice-to-have anymore – it’s the ultimate competitive advantage.
How do you see LIONS Sport influencing the future of sports marketing and commercial strategy beyond the event itself?
LIONS Sport isn’t just a two-day event; it’s a platform for setting the benchmark and shaping the industry’s future.
Our aim is that it establishes a new standard by showcasing the best work and defining what world-class creativity in sport looks like. We also want it to create a community of leaders committed to raising the bar. That’s CMOs, league executives, athlete-entrepreneurs and platform leaders whose relationships and collaborations will drive transformation year-round.
We also want LIONS Sport to act as a signal that creativity is essential in sport, not optional. The industry is moving from reach to relevance, and creativity is the lever that makes that shift possible. It creates a feedback loop between the Festival and the industry, informing how we think about creative excellence, judge awards, and evolve the ecosystem.
The goal is for LIONS Sport to become the annual moment when the global sports industry defines the future of creativity, commerce and culture in sport.
Looking ahead, what is your long-term vision for LIONS Sport as part of the broader Cannes Lions ecosystem?
For LIONS Sport to become the definitive global platform for creative excellence in sport – where the industry gathers annually to set the benchmark, shape the conversation, and drive the future, we see it evolving in a few ways:
Expanding the community by bringing in more voices: athletes, creators, fans, tech platforms, and next-generation leaders reimagining what’s possible.
Deepening the content by going beyond showcasing great work to exploring the strategic, cultural and commercial forces shaping the industry.
Strengthening Festival integration by ensuring sport is fully embedded in the broader creative ecosystem, learning from other industries and contributing to global conversations.
Creating year-round value by extending the community and conversation beyond the Festival through content, networking and ongoing engagement.
Sport is the world’s most universal language, creating shared, borderless moments no other medium can match. LIONS Sport exists to ensure creativity is at the heart of those moments and that the industry has the platform, community, and benchmark it needs to keep pushing forward.
