Following on the from the success of previous events that have covered topics such as live events and video, we’re proud to be starting the first in a new monthly meet up series on Wednesday 13th November (6pm start).  It will initially be solely in London but the aim will be to head out to other cities in the UK (and abroad) in the coming months.

We’re also delighted to be hosting the event at the very cool Vibe Bar on Shoreditch’s Brick Lane.  We’ll have our own bar and stage area with the aim to make you as comfortable as possible for a great night of learning, engaging and networking.  Hopefully it will become a regular venue for this London series.

The evening will be split into a game of two halves, as all good sports are.  The first half will be looking at the role of bloggers in the digital media space; why they do it, what content they use, how they decide upon it, the approaches they receive from brands/agencies (the good, bad and the ugly)… and more.

To set the tone for the evening we’ll have a quick talk from the guys at MatchChat, who have spent the last few months reaching out to bloggers.  They give us an insight into what worked, what didn’t and the issues they faced.  An interesting set up for the panel to take on.

The panel will be forged of a great mix of bloggers, plus an award-winning sports journalist to tease out their answers and provoke an interesting debate.  Those panel members are;

• Lynsey Hooper:  The Offside Rule Podcast, Sports presenter (Sky Sports, Talk Sport)
• Gary Andrews:  Campaigns & Community Manager, long-time blogger
• Karis Buckingham-Jones:   GirlsSportTalk
• Richard Gillis (host):  Unofficial Partner

It promises to be a session that we can all take something away from, especially if you have any dealing with influencers whether they are podcasters, vloggers, bloggers, tweeters or anyone else.

The second part of the evening offers something a bit different.

I’ll be hosting a ‘fireside chat’ that will take place via the medium of Skype.  My guest will be someone who works in the digital sport industry but from outside of the UK (hence not at the event in person).  The identity wont be revealed until the last to keep the suspense going for as long as possible!

This is not a one-off, it’s intended to become a regular feature at the Digital Sport London events as we widen our learning through other countries rather than just being focussed on the UK.

You can book your place by heading to http://digitalsportlondon2.eventbrite.co.uk for the tiny sum of £20 + Eventbrite booking fee.  Join the likes of Limelight Sports, Chelsea FC, Snack Media, Copa90, Ball Street, Aqueduct, WSM Communications, Brandwatch, Fanatix and many more for a fantastic, informal night in the heart of East London.