Westminster Kennel Club

What Westminster Kennel Club does

Westminster Kennel Club is a 148-year-old non-profit organization (founded 1877, headquartered in New York City) that operates America's oldest continuously held dog show, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The club runs Westminster Week, a multi-day event series held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Madison Square Garden, encompassing conformation competition (breed and group judging culminating in Best in Show), the Masters Agility Championship, Masters Obedience Championship, Junior Showmanship, the Flyball Tournament, and Field Trials. The 150th show in February 2026 featured over 2,500 entries and Penny the Doberman Pinscher as Best in Show; the 151st edition in February 2027 will draw over 3,000 dogs from 50 U.S. states and 17 countries across 200+ breeds.

The club generates revenue through four streams: ticket sales (sold via Ticketmaster for MSG evening events and Tix123 for Javits Center daytime events across multiple day and evening sessions), corporate sponsorships across a tiered partner program (with Purina Pro Plan as presenting sponsor for 15 consecutive years, plus official, promotional, and merchandise partners), broadcasting rights (a new Netflix live streaming deal for 2027 replaces a 10-year Fox Sports exclusive), and merchandise sales including commemorative publications. The club employs 1-10 staff and relies entirely on third-party platforms for ticketing, streaming, and digital infrastructure — it does not develop or operate proprietary technology. Beyond the annual event, the club maintains year-round community engagement through Westminster Cares (breed rescue, canine health, community support), Junior Showmanship scholarships (over $27,000 distributed in 2026), the Veterinarian of the Year Award (now in its fifth year with Purina Pro Plan Veterinary, receiving 300+ nominations in 2025), and digital content via its YouTube channel, newsletter, and blog.

Westminster serves a defined set of stakeholder groups: dog show competitors (breeders, handlers, owners across conformation, agility, obedience, flyball), junior handlers aged 9-18 competing for scholarships, veterinary professionals recognized through the annual award, corporate sponsors seeking alignment with a premier American sports property, and a global broadcast/viewer audience. The club is governed by a Board of Governors (President Dr. Donald G. Sturz since 2022) and operates without parent company, venture, or private equity ownership. Strategic positioning centers on brand heritage ('America's Dog Show,' 'There's only one') and the structural uniqueness of being the only Westminster in U.S. dog showing.

Name

Westminster Kennel Club

Legal name

The Westminster Kennel Club

Website

https://westminsterkennelclub.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1877

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Westminster Kennel Club is a 148-year-old New York-based non-profit that hosts America's iconic annual dog show (conformation, agility, obedience, flyball) at Madison Square Garden and the Javits Center, funded by ticketing, corporate sponsorships led by Purina Pro Plan, broadcasting rights (now Netflix), and merchandise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Canine Event Hosting & Dog Show Production

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Pet & Animal Expos (MPAGAFAI)

Keywords

• Conformation dog show
• Canine agility championship
• Junior showmanship competition
• Live dog show broadcast
• Purebred dog events

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Westminster Kennel Club generates revenue through the sale of tickets to the annual Westminster Week dog show events. Tickets are sold for separate daytime events at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and evening events at Madison Square Garden. Separate ticketing platforms are used for each venue. Ticket categories include Saturday daytime (Canine Celebration, Masters Agility Preliminaries), Saturday evening (Masters Agility Finals), Monday daytime (breed judging) and evening (group judging), and Tuesday daytime and evening (remaining breed judging, group judging, Best in Show).
2. Corporate Sponsorships: The Westminster Kennel Club receives sponsorship revenue from a tiered partner program including presenting sponsors (Purina Pro Plan, 15 consecutive years), official sponsors (Cosequin, FieldTurf Landscape, ORORO, Acuity Scheduling, Johnston & Murphy), promotional partners (Netflix, NYC Tourism, ESBA), and merchandise partners (Up Country, Doheny NYC). Sponsors receive on-site, digital, and broadcast integrations.
3. Broadcasting Rights: The club has historically earned revenue from broadcasting rights. After a 10-year exclusive deal with Fox Sports, the club secured a landmark media partnership with Netflix to stream the 151st edition live in February 2027. Daytime breed competitions are also streamed on Tudum and the Westminster website. Broadcasting rights fees are a significant revenue component of the deal.
4. Merchandise Sales: The club operates a merchandise shop selling commemorative items such as the 150th anniversary commemorative book. Merchandise is available both online and in person at events through partner Up Country.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Westminster Kennel Club is a non-profit organization that produces Westminster Week, an annual multi-day canine event series held in New York City featuring conformation breed judging, the Masters Agility Championship, Masters Obedience Championship, Junior Showmanship, Flyball Tournament, and Field Trials. The organization generates revenue from ticketed in-person attendance, broadcasting rights, corporate sponsorships, and commemorative merchandise, while supporting breed education, canine health, and breed rescue through its Westminster Cares initiative.

