Program

Streaming Media Connect 2026 this May 12 - 14 offers a dynamic lineup of sessions packed with practical advice, inspiring thought leadership, actionable insights, and lively debate. Learn how leading organizations are using innovative approaches to tackle today's challenges for sports streamers, including fan engagement, monetization, efficient content delivery, live streaming, and content protection. Join us for cutting-edge information, analysis, and education that you won't find anywhere else.

If you'd like to join us as a speaker, please see our Call for Speakers or Invitation to Sponsor.

Tuesday, May 12

Day One - Free Online Sessions

 

TUE1. Keynote Fireside Chats

11:00 AM2026-05-122026-05-12

Tuesday, May 12: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (ET) / 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. (PT)

Additional Information Coming Soon!

Moderator:

, VP & Editor-in-Chief, Streaming Media


 

TUE2. Beyond the Break: DAI, Agentic AI, and the Future of Live Streaming Ad Tech

12:30 PM2026-05-122026-05-12

Tuesday, May 12: 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. (ET) / 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. (PT)

The only thing moving faster in high-stakes sports streaming than the action on the field is the pace of innovation in live ad insertion, whether it’s the rise of DAI or new AI agents that have the potential to execute adtech at a scale unimaginable even a few months ago. Come hear how AI and other emerging technologies are revolutionizing ad operations for premium advertising workflows for premium live sports streams.

Moderator:

, Consultant, Reality Software and Contributing Editor, Streaming Media


Speakers:

, Owner, Sargeway

, VP Product Architecture, Freewheel

 

TUE3. Remote and Cloud Production for Large-Scale Sports

02:00 PM2026-05-122026-05-12

Tuesday, May 12: 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (ET) / 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (PT)

This panel examines how remote and cloud-native production solutions are decentralizing the live sports control room: collaborative software platforms that synchronize remote teams, cloud-based switching and graphics systems that replace traditional hardware, and the infrastructure required to handle latency, reliability, and real-time collaboration at broadcast quality. Hear about the transition from hardware-centric to software-centric production, the opportunities it unlocks, and the additional costs, challenges, and complexities it incurs.

Moderator:

, Media Solution Specialist, Eyevinn Technology


 

TUE4. Worlds Collide: Globalizing and Localizing Live Sports Streams

03:30 PM2026-05-122026-05-12

Tuesday, May 12: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (ET) / 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. (PT)

As national sports leagues go global and international fan bases clamor for more games, delivery challenges abound. Network variability, rights fragmentation, regulatory frameworks, and language diversity make global sports streaming a puzzle with a thousand pieces. Learn how streaming architects and ops teams optimize for bandwidth-challenged markets, contend with regional blackout rules, manage localized commentary feeds, and work to ensure consistent quality across wildly different infrastructure in this candid look at how to make regional sports both global and local.

Wednesday, May 13

Day Two - Free Online Sessions

 

WED1. Keynote Fireside Chats

11:00 AM2026-05-132026-05-13

Wednesday, May 13: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (ET) / 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. (PT)

Additional Information Coming Soon!

Moderator:

, VP & Editor-in-Chief, Streaming Media


 

WED2. Watch Party: Maximizing Observability for Live Sports at Scale

12:30 PM2026-05-132026-05-13

Wednesday, May 13: 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. (ET) / 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. (PT)

This session is cancelled.

 

WED3. Streaming Security at Scale: Protecting Live Sports Broadcasts

02:00 PM2026-05-132026-05-13

Wednesday, May 13: 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (ET) / 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (PT)

Large-scale live events bring with them unique potential for failure that doesn’t exist in the video-on-demand industry. While new tent-pole releases generate substantial eyeballs, live events all go through a variety of “danger zones” including the “gate-crashing” effect, global versus regional audience impact, peak Internet traffic delays, very demanding customer expectations about low-latency streaming and of course draw pirates out of the shadows into the live event spotlight. This panel explores two proven methodologies for nearly eliminating live streaming piracy which are inserting forensic watermarks inside the content with DRM wrapped around the content. Learn more about how to do this to-scale in an extremely challenging live environment.

