Recognizing 67 companies across sports business that were named finalists, displayed here in alphabetical order (congratulations also to the 25 companies that have made the list all three years we’ve given this award). Also see the medalists and methodology.
Allied Sports
Three-time Finalist
Headquarters: New York
Employees: 49
Primary business: Sports and entertainment brand marketing
Altius Sports Partners
Three-time Finalist
Headquarters: New York
Employees: 30
Primary business: Advises and educates colleges on name, image and likeness and brand marketing
Aquarius Sports and Entertainment
Two-time Finalist and Bronze in 2024
Headquarters: Clarksville, Md.
Employees: 10
Primary business: Sponsorship consulting, activation and experiential marketing
Arctos
Finalist in 2023 and 2025
Headquarters: Dallas
Employees: 59
Primary business: Private equity platform for professional sports and sports franchise owners
Athletes Unlimited
Bronze in 2024, Gold in 2025
Headquarters: New York
Employees: 65
Primary business: Professional women’s sports
Bauer Entertainment Marketing
Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: Nashville
Employees: 26
Primary business: Marketing and consulting agency
Boldyn Networks
Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: Irvine, Calif.
Employees: 728
Primary business: Shared communications infrastructure for connected transit, venues, enterprise, next-generation networks and smart cities
BreakingT
Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: Reston, Va.
Employees: 15
Primary business: Sports apparel and merchandise
Cast Iron Media
Finalist in 2023, Bronze in 2024 and Gold in 2025
Headquarters: White Plains, N.Y.
Employees: 55
Primary business: Media and sponsorship sales
Channel 1 Media
Bronze in 2023, Finalist in 2024 and Silver in 2025
Headquarters: Toronto
Employees: 17
Primary business: Digital marketing
Chicago Dogs Baseball
Gold in 2023 and 2025
Headquarters: Rosemont, Ill.
Employees: 11
Primary business: Minor league baseball team
Connect Partnership Group
Bronze in 2023 and two-time Finalist
Headquarters: Dallas
Employees: 12
Primary business: Sales and consultancy for sponsorships, naming rights and other media assets
Cosm
Silver in 2023, Finalist in 2024 and Bronze in 2025
Headquarters: Playa Vista, Calif.
Employees: 521
Primary business: Immersive experience technology and venues
DHR Global
Bronze in 2025
Headquarters: Chicago
Employees: 147
Primary business: Executive search and leadership consulting
FanCompass
Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: San Rafael, Calif.
Employees: 7
Primary business: Digital fan engagement platform
Fastbreak AI
Silver in 2025
Headquarters: Charlotte
Employees: 54
Primary business: Software company providing scheduling, tournament management and sponsor activation solutions for sports organizations
FL Newsletter
Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: Bonita Springs, Fla.
Employees: 25
Primary business: Fantasy football news and information
GameChanger
Three-time Finalist
Headquarters: New York
Employees: 243
Primary business: Technology company that provides scorekeeping, stats, video streaming and recap stories to teams and fans at the local level
Generator Studio
Finalist in 2023 and 2025
Headquarters: Kansas City
Employees: 25
Primary business: Architecture and interior design
Good Karma Brands
Gold in 2023 and Silver in 2025
Headquarters: Milwaukee
Employees: 544
Primary business: Media and marketing
Guardian Sports
Gold in 2025
Headquarters: Peachtree, Ga.
Employees: 28
Primary business: Sports equipment manufacturer, including football, lacrosse and hockey helmets
HOK
Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: Kansas City
Employees: 188
Primary business: Design, architecture, engineering and planning firm
Horseracing Integrity & Safety Authority
Finalist in 2024 and Silver in 2025
Headquarters: Lexington, Ky.
Employees: 26
Primary business: Private, nonprofit regulatory organization for the U.S. thoroughbred racing industry
IMPACT Development Management
Finalist in 2023, Bronze in 2024 and Gold in 2025
Headquarters: Atlanta
Employees: 57
Primary business: Project management
Inner Circle Sports
Silver in 2023, Gold in 2024 and Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: New York
Employees: 9
Primary business: Investment bank
KemperSports
Gold in 2025
Headquarters: Northbrook, Ill.
Employees: 94
Primary business: Operates golf courses, clubs, resorts, venues and youth sports facilities
Kiswe
Silver in 2024 and Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: New Providence, N.J.
Employees: 63
Primary business: Direct-to-consumer streaming
Learfield
Two-time Finalist and Bronze in 2024
Headquarters: Dallas
Employees: 2,058
Primary business: College sports, media, technology, ticketing, licensed merchandise, marketing, fan engagement, content and NIL solutions
LST Companies
Silver in 2024 and 2025
Headquarters: Dallas
Employees: 14
Primary business: Experiential marketing, sponsorships, talent integration and event production
MikeWorldWide & Berk
Silver in 2025
Headquarters: New York
Employees: 61
Primary business: Communications and public relations agency
Multiplier
Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: Dallas
Employees: 26
Primary business: Marketing agency
National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics
Bronze in 2025
Headquarters: Westlake, Ohio
Employees: 17
Primary business: Professional development association for those in the field of athletics administration
Navigate
Bronze in 2023, Silver in 2024 and Gold in 2025
Headquarters: Chicago (fully remote)
Employees: 24
Primary business: Data-driven consulting
Next League
Finalist in 2024 and 2025
Headquarters: New York
Employees: 39
Primary business: Provides digital technology solutions for the sports, media and entertainment industries
NOCAP Sports
Gold in 2025
Headquarters: St. Petersburg, Fla.
