Marty Benson, Director of Content Endemol Shine - Keynote at Australia Sports Innovation Week

The intimacy of sport. Why it matters?

Marty Benson, Director of Content at Endemol Shine, will be delivering a keynote at Australia Sports Innovation Week (ASIW) in Melbourne on Wednesday 29^th October 2025 at the MCG on this topic.

The appetite for sport content that gets deep inside the hidden and unseen areas of players and teams seems insatiable.

Shaking Down the Thunder, created and produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay Entertainment company) in association with AFL Studios and the Sydney Swans, for the Seven Network has been released as a four-part series.

Distributed on Seven and 7plus, it takes an intimate look at the Sydney Swans’ journey to break the longest Premiership drought in AFL history, as they chase the 2005 flag.  

“Given the access in creating this compelling story with the Sydney Swans as to how they broke this 72-year-old hoodoo was such a compelling story that deserved the chance to shine,” said Benson.

“Being able to capture the desperation, the hope, the nervousness and elation in this reflective method and how they created history, reached deeply into the souls for all of our team involved.”

Marty has been at the helm of Australia’s – and arguably – the world’s premier food program, MasterChef Australia since its seventh series and has continually taken the program from strength to strength.

Attracting global praise in being nominated for an International Emmy Award, MasterChef Australia has taken out the AACTA Award for Best Reality Television Series in 9 years (2014-17, 2020-25) and recognised with multiple Logie Awards for Most Popular Reality Program (2010-11, 2019, 2022-23) and Best Competition Reality Program 2024 further cementing its global reputation. 

At ASIW, the insight into this topic and theme on why it matters and where the genre is heading, presented by Benson, provides an intimate masterclass for all aspiring content creators. 

ASIW will create the most valuable experience that showcases and celebrates innovation in the leadership of data, digital, content, careers, research and technology services in sport by connecting collaborators, enablers, investors, creators and partners from all cultures, backgrounds and locations.

For more information, visit https://stws.co/conference-australia/