15 ° C
Profile

Day: 11 October 2025

Sportel Monaco 2025 unveils star-studded conference line-up ahead of October event

by: Cassandra Tanti
11/10/2025

The countdown is on for Sportel Monaco 2025, which returns to the Grimaldi Forum from 20th to 22nd October with a powerful new conference line-up featuring some of the biggest names in global sport, media and technology.

The event, long established as the leading marketplace for the sports business industry, will this year bring together international executives from LaLiga, Liverpool FC, AWS, Bundesliga International, World Rugby, PFL and Kings League for three days of high-level insight and innovation.

Global leaders headline the conference stage

The much-anticipated keynote will be delivered by LaLiga president Javier Tebas, who will share the Spanish league’s latest strategies in sports media and fan engagement. Among the headline Masterclasses, “Investment in Sport: Where is the Next $1bn Coming From?” will feature Danny Townsend of Surj Sports Investment, Djamel Agaoua of Kings League and John Martin of PFL, who will discuss where the next wave of capital is flowing and how private equity and sovereign wealth funds are reshaping the sports landscape.

Another major session, “Hollywood Hits the Paddock: F1 Taking Storytelling to the Next Level”, will explore the crossover between sport and entertainment as a model for fan growth, featuring speakers from AWS, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and 26West Sport.

The next frontier of sport and technology

Innovation and digital transformation will be central to the three-day event. “New Live Sports Tech for Tailored Fan Experiences & Personalisation” will explore the latest advances in streaming and interactive media, while “Building the Brand: Monetising Sports Content Through Broadcast, Data & Beyond” will examine new ways to connect with audiences and expand revenue through analytics and sponsorship.

A special Masterclass dedicated to generative AI will look at how artificial intelligence is already transforming the sports industry, from content creation and translation to digital distribution and fan engagement. Experts from Veritone, WSC Sports, SyncWords and Poland’s Ekstraklasa will share real-world examples of how AI is redefining production and storytelling.

Case studies and global collaborations

High-profile case studies will feature throughout the programme, including AWS and Deltatre on the future of sports streaming, LFP Media on Ligue 1+ and its fan engagement model, and World Rugby with WURL on ad-supported sports streaming. Liverpool FC will join Wasabi and Scoreplay to discuss how cloud-based strategies are helping clubs strengthen fan loyalty and global reach.

The popular Pitch Perfect Innovation Contest will once again spotlight emerging start-ups such as Pendular, FalconHQ and Fair Vision, offering each the chance to present their solutions to a panel of industry judges.

Women leading the future of sport

A special Women’s Leadership Lunch, held in partnership with AWS at Twiga, will celebrate female innovators shaping the sports business industry. The event will feature Alexis Ohanian of Seven Seven Six, Lauren Pedersen of SportAI, NBA’s Fiona Wong and marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe, who will discuss the role of women in driving transformation across sport, media and technology.

The pulse of the sports business world

“The Sportel Monaco conference programme continues to evolve, bringing together the most powerful, creative and innovative minds redefining the future of sports business,” said Loris Menoni, Executive Director of Sportel Monaco. “It remains the pulse of the industry — where strategies are formed, partnerships are built and the next chapter of global sports begins.”

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcast on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Photo source: Grimaldi Forum

Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse launches new season of ‘Nectars & Naturalité’ dinners in Monaco

by: Cassandra Tanti
11/10/2025

A new series of fine wine and gastronomy evenings will take place at Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse restaurant in Monaco, as part of the second edition of the acclaimed ‘Nectars & Naturalité’ dining experience.

Following the success of its first season, the four exclusive dinners will begin on 12th November at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo and continue through to March 2026. Each event will showcase rare and historic wines paired with dishes inspired by the Mediterranean and created by Executive Chef Emmanuel Pilon, under the culinary direction of Alain Ducasse.

The series is designed to highlight the principle of Naturalité — a philosophy of Alain Ducasse that focuses on the purity of ingredients, seasonality and sustainable sourcing. Pilon’s menus will be paired with exceptional vintages selected by Hélène Tessera, Head Sommelier of Le Louis XV, and Bernard Neveu, Corporate Head Sommelier of the Maison Ducasse Paris.

