More than 50 speakers on two stages discussed the economics of broadcasting, soccer, padel, mass sports, and the reintegration of veterans into active life.
On October 28, the Barvy Event Hall in Lviv hosted the 6th All-Ukrainian Sports Marketing Conference, SBC Summit Ukraine 2026 Lviv. For the first time in the summit’s history, the organizers held the event outside of Kyiv, and Lviv responded with a full house.
More than 50 speakers took the stage across two venues, and 673 participants spent the entire day discussing funding, audiences, and the infrastructure of Ukrainian sports. The event was co-organized by the Ukrainian Mass Sports Agency and the Lviv City Council’s Sports Office.
BETKING served as the summit’s general sponsor, RIEL as the construction partner, and GGBET as the premium sponsor. Other partners included Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack, Kappa, Play Vision, Lviv’s premium sports club UNI FORCE, and PRAVDA beer, which brewed a special batch of Blanche for the participants. The social sector was represented by HeroCar, the 15th “Kara-Dag” Special Operations Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, and the KNUBA Institute of Veterans.
Guests included representatives of clubs, leagues, and federations, as well as company executives, marketers, media professionals, and athletes. Participants were welcomed by Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the Lviv Regional State Administration, and Mayor Andriy Sadovyi.
The main stage opened with a conversation between Matviy Bidnyi and ICTV host Andriy Kovalskyi about sports in a time of transformation. They discussed how to encourage children to participate in regular training and how to distribute responsibility among the state, communities, federations, and the business sector.
The regional dimension of the summit was most fully explored during the panel discussion “Sports as an Investment in the Future of the Lviv Region.” Anton Nikulin, Director of the Lviv City Council’s Sports Office, and Roman Khimyak, Director of the Department of Sports, Youth, and Tourism of the Lviv Regional State Administration, spoke about sports as a tool for regional development, which requires modern infrastructure, systematic work by sports organizations, and full-fledged cooperation with the business community. Yuriy Turyansky, head of the Lviv Regional Branch of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, and Petro Adamyk, president of the Lviv Region Rugby Federation, joined the discussion, which was moderated by Mykola Matrosov.
The commercial core of the program was the panel discussion “Who Pays for Sports.” Ukrainian Premier League (UPL) President Yevhen Dykyi, along with representatives from MEGOGO, Kyivstar TV, Tribuna.com, and 1+1 Media, analyzed the economics of broadcasts, advertising, and sponsorship—from broadcasting rights to models of collaboration with brands.
GGBET CEO Serhiy Mishchenko and commentator Vitaliy Volochay looked at the 2026 World Cup through the eyes of a bookmaker.
UAF Secretary General Ihor Hryshchenko called fans the main asset of the soccer industry. Andriy Rebrina, Director of the Mass Sports Agency, spoke about the barriers that prevent people from taking their first step into sports.
Entrepreneurs discussed the role of business in the country’s sustainability during a panel moderated by Oleksiy Braga, CEO of Sport Business Media Agency.
Padel received special attention. Oleksiy Dniprov, President of the Ukrainian Padel Federation and Vice President of the NOC, answered questions about how this new sport is developing its own market in Ukraine. The federation brought a miniature court to the summit, where Zalizko Courts explained the investment rationale behind padel infrastructure.
One of the most important discussions of the day centered on veterans. The panel “Human Potential Without Barriers” featured two-time Paralympic champion Viktor Didukh, Roman Gapachilo, president of the “Nezlamni” para-hockey club, as well as representatives from the Institute of “Architecture of Sustainability,” the “Veteran Spirit of Lviv” club, and the Shakhtar Social Charitable Foundation.
They discussed rehabilitation and the return to an active life through sports. The topic had a very specific Lviv dimension. The day before, on October 27, the city opened the “Hakivka” ice rink, equipped for people with disabilities, where the “Unbreakables” sledge hockey players will train. The Lviv City Council’s Sports Office presented the new facility at its booth.
The main stage program concluded with a discussion on Lviv’s sports identity. Participants included Olympic medalist Stanislav Horuna, “Karpaty” CEO Andriy Rusol, and UEFA Cup winner Artem Fedetskyi.
At the same time, discussions on the Best Practice Stage focused on media partnerships, creativity, and the digital transformation of Ukrainian soccer.
On October 28, the 6th All-Ukrainian Sports Marketing Conference, SBC Summit Ukraine 2026 Lviv, will take place. For the first time, the event is moving outside the capital, reaffirming its status as the premier sports marketing event of the year, relevant to the entire country. Barvy Event Hall will host over 600 participants and more than 40 speakers, who will take the stage on two platforms.
SBC Summit Ukraine is the flagship conference of the Sport&Business Club community, held twice a year, and in 2024 it serves as the primary platform for dialogue between sports, business, and media in Ukraine. The event brings together key industry players—representatives of sports clubs, leagues, and federations, as well as media and business entities involved in sports. The conference program will cover the industry’s most pressing topics—from brand strategies and sponsorship to sports development, digital communications, and media in wartime conditions.