Moderator:

, Founder, Help Me Stream Research Foundation


Speakers:

, CEO, BuyDRM

, General Manager, OTT, OneFootball

, Owner, Sargeway

 

WED4. Fans Forward: Creating Lean-In Engagement With Personalized, Next-Gen Sports Streaming Experiences

03:30 PM2026-05-132026-05-13

Wednesday, May 13: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (ET) / 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. (PT)

One fan wants advanced analytics or tactical analysis; another wants enhanced commentary; another wants live interaction and shoppability; yet another wants player-specific highlights. All want to see these elements at the point they are in the game. This panel explores how next-gen platforms deliver individualized sports experiences: customizable commentary tracks, fan-selected camera angles, in-game ecommerce, personalized graphic overlays and statistics, and even AI-generated highlight reels tailored to individual interests. Learn about the production and technical hurdles of creating individualized and interactive experiences from a single live event and how platforms are making personalization feel natural rather than overwhelming.

Moderator:

, CEO, Chris Pfaff Tech Media


Speakers:

, President, Team Whistle, a DAZN Company

, Founder & CEO, Bulldog DM

, CSO, Play Anywhere and Advisory to Hypermindz.ai, Skreens.com, Machina Sports, Food Fight, Ground Support Labs

, Founder & Chief Business Officer, Tiledmedia

Thursday, May 14

Day Three - Free Online Sessions

 

THU1. Keynote Fireside Chats

11:00 AM2026-05-142026-05-14

Thursday, May 14: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (ET) / 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. (PT)

Additional Information Coming Soon!

Moderator:

, VP & Editor-in-Chief, Streaming Media


 

THU2. Up All Night: Engineering Optimal Uptime for Live Sports at Scale

12:30 PM2026-05-142026-05-14

Thursday, May 14: 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. (ET) / 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. (PT)

When millions of fans tune in for a World Cup match or the NBA Finals, downtime isn't an option. This panel explores how to meet the engineering demands of achieving and maintaining "five nines" (99.999%) uptime on live sports platforms. Learn about redundancy and failover strategies, chaos engineering, and the decision-making frameworks that keep high-stakes sports streams up and running when everything else is failing.

Moderator:

, Chief Business Development Officer, Norsk by id3as


Speakers:

, Director, Global Stream Operations, FloSports

, Founder & CTO, CacheFly

, Principal Engineer, Large-Scale Video Delivery & Platform Reliability

 

THU3. Need for Speed: Ultra-Low-Latency Sports Streaming From Stadium to Screen

02:00 PM2026-05-142026-05-14

Thursday, May 14: 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (ET) / 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (PT)

Sports fans expect instantaneous action—and between the explosion of betting culture and shared second-screen experiences, sports streaming demands not only low-latency delivery but seamless sync. This panel dives into the engineering fundamentals—capture, encoding, delivery, and playback—that underpin smooth execution through the first, middle, and last miles without sacrificing quality. Learn what breaks at scale, how to prepare for and ward off disaster, and why low latency isn't just a number but the difference between a winning broadcast and a blown opportunity.

Moderator:

, Women in Streaming Media


Speakers:

, Streaming Infrastucture Expert, Servers.com

, Chief Executive Officer, Vindral

, Field CTO, Stats Perform

, Head of Sport, Video Network, Synamedia

 

THU4. Alpha Channel: Programming and Monetizing Sports on FAST

03:30 PM2026-05-142026-05-14

Thursday, May 14: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (ET) / 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. (PT)

FAST channels thrive on volume and discoverability, but sports rights are costly and complicated. How do you fill a 24/7 channel with compelling sports programming without breaking the bank? This panel explores creative scheduling and content mixes, licensing strategies, fresh angles on balancing mass appeal and niche differentiation, and tips for identifying and serving passionate communities of fans. Learn what turns on FAST sports channel viewers and keeps them tuning in.

Moderator:

, VP & Editor-in-Chief, Streaming Media


Speakers:

, CoPresident, Sports Studio

, VP Business Development, FloSports

, President, TeleGraff Media