Medium Rare
Medium Rare is a New York-based live events and entertainment company founded in 2019 that produces branded festivals and experiential activations in joint ownership with celebrity partners (Shaq, Kelce, Gronk, Fieri), serving enterprise brand sponsors including Pepsi, DraftKings, Credit One Bank, and DoorDash.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Medium Rare does
Medium Rare is a privately held live events and entertainment company headquartered in New York, founded in 2019 by entertainment entrepreneurs Joe Silberzweig and Adam Richman (co-CEOs), both previously producers of global festivals at Live Nation, SFX, and LiveStyle. The company operates three integrated business lines: (1) Live Events and Festivals — creating and producing branded entertainment properties such as Shaq's Fun House, Kelce Jam, Gronk Beach, Guy Fieri's Flavortown Tailgate, Sports Illustrated The Party, Experts Only Festival, Bert Kreischer's Full Throttle Festival, Dave Portnoy's One Bite Pizza Festival, WrestleMania After Dark, and Black Entrepreneurs Day, typically structured as joint-ownership deals with celebrity partners; (2) Brand Activations — designing and executing experiential and content-driven marketing campaigns for enterprise clients including Pepsi, Captain Morgan, Jim Beam, DraftKings, DoorDash, Credit One Bank, Lexus, Bud Light, Verizon, Reebok, and Takis; and (3) Talent Management — representing artists including DJ Diesel (Shaquille O'Neal) and Grammy-nominated DJ/producer Gordo (Diamante Blackmon).
The underlying production model is event-driven: Medium Rare secures official producer status for marquee US sporting weekends (Super Bowl, WrestleMania, Daytona 500), co-produces with celebrity partners, and monetizes via three revenue streams — ticket sales, sponsorship deals (50+ brands, contributing the majority of revenue), and brand activation services — with talent management fees as an ancillary stream. Notable scale signals include $20M in revenue from a single Super Bowl weekend (approximately one-third of projected annual revenue), $7–9M in profit from that weekend, 25,000+ attendees across three events, and disclosed revenue of approximately $60M annually. The company also operates legacy NFT collections (Gronk, Golden State Warriors, Preakness Stakes) and a portfolio of streaming/digital events (Shaq Bowl, Shaq vs Gronk, Sports Illustrated Awards, Guy's Restaurant Reboot).
In April 2024, Medium Rare received a minority investment from Palm Tree Crew at a $50M post-money valuation, retaining the founders in operational control. The company has 1–10 employees and relies on a network of celebrity partners, co-producers (Knuckle Sandwich, Relentless Beats, EMW), and strategic partners (Authentic Brands Group, WWE, Daymond John) to execute its event portfolio. Revenue mechanics are concentrated in a handful of tentpole weekends per year, creating both leverage on event scale and exposure to sponsorship renewal and demand variability.
Medium Rare firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Medium Rare
- Legal name
- Medium Rare
- Website
- https://medium-rare.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Medium Rare is a New York-based live events and entertainment company founded in 2019 that produces branded festivals and experiential activations in joint ownership with celebrity partners (Shaq, Kelce, Gronk, Fieri), serving enterprise brand sponsors including Pepsi, DraftKings, Credit One Bank, and DoorDash.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Medium Rare industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Event Production
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO)
Keywords
Where Medium Rare is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Medium Rare business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Event Production & Ticket Sales: Medium Rare generates substantial revenue from producing live events and festivals including Shaq's Fun House, Sports Illustrated The Party, and Guy Fieri's Flavortown Tailgate. The Super Bowl weekend generates $20M in total revenue from three major events with 25,000+ attendees.
- Sponsorship Revenue: Over half of revenue comes from sponsorships with 50+ brands including Credit One Bank, DraftKings, Bud Light, Lexus, Pepsi, Reebok, and Verizon. Brand activations provide additional sponsorship income.
- Talent Management: Medium Rare manages careers of artists and athletes including Shaquille O'Neal (DJ Diesel) and Gordo, generating management fees.
- Brand Activations: Creating cultural moments with brand partners via experiential and content-driven activations from conception to execution.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Medium Rare product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Medium Rare creates and produces live entertainment properties (festivals and events) in joint ownership with celebrity athletes and entertainers at the intersection of sports and entertainment. The company also designs and executes brand activation campaigns for major consumer brands and manages the careers of artists and athletes including Shaquille O'Neal (DJ Diesel) and Gordo.
Product overview
Medium Rare is a live events and entertainment company that creates unforgettable experiences at the intersection of sports and entertainment. The company operates through three core pillars: Live Events & Festivals (producing branded entertainment properties in joint ownership with celebrity partners), Brand Activations (creating experiential marketing campaigns for brand partners), and Talent Management (guiding careers of artists and athletes). The product portfolio spans over 20 live event properties including Shaq's Fun House, Kelce Jam, Gronk Beach, Experts Only Fest, Sports Illustrated The Party, Guy Fieri's Flavortown Tailgate, and Bert Kreischer's Full Throttle Festival; streaming events like Shaq Bowl, Guy's Restaurant Reboot, and Shaq vs Gronk; NFT/Web3 collections including Gronk NFT, Golden State Warriors Legacy NFT, and Preakness Stakes NFT; and custom brand activation campaigns for clients such as DraftKings, Pepsi, Jim Beam, Captain Morgan, and Takis.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Shaq's Fun House Annual festival and carnival experience featuring performances by top artists, carnival rides, and experiential brand activations. Co-founded with Shaquille O'Neal.