Among the speakers already announced are:
You can purchase tickets for SBC Summit Ukraine 2026 Lviv via this link: WayForPay. A SPORT-category ticket includes conference attendance and networking with industry professionals, access to the Sport&Business Club community, a participant’s kit, and a photo/video recap of the conference.
The BUSINESS ticket category additionally includes access to the business lounge and speakers’ area, exclusive networking with key representatives from sports, business, and media, a hospitality area provided by partners, priority entry to the event via the fast line, seats in rows 1–4 of the auditorium, access to speakers’ presentations, a video recording of the event, and a free, guaranteed parking space.
Open4Business is the information partner of the 6th All-Ukrainian Conference.
Maksym Urakin, Deputy Director of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency and founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center, has joined the jury of the national SBC Ukraine Awards 2026, dedicated to achievements in sports marketing, communications and the sports business.
As reported by the industry publication SportBusiness.Media on October 15, 2026, the organizers of the awards, Sport&Business Club, announced the names of another 16 experts in sports, business, marketing and media who will evaluate the competition projects.
In total, approximately 150 representatives of the sports industry, entrepreneurship, advertising market, mass media and communications are expected to be involved in the jury of the SBC Ukraine Awards 2026. They will determine the winners in 23 categories.
Among the new jury members, in addition to Maksym Urakin, are Ihor Hryshchenko, Secretary General of the Ukrainian Association of Football; Denys Boyko, former goalkeeper of the Ukrainian national football team; Dmytro Stryzhov, founder and member of the Supervisory Board of the SHERIFF holding company; Pavlo Shylko, General Producer of the YUNA Music Awards; and Anton Lohonovych, Executive Director of SITKOD LLC (BETON).
The jury also includes sports marketer and television presenter Oleksandr Androsov, entrepreneur Stanislav Arutiunian, Dobroznak founder Oleksandr Buzov, SportArena journalist Mykyta Dmytrulin, Linecore web studio founder Maksym Kachan, television presenter Oleksandr Popov and Idealers agency Creative Director Oleh Svyshch.
The panel of experts was supplemented by professor and media expert Diana Faivishenko, OPTIMA University professor Tetiana Kharchuk and DTEK Academy Head of Business Development and Partnerships Tetiana Sherman.
Maksym Urakin holds the academic degree of Candidate of Economic Sciences and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in History. He is the founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center, which specializes in economic research, analysis of international markets, demographic processes and socio-political trends.
The involvement of representatives of the media, economic analysis and business in evaluating sports projects reflects the cross-sectoral nature of the awards. Modern sports marketing encompasses not only the promotion of sports clubs and competitions but also the development of commercial partnerships, attraction of sponsorship investments, digital communications and social initiatives.
As part of the SBC Ukraine Awards 2026, the best sports projects and events, managers, athletes, journalists, bloggers, advertising and PR campaigns, creative solutions, digital platforms, as well as social and charitable initiatives, are to be recognized.
Projects implemented between December 1, 2025, and November 25, 2026, are eligible to participate in the competition. There is no limit on the number of categories for which one participant may apply; however, an individual project may be submitted in a maximum of two categories.
The SBC Ukraine Awards 2026 winners’ announcement ceremony is scheduled for December 2026. The organizers expect more than 400 guests, including athletes, heads of sports federations and clubs, company owners, top managers, marketers and media representatives.
The SBC Ukraine Awards is an industry award in the field of sports marketing organized by Sport&Business Club. Its purpose is to recognize projects and professionals who contribute to the development of Ukraine’s sports industry, the commercialization of sports products, improving the effectiveness of marketing communications and cooperation between sports and business.
Source: SportBusiness.Media, publication dated October 15, 2026.
On Wednesday, May 27, the capital’s Parkovy Exhibition and Convention Center hosted the SBC Summit Ukraine, the All-Ukrainian conference on sports marketing, for the first time. This year’s summit marked the fifth anniversary of the event and was the largest in the history of the Sport&Business Club. It brought together nearly 1,500 participants from across the country, including athletes, presidents of federations and clubs, brand representatives, media professionals, entrepreneurs, marketers, investors, and managers. Throughout the day, guests networked, discussed future projects, exchanged experiences, and agreed on collaborations that are sure to continue after the summit.
The summit was co-organized by the Ukrainian Mass Sports Agency, the Kyiv City State Administration’s Department of Youth and Sports, the Sports Committee of Ukraine, and the Donetsk Regional Branch of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.
The event was hosted by Maria Skiba, a journalist for the “We Are Ukraine” TV channel, and Dmytro Yegorov, a radio host for “Autoradio.”
In a festive atmosphere, Alexei Braga, CEO of the Sport&Business Club, presented a certificate for 100,000 hryvnias to Artem Goncharenko, head of the “Architecture of Resilience” Institute for Veterans at KNUBA. The funds were raised through donations from participants in the Club’s events and will be used to purchase necessary rehabilitation equipment.