Many of the featured wines are no longer available on the market, having been drawn directly from winemakers’ personal cellars. Among those taking part this season are Domaine Jamet from Côte-Rôtie, Champagne Bérêche & Fils from the Montagne de Reims, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave from Hermitage, and Château Angélus from Saint-Émilion.

Each dinner will be hosted in the presence of the winemakers, who will introduce their estates and discuss the craftsmanship behind their vintages. Guests will also experience a bespoke presentation and setting designed especially for the event.

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcast on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Photo source: Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse

Red Sea rising: AMAALA positions itself as the new Caribbean for luxury yachts

by: Cassandra Tanti
11/10/2025

From an untouched coastline to a multi-billion-dollar yachting haven, AMAALA was pitching itself at the Monaco Yacht Show as the world’s next great superyacht destination – a year-round alternative to the Caribbean with ambitions to rewrite the map of luxury sailing.

At this year’s Monaco Yacht Show, amid the glittering fleet of the world’s largest yachts, one name kept surfacing not for a launch or refit, but for an entirely new destination. AMAALA, built almost from scratch on Saudi Arabia’s north-western Red Sea coast, is presenting itself as a bold alternative to the Caribbean for winter cruising – a year-round haven where desert mountains meet turquoise seas; where billions have been invested to create what is being billed as the world’s most exclusive yachting base.

And it is hard not be impressed.

A destination born from nothing

Only a few years ago, this stretch of coast was largely empty – dunes, reefs and volcanic rock. Today, under the guidance of Red Sea Global, it is transforming into a 4,200km² enclave of ultra-luxury hospitality and sailing infrastructure.

At its heart lies Triple Bay Marina, a natural harbour reimagined to host 116 yachts up to 140 metres, fronted by the striking AMAALA Yacht Club designed by HKS. It is here that superyachts will find year-round warmth, unspoilt cruising grounds and facilities capable of rivaling the Med and the Caribbean.

As a statement of intent, AMAALA has already secured one of sailing’s most coveted prizes: hosting the Grand Finale of The Ocean Race in 2027. For the first time in its 50-year history, the gruelling round-the-world challenge will end not in Europe, but in the Red Sea.

AMAALA Yacht Club

Why the Red Sea, and why now?

The pitch to owners and captains in Monaco was simple: AMAALA offers what the Caribbean cannot. A new, untouched cruising region free from overcrowding. Pristine coral reefs teeming with life, where the Corallium Marine Life Institute aims not only to protect but increase biodiversity by 30% by 2040.

Year-round sailing weather without the transatlantic crossings. And infrastructure designed entirely around the expectations of modern superyacht owners – helipads, high-capacity berths, discreet hospitality and a sailing academy to train the next generation.

In short, AMAALA promises the adventure of new waters with the security of world-class luxury.

Desert Rock Resort is among the luxury new hotels at AMAALA

Billions poured into a vision

The sheer scale of investment is staggering. AMAALA’s first phase alone is delivering eight resorts with 1,470 keys operated by brands including Four Seasons, Rosewood, Six Senses, Ritz-Carlton and Equinox. Entire wellness villages are being created – Six Senses with its longevity clinic, Rosewood with its Asaya sanctuary – all powered by 100% renewable energy. Every detail is engineered to appeal to the world’s wealthiest travellers, from the marina design down to the magnesium rooftop pools.

Saudi Arabia’s aim is to anchor the luxury yachting industry to its Red Sea coast as firmly as the Caribbean has anchored it to its islands.

Corallium Marine Life Institute

Would you go?

For seasoned yacht owners who have “seen it all”, AMAALA offers something truly rare: the chance to be first. First to sail these sheltered bays. First to discover diving reefs that few outside the region have touched. First to experience an ultra-luxury destination literally built out of nothing, but with ambitions as vast as the Red Sea itself.

In a world where the Caribbean is often crowded and the Med is seasonal, AMAALA’s message at Monaco was both provocative and persuasive: why not drop anchor somewhere entirely new?

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcast on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.