Moderated by Daniel Sá, Executive Director of IPAM Porto, the Arena Stage welcomed Pedro Siza Vieira, former minister and lawyer, André Viana, Board Advisor in the Office of the President of SC Braga, and Manuel Nunes, President of the Leiria Football Association, who made up a diverse panel of experts to debate the evolution of football as a global business and how innovation, technology and modern management influence the future of the sports industry.

Pedro Siza Vieira was the first to start the discussion, giving an account of the parallel path followed by the economy and the sport of king, especially in terms of the results achieved.

‘The growth of economic activities comes from the differentiation of operators in each market they operate in and the discovery of new audiences, but also in the product they develop and the processes they have in place, in order to be as efficient as possible in achieving their results. Economic growth can only be based on innovation, using knowledge, something that happens in the Portuguese economy, but also in the football industry,’ he emphasised.

André Viana then explained how SC Braga has evolved in recent years, giving an account of the most recent projects of the Guerreiros do Minho. ‘The sporting side is always very important, but we are also making huge strides in various sectors, particularly in the fan experience, which has a significant impact on the business. We're also currently working on some very interesting projects: we've created an innovation centre, the SCB Innovation Hub, which is a corporate acceleration programme for start-ups in the Sports Tech area. In addition, the Fun Engagement and Smart Stadium areas are also two pillars of our programme,’ he said, before Manuel Nunes took the floor to highlight the work carried out by AF Leiria:

‘Over the years, there has been an evolutionary process, particularly in terms of facilities, players and clubs, which have become increasingly modernised. Adding other areas, such as nutrition, psychology, athlete recovery or medicine, has led to an evolution. It's been a long journey, with repercussions in all the districts and associations. As for AF Leiria, we've been keen to keep up to date, even though the associative model has remained the same.’