The summit took place simultaneously on two stages, featuring over 60 leading experts in the fields of sports, business, and media who are driving the industry forward today. The event served as a platform for candid dialogue on reforms, major investments, the survival of sports during wartime, attracting sponsors, integrating new technologies, rehabilitating veterans, and building athletes’ personal brands off the field.
Speakers on the main stage included: Matvii Bidnyi, Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine; Vadym Guttsait, President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine; Olga Saladukha, President of the Ukrainian Athletics Federation; Yulia Khan, Director of the Department of Youth and Sports at the Kyiv City State Administration; Ukrainian soccer legend Oleksandr Shovkovskyi; Ihor Marynych, Director of Adidas Ukraine; sports blogger and founder of Trendets Camp Dmytro Povooznyuk, CEO of Lenovo in Ukraine Taras Dzhamalov, President of the Ukrainian Premier League Yevhen Dykyi, Ukrainian and Turkish soccer champion and creator of a YouTube project Denys Boiko, MEGOGO journalist Oleksandra Kucherenko, Vice President of the NOC of Ukraine and President of the Ukrainian Padel Federation Oleksiy Dniprov, Olympic fencing champion Olena Kravatska, 6-time Ukrainian track and field champion and Biopell ambassador Daria Stavnycha, FC Shakhtar goalkeeper coach Andriy Pyatov, Olympic judo medalist Daria Bilodid, founder of the rhythmic gymnastics academy and Olympic bronze medalist Anna Rizatdinova, WowBody App owner Anita Lutsenko, three-time Olympic canoeing medalist Lyudmila Luzan, and others.
At the same time, practical discussions on the development of sports projects, audience engagement, and modern communication tools took place on the Best Practices Stage for three hours. Speakers included: European fencing champion Roman Svichkar, DuelDuck founder Stanislav Horuna, Spartan Ukraine director Oleksiy Vovk, X-Park founder Yuriy Zozulia, Red Foxes director Olena Rozhkova, and others.
“Holding the summit at the Parkovy Exhibition and Convention Center was our big dream, and I am truly proud that we managed to make it happen, even amid the war. This event has become the largest in our history, as we have broken absolutely all of our own records for the number of speakers, guests, and partners. When you see how this powerful synergy of sports, business, and media is working at full capacity on such a platform, you realize that nothing is impossible for our industry.
Our goal remains unchanged—to create a space for open dialogue, major investments, the emergence of new technological use cases, and collaborations that drive the industry forward. In today’s environment, maintaining this momentum and uniting sports and business is of the utmost importance. But, of course, we wouldn’t have achieved such an impressive scale without our reliable partners, the Club’s large community, and our strong team. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this story—and see you soon!” – Alexey Braga, CEO of Sport&Business Club.
KYIV, MARKETING, SBC Summit Ukraine, Sport&Business Club, SPORTS
Ukraine in the 2018/2019 marketing year (MY, September-August) exported 409,800 tonnes of sugar for $144.3 million, which is 27% less than in the previous MY, the Ukrtsukor National Association of Sugar Producers has reported
According to the association, during the reporting period there were changes in the geography of export deliveries.
“Although Uzbekistan remains the leader in imports, shipments to this country have significantly decreased from 210,000 to 96,000 tonnes. Azerbaijan ranked second with 74,000 tonnes, which ranked third last season (43,000 tonnes). Tajikistan ranks third with 36,000 tonnes (16,000 tonnes, the ninth place),” Ruslana Yanenko, the deputy chairman of the board of Ukrtsukor, said.
She noted that the share of deliveries to Uzbekistan in total exports decreased from 37% in the 2017/2018 MY to 24% in the 2018/2019 MY. The reasons for the reduction in shipments, in her opinion, are, first of all, changes in the tax policy of Uzbekistan, as well as a large number of logistic problems in the season related to the supply of Ukrainian sugar to Uzbekistan. In the 2018/2019 MY season, shipments to Israel and Libya increased, which ranked seventh and eighth in the overall ranking of Ukrainian sugar importers.
According to the association, sugar exports in the 2019/2020 MY will amount to approximately 300,000 tonnes.
The largest number of vacancies in 2018 was offered in the field of sales, IT, telecoms and marketing, according to a study conducted by the international recruiting portal HeadHunter Ukraine.
According to its press release, with reference to the results of the survey, last year both a rise and a decline were observed in the labor market of Ukraine.
More than half of respondents, describing the situation in the industry where their company operates, called it stable or noted some growth and positive dynamics.
According to HeadHunter Ukraine, the regional structure of vacancies and resumes last year remained unchanged. The top five regions include Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and Lviv regions. In terms of cities, the largest number of both vacancies and resumes was presented in the capital.
According to the study, competition in the labor market in the country in 2018 was mainly at the level of three or four people per vacancy. The growth of the load on one vacant job of up to five people was recorded in October-December.
