Everything You Need to Know About IDEA 2026 in Cincinnati

There are a lot of conferences out there. Some are worth your time. Most are not. IDEA is the one that is absolutely, without question, worth every minute. I have been saying this for over 23 years and I mean it more now than ever.

The Information Display and Entertainment Association conference kicks off Sunday, July 12th in Cincinnati, Ohio and runs through Wednesday, July 15th. If you are in sports entertainment, game operations, or any corner of the live sports experience world, this is where you need to be.

Sunday evening at 6pm, the vendor hall opens with a cocktail reception. This is one of my favorite moments of the entire week. There is nothing quite like walking into that room and seeing familiar faces from across the industry, catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, and feeling the energy of a group of people who are genuinely passionate about what they do. The week has not even officially started and the connections are already being made and renewed.

This year's agenda is PACKED. Monday, we start with the keynote speaker DC from Tag Team. Yes, THAT DC! One half of the legendary duo behind one of the most iconic hip-hop anthems of all time “Whoomp! There It Is”. But beyond the music, DC is one of the most genuine, knowledgeable, and passionate people in this industry when it comes to understanding sports and the sports atmosphere. He gets it. He loves it, and he is going to bring an energy to this conference that you will not forget.

 At 4:15pm, we head to Xavier University, presented by our friends at Skyworx, for our GMA voting session. From there, it is off to TQL Stadium, home of FC Cincinnati, presented by our friends at Light & Fury, for some fun on the field and to watch the MLB Home Run Derby together. That alone is worth the trip to Cincinnati.

Tuesday at 10:45am in the ballroom at the NKYCC, Aubrey Harrison leads a session called “WELLBEING: Being Your Authentic Self”. Do not skip this one.

Also on Tuesday at 4pm, make sure you stop by the Daniels Wood Land booth and visit my friend Ron Daniels. Ron and his team have created something truly special for stadiums and live events called “FanQuest”, an incredible new fan engagement activity that you are going to want to know about. They will have a full showcase and demo at their booth, and trust me, you do not want to miss it. While you are there, be sure to register to win an official Disney Grogu carved wooden statue, created by Daniels Wood Land for Disney's D23 conference.

Then at 5:15pm, we head to Great American Ballpark, home of the Cincinnati Reds, presented by our friends at Pyrotecnico, to watch the MLB All-Star Game as a group.

We cap it all off on Wednesday evening with the IDEA Awards Gala and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the beautiful Cincinnati Music Hall.

I will keep this next part brief because it is not really my style to make a big deal out of myself, but I am incredibly honored and humbled to share that I have been voted into the IDEA Hall of Fame this year with my friend and colleague Sarah Rose from Daktronics. She is a leader and a wonderful example of perseverance, faith and dedication.  I could not be more pleased to enter the Hall with her.

After 25+ years in this industry and more than 23 years as part of this organization, this means the world to me. I am looking forward to celebrating with all of you at the GMA Awards.

Putting together a conference of this caliber takes an incredible amount of work, passion, and dedication. Our Executive Board has navigated significant changes within the organization this year, and they have done so with grace, professionalism, and a deep reverence for this organization and its members. I could not be more proud to serve alongside each of them. BIG shout out to President David Pedersen of Auburn University, 1st Vice President Tina DiVillo of the Philadelphia Flyers, 2nd Vice President Jami Patton of the Milwaukee Brewers, Secretary Heather Wojciechowski-Decaire of the Milwaukee Admirals, Past President Annie Merovich of the Ontario Reign, and Treasurer David Schindler of Light It Up Entertainment.

If you have never been to an IDEA conference, this is the year to change that. If you are a regular, you already know what I am talking about. Either way, come find me in Cincinnati. Whether you want to talk music, licensing, game entertainment strategy, or just grab a drink and catch up, I am always happy to connect.

Visit www.ideaontheweb.org for more information and registration. And as always, reach out to The Score for all of your in-stadium music and licensing needs at john.adams@thescore.us or www.thescore.us.

See you in Cincinnati!