Paragon Marketing Group

What Paragon Marketing Group does

Paragon Marketing Group is a Chicago-based sports marketing and event management agency founded in 1995 (originally as HALO Sports and Entertainment, rebranded in 2001) that creates, negotiates, and activates strategic sponsorship and partnership programs for consumer brands, sports leagues, teams, and properties. The firm operates across three core service lines: consulting and sponsorship activation for brand clients (including Gatorade, PNC Bank, Chipotle, Zenni, Nature Valley, PPG Paints, and Yokohama); event creation and management (including the Chipotle Nationals high school basketball tournament, ESPN Showcase high school sports programming, NIBC elite basketball league, GEICO Lacrosse Nationals, and VEX Robotics World Championships); and third-party sales representation for naming rights, jersey patches, and high-ticket property assets. The firm reported approximately 78 employees in 2021 with plans to grow to 100, and is now positioned within the 101-250 employee range, operating from a new downtown Chicago headquarters opened in January 2023.

The company's technology stack centers on proprietary analytics and measurement tools used to evaluate sponsorship performance and campaign effectiveness, though specific AI/ML capabilities are not publicly detailed. Its most differentiated distribution asset is a network of 500+ youth sports properties across 40+ sports, reaching 4 million+ athletes annually through the Gatorade youth marketing program — a footprint that constitutes a structural barrier to entry. The firm also operates the Who's Next social media platform for high school sports content and Paragon Studios for in-house content production launched in 2021.

Paragon generates revenue through professional services fees and retainers from brand clients, event management and production fees, and commission-based transaction revenue from property sales representation. Pricing is custom and project-based rather than tiered, with multi-year contract cadences. Anchor enterprise relationships (Gatorade since 2000, ESPN since 2002, PNC Bank since 2004) demonstrate an 8+ year average client tenure. In April 2025, Paragon was acquired by Playfly Sports, a sports media, marketing, and technology platform, transitioning the firm from independent agency to subsidiary.

Name

Paragon Marketing Group

Legal name

Paragon Marketing Group

Website

https://paragonmarketing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Paragon Marketing Group is a Chicago-based sports marketing and event management agency that creates and activates sponsorship programs, events, and content for consumer brands and sports properties, anchored by long-term enterprise clients including Gatorade, ESPN, and PNC Bank.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Marketing Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (71132), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Marketing, Sponsorship Sales & Activation (MPAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sponsorship & Sports Experiential Marketing (MPAAAGAE), Athlete & Team Sponsorship Deals (Official Partners, Jersey/Kit Sponsors) (MPAKALAA), Performance & Incentive-Based Endorsements (Bonuses, Royalties, Affiliate/CPA Deals) (MPAKALAI)

Keywords

• Sports marketing services
• Sponsorship activation
• Event management
• Partnership marketing
• Brand activation

Headquarters

HQ city

Skokie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketing and Sponsorship Consulting Services: Identify, negotiate, and activate strategic sponsorships for brands seeking sports and entertainment marketing partnerships. Revenue derived from consulting fees and retainer arrangements with brand clients.
2. Event Production and Management: Conceive and deliver unique brand experiences and events. Revenue generated through event management fees and production services for clients including ESPN and sports leagues.
3. Third-Party Sales Representation: Sales representation for naming rights, jersey patches, and high-ticket sponsorship assets on behalf of properties. Commission-based revenue from completed sales transactions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Paragon Marketing Group is a sports marketing and event management agency that identifies, negotiates, and activates strategic sponsorships for consumer brands while creating and producing events and content on behalf of sports leagues, teams, and properties. The firm designs omni-engagement partnership marketing programs, produces nationally televised events (high school basketball, lacrosse, robotics), and runs third-party sales representation for naming rights and jersey patches. Its portfolio includes owned properties such as the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) and the Gatorade youth sports marketing program reaching 4 million+ athletes annually.

