Soccer, Media & Tech Collide in NJ

From left to right: Tad Brown, CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Gov. Phil Murphy, Tim Sullivan, CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, and Greg Kha, CEO of GK Digital.

General Business

By Anthony Birritteri, Editor-in-Chief On Jul 10, 2025

The worlds of soccer, media and technology collided today at Newark’s Prudential Center, highlighting why New Jersey is in the driver’s seat when it comes to taking advantage of the next wave of innovation in global sports and entertainment.

Organized by GK Digital Ventures in collaboration with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), “The Global Game: The Future of Soccer, Tech & Media Summit” brought together top soccer executives, investors, team owners, media executives, tech leaders, and athletes for a day of future-focused discussions and networking. Key topics included AI-driven performance, fan engagement, streaming innovation, and the expanding global footprint of soccer.

GK Digital Ventures founder Greg Khan, a successful angel investor and advisor to Fortune 500 companies, told New Jersey Business that the event is a spotlight on the state, which has been building its entertainment, sports and technology ecosystem for years, “but has been a little bit under the radar.”

He said that the current FIFA Club World Cup games and next year’s FIFA 2026 World Cup games being played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford present an enormous economic opportunity. Combined with all FIFA-related games being played in the nation this year and next, Khan said the matches are expected to deliver $47 billion in economic output in the US, and $62 billion in global gross domestic product. Additionally, an estimated 290,000 jobs will be created in the US because of FIFA’s flagship events.

Khan said that soccer will not only take place in the stadium, but will also take place via media and technology and that the Garden State “has all the ingredients to be a powerhouse in this next chapter; from elite level soccer and iconic sporting venues, to

cutting-edge tech companies, a thriving media, and a dynamic investment community. There is real momentum here and today’s event is a celebration of what is possible.”

Gov. Phil Murphy focused on the games’ economic impact on the state as he took to the podium exclaiming, “Welcome to New Jersey, the soccer capital of the world!”

Murphy expects next year’s World Cup to have an economic impact in the “single-digit” billions of dollars, with some 14,000 to 15,000 jobs being created and between 1 million to 2 million visitors coming to the region. Meanwhile, the fan fest location at Liberty State Park is expected to see some 75,000 visitors per day.

“There is nowhere on the planet that is more prepared for next year than we are,” Murphy said, explaining that part of the reason why the state actively sought to play a major role in this year’s Club World Cup was to prep for next year.

Turning to innovation, the governor said that the state had lost its way in supporting the start-up community, but said his administration, for the past 7.5 years, has been trying to recapture the state’s rightful place in the innovation economy.

“So far, so good,” Murphy said, explaining that New Jersey today is in the top “handful” of states attracting venture capital money. He also mentioned New Jersey’s growing film industry, spotlighting Netflix’s planned 300-acre East Coast headquarters in Monmouth County, which is under construction, as well as the state’s 11 Strategic Innovation Centers focusing on sectors such as artificial intelligence, the life sciences, fintech, manufacturing, information technology, and more.

The day-long event featured a variety of panel discussions with topics including Streaming the Global Game – The Future of Soccer Media; The Future of Soccer – Investment, Growth, and Global Expansion; The Marketer’s Perspective – Building Global Brands with Soccer; Tech and Data in Soccer – Enhancing Performance and Fan Experience; and more.

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