Key Takeaways from SEAT 2026
Last week (June 28-30, 2026), I attended SEAT 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina, where sports and entertainment leaders gathered to discuss the future of fan experience, venue operations, technology, and data.
While this was my first time attending SEAT, I was particularly interested in the event because of the work we do at Canvas Cloud with sports and hospitality organizations. We’ve helped organizations build Salesforce Centers of Excellence that support multiple venues, departments, events, and business units through a shared platform and governance model. I was curious to hear firsthand how industry leaders are approaching operational challenges, technology investments, and data strategy.
SEAT brings together professionals from across professional sports organizations, collegiate athletics, entertainment venues, and technology providers. Attendees represent a wide range of disciplines, including IT, marketing, sponsorship, operations, hospitality, analytics, security, and guest experience. While every organization has its own priorities, the common goal is finding new ways to create better experiences for fans while operating more efficiently behind the scenes.
One of the things I enjoy most about conferences is the opportunity to hear directly from the people solving these challenges every day. The conversations often reveal not only where the industry is today, but where it’s heading next.
I had the opportunity to speak with leaders from across the sports and entertainment industry about the challenges they’re facing, the technologies they’re evaluating, and the strategies they’re using to improve operations and strengthen fan engagement.
Josh Barney, the Founder of SEAT, also has a nonprofit called The Joshua Tree Project. During one session, he talked about the importance of hearing devices for those impaired and shared impactful stories about his wife having hearing loss from birth. It was a powerful reminder that the industry needs to capture incredible experiences for all levels of abilities. Stadiums and public spaces alike need to do better at considering those with hearing impairment and other disabilities, not just meeting the bare minimum requirements, but going above and beyond.
Conversations Beyond the Sessions
As valuable as the formal presentations were, some of the most interesting insights came from conversations in hallways, networking events, and between sessions.
One of the highlights of SEAT was the evening field trips, which gave attendees the opportunity to experience some of Charlotte’s premier sports and entertainment venues firsthand. The Kickoff Reception was held at Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC. The following evening, attendees explored the NASCAR Hall of Fame, offering a look at the history, technology, and innovation behind one of America’s most iconic motorsports, and an opportunity to be part of a pit crew at NASCAR or take a spin behind the wheel in a NASCAR simulator! The conference concluded with Closing Night at Spectrum Center, home of the Charlotte Hornets, where attendees continued networking and conversations about the future of fan experience and venue operations in an NBA arena setting.
After the evening excursions, attendees joined together at SEAT City, which was set up every night to network, enjoy time, watch the World Cup, and sing karaoke. It was great getting extra time every night with fellow attendees in the conference hotel.
What This Means for Sports and Entertainment Organizations
A consistent theme throughout SEAT 2026 was that technology is no longer viewed simply as a back-office function. Organizations increasingly see technology, data, and operational visibility as critical drivers of fan experience, revenue growth, and organizational performance.
For organizations using Salesforce, this creates opportunities to bring together sponsorships, hospitality, customer engagement, service, reporting, and operations into a more connected ecosystem. As organizations grow, the need for consistent processes, shared data, and clear governance becomes even more important.
At Canvas Cloud, we’ve seen how a Salesforce Center of Excellence can help organizations support multiple venues, departments, and business units while maintaining a unified approach to operations, reporting, and customer engagement. Many of the conversations at SEAT reinforced the value of creating connected systems that help teams work more effectively together.
Final Thoughts
SEAT 2026 provided an excellent opportunity to learn from industry leaders, exchange ideas, and better understand the trends shaping sports and entertainment organizations today.
As someone attending for the first time, I came away with a deeper appreciation for the complexity involved in delivering great fan experiences and the important role technology plays behind the scenes.
Thank you to everyone who shared their perspectives throughout the event. I look forward to continuing the conversations and seeing how these ideas evolve over the coming year. Let’s talk.
