David Kaplan
Host
ESPN 1000
10th Annual · October 6, 2026Chicago Sports
Chicago Sports
Summit
Bigger & Better Than Ever
The biggest names in Chicago sports converge for one morning to spark the conversations shaping the industry. A breakfast that brings together the city's who's who.
Oct 6
2026
8:00 AM to 11:15 AM
Breakfast, Program & Networking
Hyatt
Regency Chicago
About The Summit
Where Chicago sports does business
For ten years the Chicago Sports Summit has generated the important conversations affecting the sports industry — an in-person opportunity to learn and connect over breakfast with the people moving the city's marketplace forward.
Proceeds benefit orthopedic research at Rush through the Chicago Sports Summit Foundation. Directed by Dr. Brian Cole of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush.
Connect
Meet the who's who of the Chicago sports marketplace.
Learn
Hear directly from athletes, executives, and media.
Give Back
Support orthopedic research at Rush.
Celebrate
Ten years of Chicago's premier sports breakfast.
2026 Participants
Who You'll Hear From
*Preliminary list — more to be announced.
2026 Sponsors
Thank You to Our Partners
Presenting Sponsors
Supporters
Table Sponsors
Special Thanks
Past Participants
A Decade of Headliners
2025+
Joe Pompliano — Entrepreneur, Sports Business Influencer
Dr. Christopher Ahmad — Head Team Physician, NY Yankees
Dr. Neal ElAttrache — Head Team Physician, LA Dodgers + Rams
Dr. Les Bisson — Medical Director, Buffalo Bills + Sabres
Diane Penny — SVP/GM, Marquee Sports Network
Brian Hagen — Director of Player Personnel, Chicago Bulls
Ryan Baker — Sports Anchor/Reporter, CBS2 Chicago
Friday Abernethy — GM, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Network
Andrew Gutman — Defender, Chicago Fire FC
Caroline Dolehide — WTA Professional
Mark Jackson — VP of Athletics, Northwestern University
Dr. Brian Cole — Managing Director, Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH
2024+
Joie Chitwood — Executive Director, PGA Presidents Cup
Vaughn Moore — President, Medinah Country Club
Carey Pinkowski — Director, Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Dr. George Chiampas — Medical Director, Chicago Marathon
Jenny Spangler — Olympic Runner & Marathon Masters Champion
Laura Ricketts — Controlling Owner, Chicago Red Stars
Dr. Elizabeth M. Pieroth — Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
Keegan Knoll — Sports Scientist, Chicago Cubs
Brittany Dowling — Director of Biomechanics, Midwest Orthopaedics
2023+
Ram Padmanabhan — COO & General Counsel, Chicago Bulls
Julie Giese — President, Chicago Street Course/NASCAR
Danny Wirtz — CEO, Chicago Blackhawks
Michael Alter — Principal Owner, Chicago Sky
Leila Rahimi — Sports Anchor, NBC 5 Chicago
Brad Bauer — GM, NIL Program, Northwestern University
Connor Garnett — Pro, Bay Area Breakers Pickleball
Austin Cindric — Pro Driver, NASCAR
Michael Downey — Director of Marketing, Chicago White Sox
Ryan Baker — Anchor, CBS2 Chicago
Rachel Parrish — Director of Brand Marketing, Chicago Red Stars
Joe Saslow — 35 Capital and Chicago Slice
Dr. Brian Cole — Managing Director, Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH
Megumi Oishi — Student Athlete, Northwestern University
Mark Bartelstein — CEO, Priority Sports & Entertainment
Adam Cook — Vice President, Campus Ink Sports
Scott H. Beckman — SVP, ISMIE Mutual Insurance Company
Timothy Tomasik — Founding Partner, Tomasik Kotin Kasserman
Mike Berman — Sports Reporter, NBC 5 Chicago
2022+
Crane Kenney — President, Business Operations, Chicago Cubs
Matt Kalish — President/Co-Founder, DraftKings North America
Solomon Wilcots — NFL Media Analyst & Former NFL Player
Dr. Brian Cole — Managing Director, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
Jesse Compher — 2022 Olympian, U.S. Women's National Hockey
Ishwara Glassman Chrein — President of Business Ops, Chicago Fire FC
Danny Ecker — Reporter, Crain's Chicago Business
Jeff Kearney — Global Head of Gatorade Sports Marketing
2021+
Dr. Allen Sills — Medical Director, NFL