Product overview

Paragon Marketing Group is a sports marketing and event management agency that creates and executes marketing programs, events, and content for brand partners. The company operates as a unified service offering rather than a software product, providing: event creation and management (ESPN Showcase, Chipotle Nationals tournament, VEX Robotics World Championships, GEICO High School Lacrosse Nationals, Gatorade 5v5 tournaments); partnership marketing services (Gatorade, Chipotle, Zenni, PNC Bank, Nature Valley, Pepsi, Yokohama, PPG Paints); experiential marketing; content creation, production and distribution; digital, social and mobile marketing; youth marketing; and influencer/ambassador outreach. Key owned properties include the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) and Who's Next social media platform for high school sports. The company has approximately 78 employees and has been operating since 1995, originally as HALO Sports and Entertainment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ESPN Showcase High school sports event programming partnership with ESPN that selects top regular season football and basketball games (approximately 25 annually) for national television broadcast. Coordinates schedules, sells and integrates sponsorships, and manages event logistics for clients.
• Chipotle Nationals (formerly NHSI / GEICO Nationals / DICK'S Sporting Goods High School Nationals) Season-ending national invitational tournament for top nationally-ranked high school basketball teams. Created and produced by Paragon Marketing Group, originally launched in 2009 as NHSI and evolved through multiple naming rights sponsorship deals.
• National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) Elite national high school basketball league formed by six major prep schools. Features a 10-game regular season, special events, and a postseason tournament with TV coverage on ESPN networks.
• VEX Robotics World Championships First-ever nationally televised robotics competition created and produced in partnership with REC Foundation and VEX Robotics. Aired domestically on ESPN and CBS family of networks and in more than a dozen countries worldwide.
• GEICO High School Lacrosse Nationals First-ever national telecast of high school lacrosse featuring 8 teams in single-elimination tournament held in Washington, D.C. over Memorial Day Weekend, with semifinals and championship broadcast on ESPNU.
• Who's Next Social Media Platform Social media platform dedicated to high school sports showcasing next generation athletes through engaging content such as exclusive live highlights and custom features. Operates as an extension of ESPN's linear high school programming.
• Gatorade Youth Sports Marketing Program Largest youth sports marketing program in Paragon's portfolio, leveraging a network of over 500 youth properties across 40+ sports to serve 3.2 million gallons of Gatorade and 3.7 million Recover Protein Bars to 4 million+ athletes annually.
• Gatorade 5v5 Soccer Tournament Gatorade's annual Global 5v5 Soccer Tournament for 14-16 year old athletes. Paragon executed the USA portion, identifying key markets and building a regional format where Regional Finalists advance to a National Qualifier.
• Chipotle Sports Partnerships Integrated sports marketing program for Chipotle featuring partnerships with USA Hockey, U.S. Soccer, US Youth Soccer, and athlete partnerships including Christian Pulisic, Julie and Zach Ertz, Jack Hughes, Kendall Coyne-Schoffield, and Sabrina Ionescu. Also facilitated Chipotle NHL partnership and Chipotle Nationals high school basketball tournament.
• Zenni Sports Partnerships Sports partnership portfolio development for Zenni including Official Eyewear partnerships with San Francisco 49ers, Boston Red Sox, and jersey patch partnership with Chicago Bulls. Includes athlete partnerships with George Kittle and Coby White.
• PNC Bank Partnership Marketing Program Pillar partnerships and activation programs for PNC Bank with teams including Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Giants, St. Louis Blues, and properties like Peachtree Road Race and PNC Pavilion to drive brand consideration and loyalty.
• Nature Valley Partnership Marketing Program Outdoor and active lifestyle focused partnership program with PGA Tour, Vail Resorts, US Ski & Snowboard, and National Parks Foundation. Created the largest sampling program in General Mills history, delivering 15 million+ samples annually and achieving double digit sales growth.
• Yokohama Youth Soccer Campaign Youth soccer campaign leveraging Yokohama's Chelsea Football Club sponsorship featuring tournament and club sponsorships, national sweepstakes, Yokohama Skills Challenge, and youth player clinics.
• PPG Paints NHL Campaign National commercial campaign for PPG Paints leveraging NHL league partnership, featuring digital and TV content including behind-the-scenes footage with Phil Pritchard aired during Stanley Cup Playoffs.
• Pepsi Great Lakes Partnerships Brand affinity and awareness program in Great Lakes region leveraging Pepsi partnerships with Detroit Lions, Detroit Tigers, Michigan State University Athletics, Pittsburgh Steelers, and community events.
• UCHealth MANtenance Owned Event Annual owned event created and led by Paragon for UCHealth promoting men's health through blue uplighting of stadiums and landmarks, fitness activities, digital content, and collateral specific to men's health awareness.
• Clean & Clear Experiential Marketing Experiential marketing journey into girls volleyball and cheerleading through partnerships with Varsity Cheer and Synergies21 Volleyball, including product sampling, on-site trial, and user-generated social media content.
• EA Sports Event Concepts Original event concepts for EA Sports game launches including Madden and FIFA, with partnerships featuring Barry Sanders and Drake. Later created Madden Rivalry Series in select markets.
• Propel Fitness Partnerships Fitness space penetration and awareness program with top tier fitness events providing product sampling and hydration to event participants, supplemented by local studio and gym integrations.
