Identifying and short-listing the right sports marketing companies is not easy. This is because of the sheer number of such sports marketing companies. Each company, big or small, could be unique in its own ways. Therefore, it calls for going through the right due diligence process. Only after that would it be possible to list out the good ones and keep away the not-so-good ones. We are happy to share information about twenty-seven sports marketing agency companies. We believe that the information shared below will help those who are looking to hire professionals and reputed names for various sports and allied marketing activities.
List of Top Sports Marketing Agencies to Check Out
If you are new to the world of sports marketing, you need to check out the following list of sports marketing companies and compare them before hiring one for your brand:
1. Propellant Media—Leading Sports Marketing Company
Among the many options available, there are many positive reasons for hiring the services of Propellant Media LLC. They have been able to make their presence felt quite good in this field over the past many years. Many clients consider them the automatic choice when it comes to engaging prospective customers and increasing sales in a highly competitive and demanding digital space. They are headquartered at Tech Square Labs, Atlanta, GA.
Their overall experience and expertise and their focus on offering something unique and new to those who are trying something innovative are some major points to be kept in mind. They focus mostly on midsize and small companies that do not have the funds to gain access to the best digital marketing solutions. They are capable of offering the best programmatic and paid search solutions for a variety of clients. Propellant Media LLC also covers a wide range of sporting activities.
www.propellant.media/sports-marketing
2. CAA (Creative Artists Agency)
CAA is often considered to be one of the top creative agencies in all matters related to sports and other allied activities. They are considered to be a prestigious organization and have contracts nearing 8.5 billion USD. Their billing amount is, in fact, higher than the other three top sports marketing companies and this indeed is a big achievement. They are into many popular sports such as hockey, football, and basketball.
Hence, if there are sports entities and individuals looking for the best ways to manage their promotions and marketing campaigns, the Creative Artists Agency could often be considered an automatic choice. They have some of the best football and basketball teams as customers, which is a big feather in their cap.
3. Excel Sports Management
If baseball, golf, and basketball clubs and individuals are looking to manage their marketing activities efficiently and with guaranteed results, then Excel Sports Management is the place to be. They are sitting pretty well with contracts worth $3.4 billion, which is a significant improvement over the previous years. The agency was founded by Jeff Schwartz in 2002. It has the envious task of managing more than 60 NBA and also famous sports personalities from other sporting areas and events. Therefore, if you wish to be counted on the top as a sports personality, you cannot ignore the importance of Excel Sports Management.
4. Boras Corporation—The Baseball Experts
Are you looking for a sports marketing agency that focuses on baseball and is ready to offer the best of services in this sport? If yes, your search ends here. Boras Corporation sports marketing company is based in Newport Beach, California, and was founded and run by Scott Dean Boras. The firm has an outstanding record in marketing, image-building, and branding of some of the biggest names in baseball. It represents the interests of around 175 top-rated baseball players across the country. Therefore, this firm is often considered to be the one-stop solution for budding, experienced, and star baseball players. Baseball players would be missing out on something unique and versatile should they not get in touch with Boras Corporation and know more about them.
5. Relativity Media
Founded by Ryan Kavanaugh and Lynwood Spinks, Relativity Media is involved in many types of sports industry marketing activities. It has become a leading sports marketing company over the years. It is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. They are aggressively present in managing teams and individuals covering football, baseball, and basketball. They did face some issues with funds but have again recouped under the new name UltraV Holdings. They have more than 300 MLB and NFL sports personalities and players under their name, and this is indeed a good achievement.
http://www.relativitymedia.com
6. Wasserman Media Group
This is another well-known, proven, and time-tested firm that manages sports contracts and also sports marketing activities. This entertainment marketing agency is actively present in popular sports such as baseball, basketball, football, and golf. It earned around $114 million in commissions in 2017 and is poised for further growth. It has more than 400 clients covering the above four sports, and new names are being added to the list quite often. It is well-managed and a professional outfit where teamwork is given utmost importance. There are names like Blair Marlin and CJ Laboy that are worth mentioning. Apart from active sports personalities, they also help marketing coaches and other stakeholders who contribute quite a bit from the sidelines to the individual sportspersons and their respective teams.
