BSPNTX Hosts Third Summit at SMU
- Black Sports Professionals North Texas
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
April 22, 2026
DALLAS – The National Society of Black Sports Professionals North Texas (BSPNTX) hosted its third BSPNTX Summit on April 18, this time on the campus of Southern Methodist University in the James M. Collins Executive Education Center.
The event drew nearly 90 attendees, ranging from students to seasoned professionals, who enjoyed a day of high-level professional development steeped in the chapter's three pillars of CONNECT. EMPOWER. ADVANCE.
"Our BSPNTX Summit is truly evolving into one of the must-attend sports business events in North Texas," said BSPNTX Vice President & Summit Chair Greer Christian. "We are so thankful to SMU for hosting us for the first time and our presenters and attendees for an event filled with energy and an environment open for listening, learning and cultivating community."
The 2026 edition of the BSPNTX Summit was a playbook of focused discussions and networking guided by an impressive collection of industry leaders with North Texas ties. The Playbook: Ownership. Equity. Innovation. tied the chapter's pillars to multi-level, cross-generational discussions that touched on various topics dominating the current sports landscape at the college and professional levels.
Hosted by DaNaysia Jones (Podcast Host, Get Defensive Sports Network), the three-session conference kicked off with the CONNECT | The Dealmakers: Owning the Narrative conversation with Deion Guidrey (Founder, PlayersTV) and moderator Angela Lang (Senior Vice President, Sports & Entertainment PR, Tony Fay Public Relations and BSPNTX Membership Committee Chair) provided a deep dive into athlete-owned media, discussing how to shift from being a talent to a partner, the mechanics of narrative ownership and how to structure deals that ensure long-term equity over short-term income.
The EMPOWER | Strategic Partnerships: The Equity of Influence chat with Damon Evans (Director of Athletics, SMU) and moderator Greer Christian (Managing Partner, Vigilant Management Group) explored the evolution of brand partnerships into long-term equity plays and the steps to building sustainable funding models.
The ADVANCE | The Administration: Leading Through the NIL Revolution conversation with Chris Grant (Commissioner, Southland Conference) and moderator Breon Dennis Jr. (BSPNTX Vice President) engaged in a conversation focusing on navigating the complexities of the NIL era of college athletics and the art and challenges of leadership and building a diverse leadership pipeline.
The day's sessions concluded with a high-energy engagement session – The Speed Play: High-Impact Networking – led by Dessie Brown (Director of Marketing, Feng Cha).
BSPNTX is the fastest-growing organization for sports professionals in North Texas and one of the leading chapters in the Black Sports Professionals network. The chapter’s active membership has maintained strong numbers over the last three years and its collection of seven partnerships includes relationships with major sports franchises and highly regarded companies and organizations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
In the last five years, BSPNTX has awarded $94,500 in scholarship dollars to fund 48 scholarships for 41 college students with North Texas ties striving to be among the next generation of professionals with careers in the sports industry. The chapter is currently accepting applications for its scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year at BSPNTX.com/scholarships.
The chapter is also accepting mentors and mentees for the second cohort of its Mentorship Program at BSPNTX.com/mentorship.
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