• Third-Party Sales Representation for Sponsorship Assets Sales representation for naming rights, jersey patches, and other high-ticket sponsorship assets on behalf of sports properties. Commission-based revenue from completed sales transactions, with the firm positioned to maintain distance between consulting clients and the properties they represent.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4 million+ athletes reached annually through Gatorade youth marketing program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• PNC BankcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2004Client since 2004. Paragon secured pillar partnerships and developed activation programs with Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Giants, St. Louis Blues, Peachtree Road Race, and PNC Pavilion to drive brand consideration and loyalty.
• ESPNcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Long-term strategic partnership since 2002 for high school sports programming. Paragon works with ESPN to select top games, coordinate schedules, sell/integrate sponsorships, and manage event logistics. Created national high school basketball events including NHSI, Geico Nationals, and bowl games televised on ESPN networks.
• GatoradecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2000Client since 2000. Paragon manages the largest youth sports marketing program ever created, leveraging 500+ youth properties across 40+ sports to serve 3.2 million gallons of Gatorade and 3.7 million protein bars to 4 million+ athletes annually.
• ChipotlecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic sports partnerships with USA Hockey, U.S. Soccer, US Youth Soccer, and athlete partnerships with Christian Pulisic, Julie and Zach Ertz, Jack Hughes, Kendall Coyne-Schoffield, and Sabrina Ionescu. Also facilitated Chipotle NHL partnership and Chipotle Nationals high school basketball tournament.
• National Hockey League (NHL)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerChipotle serves as NHL's official Mexican-themed QSR through partnership facilitated by Paragon. Paragon also manages PPG Paints official paint partnership with NHL.
• UCHealthmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerParagon created and led execution of UCHealth's annual owned event called MANtenance for men's health awareness. Campaign includes stadium uplighting, fitness activities, and digital content.
• VEX Robotics / REC FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParagon created and produced the first ever nationally televised robotics competition. VEX Robotics World Championships aired on ESPN, ESPN International, and CBS in US and 12+ countries worldwide.
• PGA TourmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Nature Valley outdoor lifestyle sampling programs including caddie hat incentive program and resort partnerships with Vail Resorts and US Ski & Snowboard.
• Chelsea Football ClubmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal sponsorship partnership leveraged for Yokohama youth soccer campaign in America featuring tournament sponsorships, sweepstakes, coaching education, and player clinics.
• National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParagon partnered with elite high schools (Oak Hill, Montverde, IMG Academy, La Lumiere, Sunrise Christian, Wasatch Academy) to create first national high school basketball league. Rashid Ghazi serves as commissioner. Games placed on ESPN networks.
• National Parks FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Nature Valley outdoor lifestyle brand revitalization through outdoor enthusiast property activations.
• San Francisco 49ersmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerZenni Official Eyewear partner; Paragon created and led unique campaigns and experiences to showcase Zenni value proposition to fans in key markets.
• Chicago BullsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerZenni jersey patch partner; Paragon facilitated partnership and created campaigns with athlete George Kittle and Coby White.
• Boston Red SoxmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerZenni Official Eyewear partner integrated into fan engagement campaigns.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Momentum Worldwide: Global experiential marketing agency with deep sports sponsorship experience, including athlete partnerships and event-driven brand activations for Fortune 500 clients.
• Octagon: Global sports marketing agency offering sponsorship consulting, athlete representation, and event management for Fortune 500 brands and major rights holders. Directly competes with Paragon on sponsorship sales and brand activation mandates.
• Wasserman: Sports marketing, athlete representation, and consulting firm serving brands, leagues, and teams across sponsorship, talent, and content. Comparable to Paragon in serving both brand clients and sports properties.
• MKTG: Experiential and sports marketing agency (Dentsu subsidiary) focused on sponsorship activation and consumer engagement for major brands. Directly comparable in event-driven, experiential work for enterprise clients.
• 160over90: Creative agency specializing in sports and entertainment marketing, brand partnerships, and experiential activations for major brands and rights holders. Direct competitor on partnership marketing and event creation.
• Revolution (sports consulting): Sports sponsorship and consulting agency working with brands and rights holders on partnership strategy, naming rights sales, and activation. Directly comparable in property representation and sponsorship consulting.

Broad incumbents

• Playfly Sports: Acquirer of Paragon and a broader sports media, marketing, and technology platform with high school, collegiate, and pro sports rights. Operates an overlapping but larger portfolio of sponsorship sales and activation services.
• Legends Hospitality: Premium experiences company with sponsorship sales, hospitality, and content capabilities across major sports venues and leagues. Competes for naming rights, sponsorship packaging, and brand activation work.
• Learfield IMG College: Collegiate sports multimedia rights holder with sponsorship sales and activation capabilities across hundreds of university partners. Adjacent competitor for collegiate and high school sponsorship work.

Emerging players

• Excel Sports Management: Sports marketing and talent representation firm intersecting sponsorship consulting and athlete management. Overlaps with Paragon on endorsement facilitation for high-profile athletes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/paragon_mktg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paragon-marketing-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Paragon Marketing Group