Ukrainian Sports Media Week: sports, business, and media join forces

On October 8, the Ukrainian Sports Media Week conference took place at UNIT.City in Kyiv. The event was organized by Sport&Business Club Ukraine, led by CEO Oleksii Braga. He served as the host of the event, where media and sports collided in honest discussions.

The moderator of the panel “Sports Television / OTT / Broadcasting 2025–2026”, Oleksandr Hlushchenko, author of the YouTube project “PEREGOVORKA” and co-founder of pafos.agency, set the tone right from the start with energy and professional depth. Key takeaways - domestic OTT platforms believe in Ukrainian sports and support it. They assist with production, from consulting to full-scale content creation, and sometimes agree to compromises on the technical rider. And while football and boxing remain national heroes, basketball, hockey, and volleyball are also being shown. Audience interest in the latter is growing rapidly. Sports-themed FAST channels also have a right to exist, even without live broadcasts. However, the fate of broadcasts is always decided by the viewers.

Without trust and transparency, any crisis communication turns into an even bigger problem - this was the joint conclusion reached by participants of the panel on how sports organizations interact with the media. Social networks are no longer an add-on but the main channel for delivering messages. However, content must be unique and high-quality - only then can it hold the audience. Clickbait is ineffective and damages reputation, which is why some media outlets have officially banned it. ICTV host with more than 20 years of experience in sports journalism, Andrii Kovalskyi, not only moderated the discussion effectively but also took home several prizes that day: the organizer held a traditional raffle among donors to the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the end of the event.

Journalist Stanislav Oroshkevych, known for his high-profile investigations at Tribuna.com, emphasized that the media seek facts and stories, not internal conflicts. They will not become a tool in behind-the-scenes wars. His advice, as a crisis communications practitioner, to everyone under fire: respond first. Otherwise, others will start speaking for you. However, respond only to constructive criticism.

Ukrainian Sports Media Week united Ukrainian sports, business, and media, becoming not only a platform for knowledge exchange but also a launchpad for collaborations. The main insight: Ukrainian sports have not just survived - they are developing. Thanks to Sport & Business Club Ukraine for making this possible.