SPX Purpose League will bring sponsorship, finance and community leaders together at Brentford FC to apply commercial thinking to live partnership challenges
Senior leaders from UEFA, Lidl, Deloitte and The FA will gather at Brentford FC this October to build the business case for purpose-led sponsorship that delivers commercial and societal returns.
Guillaume Sabran and Filippo Veglio of UEFA, Thomas Bulitta of Lidl International, Dana O’Donovan of Deloitte and Richard Ames of The FA are among more than 20 speakers confirmed for the inaugural two-day SPX Purpose League Summit on 15 and 16 October.
Convened by SponsorshipX and purpose-led sports marketing, advisory and investment firm 17 Sport, the summit marks the first two-day gathering of the Purpose League, the global initiative they launched in 2025. It will make the business case for purpose by exploring how sponsorship can deliver measurable commercial, social and environmental returns.
Sport generates US$2.3 trillion annually, yet physical inactivity, climate change and nature loss could put US$517 billion of that revenue at risk by 2030 and US$1.6 trillion by 2050, according to the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Sports for People and Planet report.
The report identifies strategic sponsorship as a financial lever capable of directing funding towards grassroots participation, environmental restoration and inclusive community programmes. The summit will examine how to make that potential commercially credible and measurable.
The event at Gtech Community Stadium combines talks and peer sessions with a two-day team challenge involving community partners Hackney Laces and Kinetic Foundation. Delegates will visit the community organisations, learn about their work, explore a real-world sponsorship challenge and develop recommendations to present to the group.
Neill Duffy, Founder & CEO of 17 Sport, said, “Sport can create commercial value while strengthening the communities and environments it depends on. We’re here to make that value measurable and investable, so purpose becomes part of sponsorship decisions and how growth is judged. This summit convenes people who can turn that ambition into a working model for the industry.”
The programme will move from strategy to evidence and execution. Dana O’Donovan and Neill Duffy will examine the changing role of sponsorship, before leaders from Lidl International, UEFA and Two Circles explore how purpose can drive engagement and commercial performance.
Filippo Veglio of UEFA will join Patrick Massey of CAA Portas and Charlotte Peyraud of Houlihan Lokey to consider what finance teams need from purpose-led investment. Richard Ames of The FA, Daniel Matson of Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Fiona Morgan of Whisper will address how sustainability is being put into practice across sport.
Mark Harrison, Founder of SponsorshipX, said, “Purpose can become one of sponsorship’s strongest engines for growth. In London, we’re bringing senior leaders together to apply their experience to live community challenges and turn what they learn into stronger partnerships for business, sport and society. That is what the Purpose League was created to do.”
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities is the summit’s Founding Partner. Global Sustainable Sport is its Media Partner. The speaker line-up is available at sponsorshipx.com/purposeleague-summit. Early-bird passes are £695, or £495 for nonprofit delegates, until 30 September. Registration is open at sponsorshipx.com/purposeleague-summit-passes.
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About the SPX Purpose League
SponsorshipX and 17 Sport launched the SPX Purpose League in November 2025 at the SponsorshipX Changemaker Summit in Toronto. It is a global community for brands, rights holders and advisers working to connect sponsorship with commercial and societal value. The London summit is the League’s first two-day working summit. Read the 2025 launch announcement.
About SponsorshipX
SponsorshipX is a global events and content brand focused on sponsorship. Its work includes summits, forums, industry research, editorial content and The SponsorshipX Podcast. www.sponsorshipx.com
About 17 Sport
17 Sport is a pioneering impact-led global sports marketing, advisory and investment firm. Named after United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 17, Partnerships for the Goals, it helps brands, rights holders and athletes achieve stronger business outcomes by placing purpose at the centre of strategy, activation and sponsorship. A certified B Corp, 17 Sport works with partners including Nike, adidas, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), UEFA, Allianz, Sanofi, Ocean Conservancy and Just Eat. The firm operates with teams across Europe and North America. www.17-sport.com
Media contact
James Rigby
Founder & Director, New Season Studio
On behalf of 17 Sport and SponsorshipX
