Do You Believe in Miracles?: Hockey as Diplomacy

Please join us on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 19:00 MSK for this exciting conversation between sports marketing executives Steven Warshaw and Reed Nopponen. 

Their discussion will focus on the practical challenges of launching international ventures, adapting marketing approaches to new audiences, and using the shared passion for hockey to build lasting professional relationships.

About the speakers:
Steven Warshaw  is the founder and Creative Director of Universal Sports Marketing, a global promotional agency that advises professional teams, players, and leagues. In his Wonder Years, Warshaw managed minor league baseball, hockey & hoop teams, specializing in ticket sales, PR, advertising, sponsorships, barter, merchandising, TV/Radio partnerships, arena operations and game-day entertainment. As a  GM and Consultant , Steven increased 'franchise values' in Worcester MA, Rockford IL, Helena MT & Long Beach CA. Warshaw then joined IMG as  Dir. of Team Sports Marketing , generating endorsement dollars, broadcasting income, licensing & speaking fees, and creating charitable foundations for Mark McCormack's premier athletes, broadcasters, and Hall-of-Famers. (Joe Montana, Herschel Walker, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Joe Morgan, James Worthy and Kurt Rambis). 

Reed Nopponen is a Managing Partner and Senior Vice President of  Entersport Management,  a global sports management agency that specializes in the representation of professional basketball players and coaches. Drawing on over thirty years of industry experience spanning  NIKE , the  NBA  and international basketball,  ATP  Tennis , the  NHL,  and international soccer, Reed possesses a wealth of expertise and deep contacts across the sports world. Prior to joining Entersport in 1999, Reed spent nearly ten years in the newly independent Russian Federation, initially as a member of the management team of the ATP's first-ever tennis event in Russia -  The Kremlin Cup -  and later as the Vice President of Sales & Promotions for  The Pittsburgh Penguins'  joint venture with the CSKA (aka Red Army) Hockey Club -  The Russian Penguins.