7. Octagon
If you are looking for a young but rapidly growing sports marketing agency in the USA, then you have many reasons to have a much closer look at Octagon. Within a short period of time, they have been able to add around 200 renowned players, cutting across various sports like hockey, golf, football, and many other sports. They have a passionate team of around 800 odd members, and together, they have been able to make a big impact within a short period of time. They manage the marketing of sports personalities’ careers and perceptions. The team is headed by Rick Dudley and Phil De Pecciotto (who is the founder and President). They are also present in other countries of the world.
8. Newport Sports Management
This sports marketing agency was initially founded in Canada. However, over the years, they have made their presence felt quite a bit in the USA. They mainly focus on hockey, but they also offer services for other sports on a selective basis. They are often referred to as hockeyagency.com, obviously because of their main focus on this sport. They are managed and professionally run by a team that includes Donald E. Meehan and Patrick J. Morris, among others. It is a sports marketing company that hockey players, new and experienced, cannot afford to ignore under any circumstances. They are based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, with offices in the USA and a few other countries.
http://www.thehockeyagency.com
9. Largardere Sports And Entertainment
They are a part of the Largardere group and have a very aggressive and successful presence in many sports and countries. They are especially focused on football/soccer, golf, U.S. team sports, and various major events covering main sports. They also are involved with sports personalities who take part in the Olympics and other events. The team is led by the dynamic and enterprising Andrew Georgiou, and they have around 1300 employees across the globe. They are also present in Asia, and this, according to many, is a big achievement for this management and marketing company. They are headquartered in Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
10. ACES
ACES was founded by Seth Levinson and Sam, who were top sports agents in their own rights. They are located in Brooklyn, New York. The firm is often considered to be the best place to be for reputed and well-known league baseball players. They have around 50 sports personalities on their roster. They have been representing the best interests of baseball player marketing. They have been able to build on their core competency areas, and their devotion to the interests of the players is an example for others to emulate.
https://www.acesincbaseball.com
11. The Legacy Agency (TLA Worldwide)
This is a well-known and respected sports marketing agency in the USA. It is headed by Gregory B. Genske, who is the Executive Director and President. This agency serves the interests of around 50 athletes and sports personalities, covering football, golf, baseball, and a few other sports. They are also quite strong in broadcasting practices and also offer their services as coaching professionals. They are headquartered in New York, USA. It is one of the best sports marketing companies that advises and builds the marketing reputation for NFL and MLB drafts. The role of Gregory is quite obvious, and he leaves a footprint in whatever negotiations he is involved in.
12. SportsStars
SportsStars could be considered a full-service athletic and sports management professional with an excellent and proven track record. They have a rich experience of around 30 years. They are based in New York, USA, and also have offices in Miami, St. Louis, MO, and Corvallis, Oregon. Their objective is to ensure that the value of their customers (athletes and sportspersons) is maximized through a concerted and well-planned sports marketing activity. They have earned quite handsomely through commissions covering many sports.
13. MVP Sports Group
This agency is led by superstar agent Dan Lozano. It is a reasonably well-known sports marketing agency, though it is not in the big league. However, it manages around 25 well-known sporting personalities, has a contract value of around $950 million, and has an earning figure of around $33.4 million so far. The MVP Sports Group has been able to make its presence felt strongly in baseball. The firm is based in Los Angeles, California, USA.
14. Priority Sports and Entertainment
Priority Sports and Entertainment is a famous sports marketing agency that caters to sports like football, basketball, and a number of other sports. They have a very strong presence in the USA, and over the years, they also have been able to make inroads in some other sports across the globe. The team is managed by veteran agents Ken Zuckerman, Mark Bartelstein, and Michael McCartney. They are based in Chicago, Illinois, and as of date, they have around 110 clients, and many of them are renowned sportspersons in their own rights and fields.
15. Athletes First
Many sports lovers often consider Athletes First to be a passionate and result-oriented sports marketing agency. They have around 70 active NFL players, and they also cater to other sports like basketball, baseball, and golf. They are headed by David Dunn, who is the CEO, and Brian Murphy, President, amongst others. They have produced some of the best-marketed sportspersons, and they are experts when it comes to the strategic brand-building of players. That is the reason why they have been able to earn a commission of close to $27 million in 2017 alone.
