The Sports Social

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The Sports Social

Where Sport Meets Networking.

The Sports Social is a fresh take on professional networking — built around movement, conversation, and community.

Delivered in partnership with The Sports Playmaker, each event brings together sports business leaders, brands, rights holders, and innovators from across sport, education, and wellness. Whether it’s padel, golf, running, or indoor simulators, every Sports Social blends informal sport with meaningful connection.

What to Expect

Each Sports Social combines:

A sporting activity – from friendly padel matches to golf, running, or unique social sports experiences.
Casual networking – relaxed, open, and enjoyable. Conversations happen naturally while playing or sharing a post-event drink.
Evening socials – where connections turn into opportunities, and partnerships are born.
These events are deliberately different. They’re designed for people who value authentic relationships over name badges, and who believe that sport is one of the best catalysts for building trust, collaboration, and shared purpose

Past Events

Since launching, The Sports Playmaker and FutureStep have hosted a growing calendar of sell-out events
— from padel tournaments and golf days to evening socials in Dubai and London.

Golf + Evening Networking @ Trump Golf Club (Jan 2025) – a full-day experience mixing sport and business discussions among over 60 senior leaders.
PCA Golf Event (Feb 2025) – a collaboration with the Professional Cricketers’ Association bringing together the sporting community for a great cause.
LoEvening Networking @ The London Hotel (Jun 2025) – our first UK event, connecting international partners and brands.
Padel + Networking @ ISD & The Els Club (Sep–Oct 2025) – over 90 companies represented, with record attendance and incredible energy on-court.
Upcoming: Indoor Golf + Sports Networking @ Five Iron (Nov 2025) – a new concept combining simulator fun with professional networking.
Upcoming: Padel & Sports Networking @ Padel Pro (Dec 2025) – a year-end celebration event to close out 2025.

Confirmed 2026 Highlights:

January
Student Sports Social (Padel) + Golf & Evening Networking @ Els Club
February
Women’s-Only Padel Event @ ISD & The Els Club
March
Sports Social x Students (Football Edition) @ ISD Sports City
April
Padel Health & Wellness
May
Padel (AI Edition)
June
Darts & Pool Networking @ Bedrock

July
Five Iron Golf + Networking
August
Swingers Crazy Golf + Networking
September
Padel + Evening Networking @ ISD & The Els Club
October
Pre-Summit Sponsor Launch Event
November
The Sports Playmaker Summit (Multi-Sport Showcase)
December
Xmas Special Padel & Networking @ One Central

Building the Sports Community

From Dubai to London, the Sports Social has brought together professionals from over 100 companies representing sport, media, education, tech, and wellness. Each event sparks conversations that go beyond the room — partnerships, collaborations, and even new ventures have been born through these sessions.

And in 2026, we’ll also be expanding into the student and university sector with Work in Sport, helping young people explore career pathways and build real-world industry connections.