Employees: 12
Primary business: Platform connecting college athletes and universities to corporate sponsors
Octagon
Silver in 2023, Bronze in 2024 and Gold in 2025
Headquarters: Stamford, Conn., and McLean, Va.
Employees: 540
Primary business: Marketing and sponsorship consulting; athlete and personality representation; event management; property rights; media advisory
Omaha Productions
Gold in 2023, Finalist in 2024 and Bronze in 2025
Headquarters: Los Angeles
Employees: 50
Primary business: Content creator
Orlando Magic
Silver in 2023, Finalist in 2024 and Bronze in 2025
Headquarters: Orlando
Employees: 823
Primary business: NBA team
Penske Entertainment Corp.
Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: Indianapolis
Employees: 271
Primary business: Owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the NTT IndyCar Series and IMS Productions
Premier Lacrosse League
Gold in 2023 and Silver in 2024 and 2025
Headquarters: Torrance, Calif.
Employees: 117
Primary business: Professional lacrosse leagues
Priority Sports & Entertainment
Finalist in 2024 and Bronze in 2025
Headquarters: Chicago
Employees: 30
Primary business: Sports management firm, representing NFL and NBA athletes and coaches
Prodigy Search
Finalist in 2024 and Silver in 2025
Headquarters: Freehold, N.J.
Employees: 7
Primary business: Recruiting and executive search for senior-level talent in sports, entertainment, nonprofit and media industries
Program Productions
Silver in 2023 and Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: Lombard, Ill.
Employees: 94
Primary business: Production crew and labor management
Rock Entertainment Group
Three-time Finalist
Headquarters: Cleveland
Employees: 566
Primary business: Sports and entertainment holding company
Silver Tribe Media
Gold in 2024 and 2025
Headquarters: Los Angeles
Employees: 14
Primary business: Talent management and production company
Smith Entertainment Group
Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: 618
Employees: Salt Lake City
Primary business: Sports, entertainment, real estate and technology investment group
Speedway Motorsports
Silver in 2024 and 2025
Headquarters: Charlotte
Employees: 551
Primary business: Motorsports facilities owner/operator
SponsorCX
Silver in 2025
Headquarters: Lehi, Utah
Employees: 29
Primary business: Sponsorship management software
StellarAlgo
Finalist in 2024 and 2025
Headquarters: Calgary
Employees: 61
Primary business: Fan engagement platform for sports and live events
Teall Properties Group
Gold in 2023 and 2024 and Silver in 2025
Headquarters: Winston-Salem, N.C.
Employees: 73
Primary business: High school sports marketing
TeamSnap
Three-time Finalist
Headquarters: Chicago
Employees: 172
Primary business: Technology platform that connects youth sports through communication, organization and engagement
Teamworks
Gold in 2023 and two-time Finalist
Headquarters: Durham, N.C.
Employees: 373
Primary business: Productivity software
The Famous Group
Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: El Segundo, Calif.
Employees: 32
Primary business: Creative technology company
The Picklr
Finalist in 2023 and 2025
Headquarters: Kaysville, Utah
Employees: 47
Primary business: Membership-based club that offers unlimited pickleball play, free leagues and tournaments, clinics and private events on indoor courts
The Volume
Finalist in 2023 and 2025
Headquarters: Los Angeles
Employees: 47
Primary business: Sports media company that hosts podcasts and produces video content across a host of platforms
TicketManager
Bronze in 2024 and 2025
Headquarters: Calabasas, Calif.
Employees: 83
Primary business: Ticket and event management software
T-Mobile
Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: Bellevue, Wash.
Employees: 57
Primary business: Telecommunications brand and sponsor
TMRW Sports
Silver in 2023, Gold in 2024 and Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: Winter Park, Fla.
Employees: 78
Primary business: Technology platform and content creator in sports, media and entertainment
Tony Fay Public Relations
Three-time Finalist
Headquarters: Plano, Texas
Employees: 28
Primary business: Public relations and communications across sports and entertainment organizations
Trajektory
Gold in 2024 and Bronze in 2025
Headquarters: Chicago
Employees: 38
Primary business: Partnership measurement platform
Transmit.Live
Bronze in 2024 and Gold in 2025
Headquarters: Miami
Employees: 56
Primary business: Advanced ad tech and monetization solutions for digital networks, content publishers and streaming platforms
United States Golf Association
Finalist in 2025
Headquarters: Liberty Corner, N.J.
Employees: 375
Primary business: National governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico
USA Basketball
Bronze in 2023 and 2025
Headquarters: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Employees: 32
Primary business: National governing body for basketball in the U.S.
Wicket
Three-time Finalist
Headquarters: Cambridge, Mass.
Employees: 29
Primary business: Facial authentication platform providing frictionless touch points for sports venues, live events and credentialed facilities
WIT
Silver in 2023 and two-time Finalist
Headquarters: Holmdel, N.J.
Employees: 30
Primary business: Digital marketing activation platform
You Are Here
Bronze in 2025
Headquarters: Atlanta
Employees: 34
Primary business: Marketing and media production and sponsorship
Zoomph
Three-time Finalist
Headquarters: Reston, Va.
Employees: 40
Primary business: Tracks brand partnership performance across social media and broadcasts
