Madrid took center stage as the global hub for sports and leisure innovation this week, hosting THE FORUM—a landmark event organized by Atlético de Madrid and Apollo Sports Capital. Held at the iconic Riyadh Air Metropolitano, the gathering drew over 400 of the industry's most influential leaders, all eager to shape the future of football as a thriving global business.
The event kicked off with a warm welcome from Atlético de Madrid president Enrique Cerezo, who set the tone by highlighting the power of collaboration. "Football is experiencing remarkable growth—not just as a sport, but as a dynamic industry," Cerezo said. "I'm confident that the ideas shared here today will help us build a brighter, more exciting future for the game."
CEO Miguel Ángel Gil followed, painting a vivid picture of how football is evolving far beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch. He pointed to the club's ambitious new 'Sports City' project, which aims to transform the fan experience year-round. "At Atlético, we've been working to make football so much more than just matchday," Gil explained. "In 2025 alone, our stadium hosted over 250 corporate events, 23 music concerts drawing 60,000 fans, and 24 football matches with nearly 70,000 spectators. All told, about 3.5 million people visited us."
The first panel brought together heavyweights Rob Givone (CCO, Apollo Sports Capital), Antoine Bonnier (CEO, Quantum Pacific), and Ben Enowitz (CFO, MARI Group). Givone praised Atlético's leadership, saying, "What makes this club special is its world-class organization and management team. I'd challenge anyone to find a better model in global football." Bonnier echoed the sentiment, noting, "Atlético's talent for positioning itself as a flagship of the new business model is truly remarkable."
Enowitz shifted the focus to the emotional core of the sport, emphasizing football's unique power to unite fans. "Sport is passion," he said. "People love to share and celebrate together—that's why football and live events are so perfectly intertwined."