Toronto is a sports capital, just ask Samir Bhatla and Naveed Tagari
“It was June 2025, our first event at a sports bar. We expected around 30 people to show up and ended up with 70,” says Samir Bhatla (MBA ‘22). “That made me realize, okay, we have a community here.”
Bhatla and his fellow Ted Rogers MBA graduate Naveed Tagari (MBA ‘23) are Toronto-based Chapter Leads for South Asians in Sports (SAIS) (external link) , a network of professionals across the sports industry that provides networking, mentorship events and more for their community.
The duo moved quickly after their initial success, hosting an invite-only gathering for mid-to-senior level professionals and SAIS premium members at the NBA Canada office, and an HR workshop advising attendees on different stages of their career journey within sports. “We were able to bring sponsored food and beverages through our relationships with MLSE (external link) and an external vendor in the South Asian community,” explains Bhatla.
Both come from a world of sport and entertainment. Tagari works as Manager of Sponsorship Sales at Live Nation Canada, helping to lead new business development with brands across the country. Samir’s grown his career at MLSE over seven years; in his current role as Manager of Partnerships & Revenue, he oversees partnerships and corporate giving on the charitable side for MLSE Foundation (external link) .
With five SAIS events under their belt and sixth coming in September 2026, Tagari and Bhatla have built a database of over 300 individuals in Toronto, from students to C-Suite executives.
Their next Toronto gathering builds on that momentum: SAIS Toronto is hosting an event on September 6, 2026 at BMO Field for the AFC Toronto vs. Calgary FC match. The experience includes an executive panel, a pre‑match networking mixer, lower‑bowl seats, and free CNE admission; register on the event page (external link) .
Before officially joining, Tagari and Bhatla were in a virtual SAIS meeting with hundreds of other attendees before they realized they had friends and connections through TRSM.
“We were both already in the MBA program, and the MBA Sport Leadership Association (SLA) (external link) was a big part of our friendship. Samir was a founding member and President,” adds Tagari. “When I stepped into the President role, we introduced TMU BOLDEST (external link) as the first event to highlight TRSM graduates working in the sports business sector.”
“We opened doors to students who didn’t have exposure to sports business, but also spotlight alumni that work in the space—and that's expanded through the MBA’s Sports Business Focus,” Tagari explains.
Both Tagari and Bhatla credit the existing and new relationships formed during their MBA as one of the most valuable parts of a Ted Rogers education. “Sports is a key part of Toronto culture. Even when I was looking into MBA programs or sports management diplomas, it quickly became clear that TRSM is at the epicenter of culture in the city,” says Bhatla.
“In my experience working at an agency, charity, and even for the university at the DMZ, I found myself embedded in sports & entertainment which made me confident that the sports MBA program at TRSM was perfect for me,” says Tagari.
“It shows how deep we were in the industry before we even got to SAIS,” adds Bhatla. “I remember we went to L.A. on a ‘sports tour’ and discussed whether or not we should launch a Toronto chapter of SAIS. Their team was on board from the beginning.”
When Bhatla started at MLSE years ago, he describes not seeing any South Asian folks in executive roles; slowly, the face of the industry is catching up with the culture.
Both Bhatla and Tagari agree. “The vision is bigger than us,” they explain. “We want to build a future where more South Asians are in the rooms making decisions, shaping the sports industry and creating change, while also fostering a community that supports and inspires the next generation of leaders.”