16. BDA Sports Management
BDA Sports Management has more than 30 years of experience in marketing players, contract negotiations, social engagement, public relations, brand building, and also community relations. Their core area of competency is basketball, and they are strong not only in the USA but also across many countries around the world. They are based out of Walnut Creek, California. Apart from their success in the management of sportspersons, they also are known for their humanitarian activities.
17. Rosenhaus Sports Representation
Headed by Drew Rosenhaus, this certainly is a name to reckon with for budding as well as experienced and successful baseball players. Their track record in player management and sports reputation building is noteworthy. The client list is quite impressive and includes names like Joe Haden, Antonio Brown, and many others.
18. Landmark Sports Agency
Landmark Sports Agency has well-defined and clearly laid out visionary statements, and they live by them at all levels and at all times. They are guiding, mentoring, and supporting players. They play a positive role in sports marketing both at the individual level and also at the club and corporate levels. They are based out of Los Angeles, California. They are considered experts in negotiating contracts for the NBA on behalf of their players. They should have billed contracts to the tune of around $420 million in 2017. They are a name to reckon with also in various other sports.
http://www.thelandmarksportsagency.com
19. ASM Sports
This is a sports agency based in Edgewater, New Jersey, USA. They handle the contracts, branding, public relations, and other such activities of various sports, and their contribution to the growth of NBA basketball players has been noteworthy, to say the least. They are led by their top agent, Andy Miller, and they have been able to negotiate total contracts to the tune of $422 million. They have close to 40 clients on their list.
20. Sports Trust Advisors
Sports Trust Advisors is another big and well-known sports marketing agency that has stood the test of time and has been able to leave an indelible mark in the area of managing the reputation, branding, public relations, negotiation, and other aspects of sports personalities. The team is led by founder and CEO Pat Dye Jr. and supported by Bill Johnson. They have been around for 30 years now and have been instrumental in recruiting players of skill set, quality, and character. They operate out of their head office in Atlanta, GA, USA.
21. KMG Sports
This is a firm based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, and they have been able to live up to their promise when it comes to helping budding sportspersons reach their highest levels of professional competence. They have teams and individuals not only from the USA but also from other countries of the world. They cover a host of sports like baseball, basketball, football, golf and also other sports like hockey and tennis. The firm is led by a team of highly experienced professionals, including Richard L Katz, Tom Crain, and others.
22. 206 Sports Group
This is considered to be a highly professional and result-driven sports marketing company with years of proven track record and experience. Whether it is NBA, NFL, NHL, MLS, or other such circuits, you can expect the best handholding services from 206 Sports Group. They are capable of offering the best for sports like baseball, basketball, hockey, golf and other sports. The group is headed and owned by Tim Dillon and supported by other members. They operate out of Medina, WA, USA.
http://www.206sportsgroup.com/
23. Professional Sports Group
This is a reputed sports marketing agency, and it has won the best sports agency in 2018 in the UAE Business Awards. They are a multi-faceted organization, and sports management and consultancy are among the activities that they perform. They are led by a professionally managed team. Its headquarters is in London, England, and it also has an office in the UAE. They may not be in the big league, but they can offer good services to budding and young players in various sports.
24. Peter Jacobsen Sports
Peter Jacobsen Sports is a small sports marketing firm with a big vision and dream. It is managed and run by Peter Jacobsen. Over the years, it has become a full-fledged company offering a whole gamut of services in this area. The company was founded in 1989, and therefore, it has close to 30 years of experience in various aspects of sports management and related areas. It offers the best services in talent relations, budget creation, event design and management, and a host of other related activities.
http://www.peterjacobsensports.com
25. Fusemarketing
This is a firm that basically caters to the sports marketing arena by helping to identify talents. They are a closely-knit team. Their ability to think independently and out of the box is one of the big reasons why they have been able to make an impact. The team is led by Brett Smith, Issa Sawabini, and Bill Carter. There are others who are there to support the team. They have 21 years of high performance and growth and, therefore, are worth looking at for anything related to sports marketing and other related areas.
