On May 20, 2026, the sports business world converges at the Marriott Marquis Times Square in New York for one of the industry’s most anticipated nights. The Sports Business Awards bring together executives, agencies, leagues, and brands competing across 13 distinct categories — a lineup that reflects the full scope of what modern sports business actually looks like. Voting power sits with a panel of industry insiders, except for two categories where Sports Business Journal makes the final call independently.
How the Sports Business Awards categories are structured
Thirteen competitive categories shape this year’s edition. Eleven are decided by a jury of senior industry executives, while Athletic Director of the Year and Executive of the Year are selected exclusively by the editorial team at Sports Business Journal. That distinction matters — it keeps those two honors free from any lobbying or agency influence.
Two special recognitions sit outside the competition entirely. John Henry, founder of Fenway Sports Group, receives this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award — a nod to decades of reshaping sports ownership across baseball, soccer, and beyond. The Celebration of Service award goes to Soccer Without Borders, a nonprofit using soccer as a tool for youth development and social inclusion.
Here’s a breakdown of the 13 competitive categories :
- Agency of the Year
- Athletic Director of the Year
- Brand Activation of the Year
- Best in Property Consulting, Sales and Client Services
- Best in Sports Media
- Best in Sports Social Media
- Best in Talent Representation
- Deal of the Year
- Sports Breakthrough of the Year
- Sports Event of the Year
- Sports Facility of the Year
- Sports League of the Year
- Sports Sponsor of the Year
- Sports Team of the Year
- Executive of the Year
Frankly, the diversity here is impressive. You’re comparing a naming rights deal with a social media campaign — these aren’t apples-to-apples matchups, which is exactly what makes the jury’s job both difficult and meaningful.
Nominees that define the competitive landscape
The Agency of the Year category features eight contenders : 160over90, Excel Sports Management, Genesco Sports Enterprises, GMR Marketing, MKTG Sports + Entertainment, Octagon, Optimum Sports, and The Team. These firms collectively represent billions in sponsorship activation and brand strategy work across every major league and sport.
On the athletic leadership side, five university athletic directors earned nominations. Candice Storey Lee of Vanderbilt stands out as the only woman on that shortlist — a relevant detail given ongoing conversations about representation in collegiate athletics leadership. Scott Dolson (Indiana), Dan Bartholomae (Western Michigan), Kirby Hocutt (Texas Tech), and Mark Harlan (Utah) round out a strong field.
| Category | Notable nominees |
|---|---|
| Executive of the Year | Jimmy Pitaro (ESPN), Mark Walter (TWG Global), Michael Jordan (23XI Racing), Rick Cordella (NBC Sports), Mark Shapiro (TKO) |
| Deal of the Year | ESPN acquires NFL Media assets, Rogers acquires MLSE majority stake, UFC-Paramount media rights deal |
| Sports Team of the Year | Los Angeles Dodgers, Inter Miami CF, Oklahoma City Thunder, 23XI Racing, Golden State Valkyries |
| Sports Sponsor of the Year | Amazon Web Services, Delta Air Lines, State Farm, Home Depot, Gainbridge |
The Deal of the Year category is particularly loaded this cycle. ESPN acquiring NFL Media assets in exchange for equity reshapes how media rights and ownership can intersect. Meanwhile, Rogers Communications locking in a majority stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment signals serious consolidation in the Canadian sports market. The Washington Commanders’ stadium deal — sealing their return to D.C. — also lands here, which tells you something about the political and financial complexity these transactions now involve.
Brand Activation nominees include genuinely creative work : Aramark’s Banana Dog at the new Las Vegas ballpark, the Pop-Tarts Bowl — which became a cultural moment more than a bowl game — and Dude Wipes’ partnership with the Eagles’ Tush Push play. That last one is either marketing genius or pure chaos, depending on your perspective. For me, it’s both.
Breakthroughs, events, and what this year’s field reveals about the industry
The Sports Breakthrough of the Year shortlist deserves more attention than it usually gets. San Diego FC‘s launch as an MLS expansion club represents a market reclaim after years without top-flight soccer. The FIFA Club World Cup‘s expanded 32-team format debuted in the U.S. in 2025, drawing criticism and curiosity in equal measure. Sephora‘s nomination reflects how beauty brands are now serious players in sports sponsorship — a shift that would have seemed unlikely a decade ago.
Sports Event of the Year features the 2025 World Series, the Canelo vs. Crawford boxing match, Fanatics Fest NYC, the NFL Draft at Titletown, and the NHL Stadium Series in Tampa. Each represents a different model : legacy prestige, pay-per-view spectacle, fan convention, civic activation, and outdoor experiential — all competing under the same banner.
The Sports Social Media category shows where platforms and storytelling are heading. B/R’s always-on coverage of the Unrivaled league, the Indiana Pacers’ Road to the Finals content, and WWE’s John Cena Farewell Tour content all earned spots — proving that sustained narrative arcs outperform one-off viral moments when it comes to awards recognition.
If you work in sports business and aren’t tracking the Sports Facility nominees closely — Crypto.com Arena, MetLife Stadium, Petco Park, Progressive Field, Spectrum Center, and the Lindner Family Tennis Center — you’re missing a real-time benchmark for what venue excellence looks like across market sizes and sports. Progressive Field’s renovation, for instance, shows that modernizing an existing stadium can compete directly with brand-new builds. That’s a lesson worth taking seriously as more franchises face aging infrastructure decisions in the next five years.
