On 9 October 2026, EASE held its autumn Board Meeting, bringing together its members to review the association’s latest developments, discuss the challenges facing sport employers across Europe, and explore new perspectives for the development of sport employment.
Opening the new season: a growing European network
The meeting opened with remarks from EASE President Philippe Diallo, who welcomed members and highlighted the progress made by the association over recent months.
EASE’s activities continue to strengthen its position as a European network representing sport employers, connecting national organisations and engaging with European institutions on key issues affecting the sector. Following its recent General Assembly and activities in Brussels and Ghent, the association is continuing to develop its institutional relations, projects and European partnerships.
The President also emphasised the importance of geographical expansion, as EASE brings together 11 members across eight European countries. Reaching new countries and strengthening the representation of sport employers remain key priorities for the association.
EASE’s latest developments and priorities
The EASE team presented an update on the association’s ongoing projects, recent achievements and organisational developments.
Among the highlights, the TechSportKit project has published the results of its survey on digitalisation in the sport sector, providing insights into the digital transformation of sport organisations. A more comprehensive study is also in preparation.
EASE is also pursuing its work on social dialogue and employment conditions in European sport. A recent study, Shaping a Sustainable Social Dialogue in the European Sport Sector, provides an overview of the current state of social dialogue and identifies opportunities to strengthen its development across different national contexts. These findings will help inform EASE’s future activities and efforts to reinforce the representation of sport employers.
The association is also continuing its work on the adaptation of the EU Pay Transparency Directive to the specific characteristics of the sport sector, in cooperation with its national members.
Finally, EASE welcomed its recent appointment to the Consultative Committee of the Council of Europe’s Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS). This new role will enable the association to contribute to European discussions on sport and help ensure that the realities of sport employers are considered in the implementation of European sports policy.
A roundtable on national developments and challenges
A central part of the meeting was dedicated to a roundtable bringing together EASE members to exchange on the current situation in their respective countries.
Participants shared updates on national developments, emerging challenges and priorities for 2026–2027. Discussions covered the evolving environment in which sport employers operate and the importance of cooperation between national organisations to address common issues.
The exchange provided an opportunity to compare national experiences, identify shared concerns and explore how EASE can better support its members through European cooperation and collective representation.
Looking ahead, these discussions will contribute to shaping the association’s priorities for 2027 and strengthening its capacity to represent the diversity of sport employers across Europe.
EASE Talk #18: Sport employment in the Western Balkans
The meeting concluded with the 18th edition of EASE Talks, featuring Professor Marko Begovic, who presented the current challenges surrounding sport employment in the Western Balkans.
The discussion reflects EASE’s ambition to extend its reach beyond its existing membership and foster closer cooperation with sport stakeholders in countries including Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia.
Building on previous exchanges with representatives from the region, EASE is exploring ways to map sport employment systems across the Western Balkans and identify solutions to bring them closer to European standards.
The discussion addressed the potential contribution of European practices and mechanisms to the development of sport employment in the region, as well as the role that sport employers’ organisations can play in supporting this process.
This work represents an important step in EASE’s broader ambition to promote sustainable employment, strengthen the organisation of the sport sector and encourage cooperation across European countries.
The full EASE Talk #18 will be available soon.
Looking ahead to 2027
The October Board Meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of EASE’s recent achievements while identifying priorities for the months ahead.
Through its projects, institutional engagement, member exchanges and exploration of new European partnerships, EASE will continue working to strengthen the voice of sport employers and contribute to a more sustainable and better-structured European sport sector.
The association looks forward to its next Board Meeting in January 2027, which will mark the next collective milestone in its development.