The 5th annual ESPN Edge Innovation Conference is set for Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. The event will be held in-person at The Walt Disney Company’s new Headquarters in New York City, 7 Hudson Square, by invitation only. The livestream will be available for free via espnedge.com/conference.

On-stage programming runs from 5:00-7:30 p.m. ET and will be a must-watch for eager sports fans who strive to push the boundaries of advanced technology and creative sports storytelling. The agenda features some of The Walt Disney Company and ESPN’s top leaders and decision makers who keep innovation top of mind, such as: Rosalyn Durant, Executive Vice President, Programming & Acquisitions, ESPN and Jamie Voris, Executive Vice President, Office of Technology Enablement, The Walt Disney Company; among many others.

Dedicated space onsite with digital immersive experiences from ESPN Edge Innovation Partners Accenture, Microsoft, Meta, and WSC Sports will allow attendees to explore how new technologies from the ESPN Edge Innovation Center are impacting the sports industry after hearing directly from those who led the development of these projects.

“As we approach the fifth annual ESPN Edge Innovation Conference, it’s powerful to look back at how much the landscape has changed since our first event, and a reminder that this industry is constantly evolving,” said Kevin Lopes, Vice President of Sports Business Development & Innovation at ESPN. “This year’s event builds upon that momentum as we learn how the brightest minds across tech, media, and sports are using innovation to transform the fan experience.”

“Innovation is a hallmark of who we are,” said Rosalyn Durant, Executive Vice President of Programming & Acquisitions at ESPN. “Everything we do is in service of the fans. We continuously innovate to push our storytelling and live sports coverage to new levels so fans can trust us for the best sports viewing experience regardless of platform.”

SportsCenter & NHL Content host Arda Öcal will host the night.

Featured Speakers:

• Monica McNutt / Basketball Analyst, Reporter, and Host, ESPN
• Rosalyn Durant / Executive Vice President, Programming & Acquisitions, ESPN
• Kevin Lopes / Vice President, Sports Business Development & Innovation, ESPN  
• John Chleborad / Managing Director, Head of Global Brand, Accenture
• Simon Crownshaw / Worldwide Strategy Director, Media & Entertainment, Microsoft
• Ryan Dornbusch / Head of Sports, Reality Labs, Meta
• Aviv Arnon / Co-Founder and Chief Business Development Officer, WSC Sports
• Michael Szykowny / Vice President, Edit, Animation, Graphics Innovation & Creative Production, ESPN
• Jay Ward / Creative Director of Franchise, Pixar
• Thommy Bouman / Business Development Lead, Beyond Sports
• Josh Helmrich / Senior Director, Media Strategy, Business Development and Next Gen Stats, NFL
• Kimberley A. Martin / NFL Reporter, ESPN
• Jo Fox / Senior Vice President, Marketing, ESPN
• John Lasker / Senior Vice President, ESPN DTC
• Brian Marshall / Vice President, Sports Products & Strategy, Disney Entertainment and ESPN
• Jamie Voris / Executive Vice President, Office of Technology Enablement, The Walt Disney Company
• Tim Alexander / Visual Design Director, Industrial Light & Magic
• Bob Morgan / Vice President, Reality Labs Entertainment, Meta
• Marsha Cooke / Vice President & Executive Producer, ESPN Originals and 30 for 30
• Gary Hustwit / Chief Executive Officer, Anamorph
• Brendan Dawes / Chief Creative Officer, Anamorph

Agenda: (All times Eastern)

• 4:00 – 5:00 PM | On-site check-in
• 5:00 – 5:05 PM | Welcome from Arda Öcal
• 5:05 – 5:20 PM | Monica McNutt, Rosalyn Durant, and Kevin Lopes opening remarks (Innovation and Partnerships)
• 5:20 – 5:45 PM | ESPN Edge: Pushing the Limits of Cutting-Edge Technology with World-Class Partners
• 5:45 – 6:20 PM | Animated Telecasts Demo with Q&A: ESPN, Pixar, Beyond Sports, and the NFL
• 6:20 – 6:35 PM | Break
• 6:35 – 7:00 PM | ESPN DTC: All Of ESPN. All In One Place. 
• 7:00 – 7:25 PM | XR: Immersive Sports Storytelling
• 7:25 – 7:30 PM | Closing Remarks
• 7:30 – 9:00 PM | Cocktail Reception
• 7:30 – 8:00 PM | ESPN Generate: 30 for 30 Test Screening with Q&A

Speakers, talent, and agenda subject to change.

Visit our website for more information about ESPN Edge.