- Kelce Jam Annual music festival in Kansas City featuring major artists and interactive brand activations, co-founded with NFL star Travis Kelce.
- Guy Fieri's Flavortown Tailgate Big Game Sunday free food festival featuring celebrity chef Guy Fieri, serving thousands of fans with gourmet food offerings and entertainment.
- Gronk Beach Music festival presented by DoorDash featuring performances by DJs and artists, co-founded with NFL star Rob Gronkowski.
- Dave Portnoy's One Bite Pizza Festival New York's biggest food festival featuring gatherings of renowned pizzerias, co-founded with Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports.
- Experts Only Fest Electronic music festival in New York City curated and headlined by DJ John Summit, featuring bass and house music artists.
- Sports Illustrated The Party Big Game Weekend's most exclusive experience featuring celebrity performances, athlete appearances, and premium brand activations.
- Bert Kreischer's Full Throttle Festival Official pre-party for the Daytona 500 featuring live music, comedy, and beer. Inaugural event held in February 2026.
- Roommates Show Block Party Live podcast event featuring Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart's Roommates Show broadcasted from Central Park.
- WrestleMania After Dark Official after party series for WrestleMania featuring WWE Superstar appearances and musical performances at nightclub venues.
- EATER Taste of the World Food festival showcasing diverse culinary experiences from around the world.
- Black Entrepreneurs Day Free global live-stream celebrating Black business and entrepreneurship with Game Changer Conversations and performances, co-founded with Daymond John of FUBU and Shark Tank.
- Chain Fest The world's first gourmet chain food festival featuring pop-up restaurants from America's favorite chains under culinary direction of Michelin-starred chef Tim Hollingsworth.
- Shaq Bowl Pandemic-era virtual event featuring teams competing in viral challenges broadcasted live from Tampa, attracting over 10 million live viewers on Big Game Sunday.
- Guy's Restaurant Reboot Primetime special inspiring and empowering restaurant owners featuring Behind The Counter Conversations with culinary icons and celebrity chef pairings.
- Shaq vs Gronk Pandemic-era livestream event featuring Shaq and Rob Gronkowski in challenges with performances by major artists, raising funds for social justice causes.
- Sports Illustrated Awards Live awards show featuring reveal of Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year and honoring notable athletes and sports moments.
- Gronk NFT Collection NFT trading card collection commemorating Rob Gronkowski's four championships, including a rare 1-of-1 Career Highlight Refractor Card.
- Golden State Warriors Legacy NFT Collection First professional sports team NFT collection commemorating the Warriors' six NBA championships and iconic games in franchise history.
- Preakness Stakes NFT Collection NFT collection commemorating the 146-year legacy of Preakness Stakes with seventeen individual 1-of-1 digital collectibles.
- Brand Activations Experiential and content-driven activations helping brand partners come to life from conception to execution.
- Talent Management Managing careers of artists and athletes including Shaquille O'Neal (DJ Diesel) and Gordo (Diamante Blackmon).
- Live Events & Festivals Creating and producing live entertainment properties at the intersection of sports and entertainment in joint ownership with celebrity partners.
Quantifiable outcome
- Super Bowl weekend generates $20M revenue (1/3 of annual) with $7-9M profit
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Medium Rare
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Medium Rare technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Medium Rare partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Authentic Brands GroupcoreCo-producer of Sports Illustrated The Party and other Super Bowl weekend events. Authentic Brands Group brings intellectual property and celebrity partnership relationships that Medium Rare leverages for event production.
- Knuckle SandwichflagshipCo-producer of major Super Bowl weekend events, sharing profit split with Medium Rare. Partnership focused on high-profile entertainment productions.
- Relentless BeatsflagshipCo-producer of John Summit's Experts Only Festival 2026, scheduled for September 19-20 at Randall's Island Park in New York. Second edition of the festival.
- EMWflagshipCo-producer of John Summit's Experts Only Festival 2026, supporting the electronic music festival produced in partnership with Medium Rare and Relentless Beats.
- DoorDashflagshipPresenting sponsor of Gronk Beach 2026, hosting interactive activations including customizable Dasher bags and exclusive 'Dash & Recover Kits' during WrestleMania weekend.
- DraftKingsflagshipPresenting sponsor of Sports Illustrated The Party during Super Bowl weekend at San Francisco's Cow Palace, with branded activations including Lexus VIP Lounge.
- Credit One BankflagshipPresenting sponsor of Shaq's Fun House 8th annual event in San Francisco for Big Game Weekend, featuring performances by T-Pain, Tiesto, Disco Lines, and DJ Diesel.