26. 2112 Hockey Agency
If you are a hockey enthusiast and would like to become a renowned hockey player, you may have to look at the services offered by 2112 Hockey Agency. They have a list of some famous hockey players spread across Canada and the USA. They offer the best player placement services, branding, and marketing activities, as well as assistance with tax and immigration services. The company is managed and run by Darryl Wolski, the President. They are based in Winnipeg, USA.
27. Fritz Martin Management
This is often considered to be the bridge between sports and the corporate world in the USA. Fritz Martin is a firm that specializes in sports marketing, covering many types of sports, including baseball, basketball, soccer, golf, boxing, and hockey, amongst others. They are not exactly agents but provide the right connection between sports personalities and the world outside. Hence, they certainly could come in handy when it comes to managing perceptions, branding, image building, and public relations. They are based out of Las Vegas, USA
Top Trends Shaping the Future of Sports Marketing
With technological innovations, changing demographics of sports fans, and the ever-growing global reach of sports, emerging trends in the sports marketing landscape are shaping the industry to increase audience engagement. Let’s take a look at some of those trends that will define the future of sports marketing as well as the entire sports industry.
Sustainability and Social Responsibility
Consumers nowadays are more conscious of the environmental and social impact of their favorite sports organizations. In fact, more than 80% of people prefer supporting sustainable brands. This is why sports teams and leagues all over the world are increasingly supporting environmental initiatives, promoting diversity and inclusion, and aligning themselves with causes that matter to their fans.
Internationalization
With the growing global appeal of sports brands, it has become important for their digital marketing agencies to reach out to fans in new markets and speak to them in their languages. Brands are now using various tactics, including social media marketing tools, translation services, personalized marketing campaigns, and partnerships with local brands to penetrate these new markets.
Gamification
The use of game-like elements in non-game contexts can make sports marketing content more exciting for fans. In today’s digital era, the thrill of the game is not confined to the field. Gamification is turning even non-gaming things into an entertaining experience.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
Both VR and AR technologies have the potential to revolutionize sports marketing. Digital marketing agencies can use these technologies to create immersive experiences that allow fans to feel like they are a part of the game. VR can take fans to the stadium, while AR can overlay digital information onto real-world scenarios.
Influencer Marketing
Collaborating with influencers can help sports brands reach a large audience with personalized messages that resonate with fans. In 2023, the global market value of the influencer marketing industry stood at $21.1 billion. Sports marketers are increasingly working with influencers within their niche to promote their brands and products.
Sports marketers who can adapt to these trends and constantly update their marketing strategies with time will have better odds of succeeding in the near future.
How To Select The Right Sports Marketing Agencies
The above will give a reasonably good idea about the main names for sports marketing and other related jobs. However, with many agencies out there, choosing the right professional often is tough, to say the least. Hence, there is a need to spend some time and go through the right due diligence process, without which it may not be possible to identify the right firm or individuals.
Here are a few tips that we believe could be useful in identifying the right sports marketing and agencies.
Reputation And Goodwill: This is one of the most important attributes when identifying these professionals. They should have a proven track record of goodwill amongst sportspersons.
Experience: This is another vital parameter that one should bear in mind while identifying a sports marketing company. As a rule of thumb, it is important to ensure that they have put in at least 15 to 20 years of service in hiring talents, honing them, building their brand reputation, and building their goodwill, amongst other things.
Honesty and Trust: These professionals work on trust, and therefore, as a sportsperson, you must always look for somebody who is honest, upfront, and willing to accept things as they are. The person or firm should be able to clearly mention the sportsperson’s strengths, weaknesses, and other attributes.
Why Choose Propellant Media For Sports Marketing?
While the market is filled with hundreds of companies offering digital marketing services, Propellant Media LLC stands out from the crowd with its unique approach. The consulting firm based in Atlanta (GA) offers personalized digital marketing solutions to businesses of all sizes based on their budgets. Through geofencing, programmatic, and other digital advertising channels, the agency can help your sports brand build a new flow of revenues without doing much heavy lifting.
From social media management and search engine optimization to paid ads and analytics, Propellant Media takes care of all your digital marketing needs. Contact the team today to unlock your revenue potential.