Ben Forrest

Ben Forrest is a sports marketer, cultural strategist and connector working at the intersection of football, content and entertainment.

He's recently been building Baller League UK, where he helped build one of the UK’s most disruptive football start-ups from the ground up – shaping the brand, audience strategy and cultural direction that saw the league sell out major arenas, become the UK’s number one YouTube live sports stream, and generate billions of views across platforms.

Prior to this, Ben spent several years at The Football Association, leading brand and content for the Emirates FA Cup and Adobe Women’s FA Cup. During his time there, he played a key role in modernising football storytelling – blending elite sport with music, fashion and creator culture to reach new, younger audiences.

Across his career, Ben has worked closely with creators, athletes and artists to deliver culturally resonant moments – from live broadcasts and social-first formats to global campaigns and on-the-ground activations. His work is rooted in one belief: that audiences are built through relevance and trust, not just reach.

Alongside his full-time role, Ben is building his own consultancy and agency focused on helping clubs, leagues and brands grow through authentic fan engagement and creator-led storytelling.

On this panel, Ben brings a practical, behind-the-scenes perspective on how creators, platforms and sports properties can collaborate to build communities that actually last.