Erika Nardini — CEO, Barstool Sports
Denise White — CEO, EAG Sports Management
Dr. Brian Cole — Managing Partner, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
David Kaplan — Cubs Pre/Postgame Host, NBC Sports Chicago
DeWayne Peevy — Athletic Director, DePaul University
Adam White — Founder & CEO, Front Office Sports
Cortney Hall — Host, Chicago Today, NBC 5 Chicago
2019+
Dr. James Andrews — Orthopedic Surgeon, Andrews Sports Medicine
Mark Bartelstein — Founder, Priority Sports & Entertainment
Emmett Cleary — Former NFL Player
Jonathan Coyne — VP of Sales Operations, Glanbia Performance
Ian Epstein — Founder, PropSwap
Joe Flanagan — Sports Agent, BTI Sports
Napoleon Harris — Illinois State Senator
Frank Ignatius — Founder, BetChicago
Jeff Kearney — Global Head of Sports Marketing, Gatorade
Nick Mangold — Former NFL Player
Ryan Mertz — DPT, Athletico Physical Therapy
Alan Nero — Managing Director, Baseball Division, Octagon
Jean Lenti Ponsetto — Director of Athletics, DePaul University
Darren Rovell — Sports Business Reporter, The Action Network
Allen Sanderson — Senior Lecturer in Economics, U. of Chicago
Dr. Nik Verma — Orthopedic Surgeon, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
2018+
Mike Adamle — Former NFL Player & Sports Anchor, NBC 5
Kristen Balboni — Studio Host, Stadium
Will Carroll — Director of Media Relations, Motus Global
Kendall Coyne — U.S. Olympic Hockey Player
Dr. Brian Cole — Managing Partner, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
Matt Forte — Former NFL Player
Rick Hahn — VP & General Manager, Chicago White Sox
Shawn Hunter — Founder & Managing Partner, Chicago Dogs
Jack O'Callahan — U.S. Olympic Hockey Player
Julie O'Connell — PT, DPT, Athletico Physical Therapy
Michael Reinsdorf — President & COO, Chicago Bulls
Nelson Rodriguez — President & GM, Chicago Fire Soccer Club
Diane Simpson — U.S. Olympic Gymnast
David Strickland — Chief Commercial Officer, Optimum Nutrition
Lindsay Tarpley — U.S. Olympic Soccer Player
Dara Torres — U.S. Olympic Swimmer
2017+
Tim Anderson — MLB Shortstop, Chicago White Sox
Pamela Nisevich Bede — Sports Dietician, Abbott Nutrition
Dr. James Carter — Director, Gatorade Sports Science Institute
Jonathan Coyne — Senior Director, Glanbia Performance Nutrition
Father Scott Donahue — President & CEO, Mercy Home
Kimberly M. Foxx — Cook County State's Attorney
Horace Grant — Special Advisor to COO & President, Chicago Bulls
Wally Hayward — CEO, W Partners
Rami Jabaji — Senior Brand Director, Nike
Grant Koster — SVP of Clinical Operations, Athletico
Jamal Mayers — Community Liaison, Chicago Blackhawks
Jarrett Payton — TV & Radio Broadcaster, Former NFL RB
David Schwab — EVP, Octagon Sports & Entertainment
2016+
Mark Bartelstein — Founder & CEO, Priority Sports & Entertainment
Brooks Boyer — VP of Marketing, Chicago White Sox
Jim Delany — Commissioner, Big Ten Conference
Mike Ernst — SVP Ticket Sales & Marketing, Chicago Fire
Beth Grabowski — Director of Marketing & Analytics, White Sox
Pete Hassen — Senior Exec. Director of Marketing, Blackhawks
Mark Kaufman — President, Athletico Physical Therapy
Crane Kenney — President of Business Operations, Chicago Cubs
Atul Khosla — General Manager, Chicago Fire
Alison Miller — Vice President of Marketing, Chicago Cubs
Dr. Gordon Nuber — Team Physician, Chicago Bears
Ted Phillips — President & CEO, Chicago Bears
Joel Quenneville — Head Coach, Chicago Blackhawks
Michael Reinsdorf — President & CEO, Chicago Bulls
Scott Sonnenberg — Director of Corporate Sales, Chicago Bulls
Moments
Ten Years in the Room
Presented By
Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
An international leader in musculoskeletal health, ranked #1 in Illinois and among the top ten nationally by U.S. News & World Report. MOR physicians are the designated team care providers for the Chicago Bulls, White Sox, Dogs, Red Stars, and Joffrey Ballet.
In 2025 the Chicago Sports Summit Foundation donated $100,000 to orthopedic research at Rush — proceeds powered entirely by the Summit.