- WWEflagshipOfficial WWE WrestleMania After Dark event producer, with Gronk Beach returning as an official WWE event during WrestleMania week in Las Vegas.
- Jim BeamflagshipPresenting partner of Travis Kelce's Kelce Jam festival with 20,000 attendees. Jim Beam showcased large-scale interactive activation reaching consumers on-site.
- PepsiflagshipPresenting partner of Guy Fieri's Flavortown Tailgate 2024, renaming the festival 'Better With Pepsi' with comprehensive brand integration.
- Captain MorganflagshipPresenting partner of Sports Illustrated The Party with name-in-title 360 partnership. Delivered $32M earned publicity value and 4.1B total earned media impressions.
- DraftKingsflagshipDraftKings Ultimate Kickoff event presented by Xfinity and Smirnoff, transforming Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia into ultimate fan destination for NFL season launch.
- TakisflagshipTakis Intense Nacho Tour - largest activation outside Lollapalooza, transforming a boat into fully branded experiential activation with 400+ attendees.
- Bud LightflagshipSponsor of Super Bowl weekend events with 50+ brand sponsors generating over half of revenue from sponsorship deals.
- LexusflagshipVIP Lounge sponsor of Sports Illustrated The Party and sponsor of Super Bowl weekend events.
- VerizonflagshipSponsor of Super Bowl weekend events as part of 50+ brand sponsorship portfolio.
- Daymond JohncoreJoint venture with Daymond John to create and produce Black Entrepreneurs Day. FUBU founder and Shark Tank co-star leads the live and broadcast event celebrating Black business.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Medium Rare competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Octagon: Global sports marketing agency representing athletes, brands, and properties. Comparable as a competitor for sports celebrity partnerships and brand activation budgets that Medium Rare monetizes at Super Bowl and WrestleMania events.
- Endeavor (TKO Group): Sports and entertainment conglomerate owning UFC, WWE talent representation, and IMG. Comparable as a scaled operator with branded sports IP, talent management, and live event production — overlapping with Medium Rare's WWE WrestleMania After Dark and talent management operations.
- Wasserman: Sports marketing, talent management, and live event agency. Comparable as a competitor in athlete representation and brand experiential, and as a peer in operating at the intersection of sports IP and sponsor activation.
- Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG): Global sports and live entertainment operator with venue ownership, festival promotion, and touring. Comparable as a vertically integrated competitor that produces branded festival experiences and sponsorship-driven live events at scale.
- Live Nation Entertainment: The world's largest live events company and owner of Ticketmaster. Directly comparable as the dominant promoter and producer of concerts, festivals, and live experiences globally; Medium Rare's co-founders both worked at Live Nation before founding the company.
- Maverick (United Talent Agency division): Live events arm of UTA producing branded experiences around major cultural moments. Comparable as a peer combining talent representation, brand partnerships, and live event production under one roof.
Direct peers
- On Location Experiences: Premium experiential hospitality company tied to major sporting events (Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, etc.). Closest direct peer — produces exclusive VIP event properties and brand activations around marquee sports weekends, mirroring Medium Rare's Super Bowl and WrestleMania playbooks.
- Relentless Beats: Arizona-based electronic music festival and event producer. Direct production partner with Medium Rare on John Summit's Experts Only Festival 2026; comparable as a festival operator with sponsorship, ticketing, and brand activation revenue.
- Danny Wimmer Presents: Independent U.S. festival producer behind Bonnaroo, Bourbon & Beyond, and Aftershock. Comparable as a sponsor-driven festival operator building branded experiential properties tied to music and lifestyle audiences.
Regional players
- Daymon Worldwide: Global brand activation and experiential marketing agency. Comparable as a competitor for the brand activation budgets that drive over half of Medium Rare's revenue, though with a broader retail and CPG focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Medium Rare social profiles
Digital presenceMedium Rare financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Medium Rare leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Medium Rare funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Medium Rare M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Medium Rare
What does Medium Rare do?
Medium Rare creates and produces live entertainment properties (festivals and events) in joint ownership with celebrity athletes and entertainers at the intersection of sports and entertainment. The company also designs and executes brand activation campaigns for major consumer brands and manages the careers of artists and athletes including Shaquille O'Neal (DJ Diesel) and Gordo.
Is Medium Rare a public or private company?
Medium Rare is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Medium Rare founded?
Medium Rare was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Medium Rare based?
Medium Rare is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Medium Rare make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Event Production & Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are sponsorship Revenue, talent Management and brand Activations.
Who are Medium Rare's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Octagon, Endeavor (TKO Group), Wasserman, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), Live Nation Entertainment and Maverick (United Talent Agency division). Direct peers are On Location Experiences, Relentless Beats and Danny Wimmer Presents. Daymon Worldwide is listed as a regional player.
Does Medium Rare have an API?
No public API is recorded for Medium Rare.
What industry is Medium Rare in?
Medium Rare's product category is Live Event Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAFAO, Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs. Its NAICS code is 7113 and its SIC code is 7990.