Product overview

The Westminster Kennel Club operates as an event-based organization hosting America's iconic dog show, established in 1877. The core product is Westminster Week, a multi-day event series featuring conformation competition (the main Dog Show), the Masters Agility Championship, Masters Obedience Championship, Flyball Tournament, Junior Showmanship, and Field Trials. Supporting offerings include Digital Programs (annual digital show programs), the Breed Finder tool, commemorative merchandise, and the Westminster Cares community initiative with breed rescue awards. The 151st show in 2027 marks a new era with Netflix streaming partnership for live coverage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Westminster Week

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 dogs from 50 U.S. states and 17 countries participate annually in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• NetflixflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 May 2026Netflix has acquired the broadcasting rights to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, marking the first time the iconic dog competition will be available on a streaming platform. The 151st edition of the show will be held in early 2027 in New York, with evening judging events at Madison Square Garden streamed live on Netflix. Daytime breed competitions will stream on Tudum.com and the Westminster website. This replaces Fox Sports' 10-year exclusive deal.
• Purina Pro PlanflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Purina Pro Plan is the presenting sponsor of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and Masters Agility Championship for the 15th consecutive year. The sponsor claims that 18 of the last 19 Westminster Best in Show Champions were fueled by Purina Pro Plan. Additionally, Purina's Purple Leash Project (partnered with RedRover) helps domestic violence survivors and their pets. The 'Courageous Together' statue by Kristen Visbal is featured at Westminster for the third year, created in partnership with Purina. The Veterinarian of the Year Award is also presented in partnership with Purina Pro Plan Veterinary.
• TudumcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Tudum.com serves as a streaming platform for daytime breed competitions at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show alongside the Westminster website, complementing Netflix's live coverage of evening events.
• Cosequin Joint Health SupplementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCosequin has been a partner of the Westminster Kennel Club for more than a decade. Together, Westminster and Cosequin have been proud supporters of the nonprofit organization Valor Service Dog. Cosequin will be on-site with an interactive booth and special guests for WKC attendees.
• FieldTurf LandscapecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFieldTurf Landscape is the official turf provider for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, covering over 60,000 sq. ft. including the Masters Agility Championship Course, all breed rings, and the iconic floor at Madison Square Garden. The company is trusted by the NFL, MLB, and NCAA.
• ORORO Heated ApparelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerORORO is the official heated apparel partner of the Westminster Kennel Club, debuting as a first-time partner for the 150th show. Westminster debuts exclusive co-branded ORORO apparel available online and in person. ORORO also provides select ambassadors with heated apparel pieces to document their road to Westminster on social media.
• Acuity SchedulingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAcuity Scheduling is a first-time sponsor of The Westminster Kennel Club. It is an integral part of the first-ever Sensation Stage at the Javits Center for the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, enhancing the fan experience by allowing fans to easily schedule activities in advance.
• Johnston & MurphyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJohnston & Murphy is a first-time sponsor of The Westminster Kennel Club. The company outfits select VIPs, Judges, and exhibitors, and is highlighted in the Westminster Legends Event at Madison Square Garden.
• NYC Tourism (NYC & Company)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNYC Tourism (NYC & Company) is a promotional partner of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, promoting the event to visitors of New York City and driving tourism to the show.
• ESBA (Empire State Building Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Empire State Building Association is a promotional partner of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, contributing to the visibility and prestige of the event in New York City.
• Up CountryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUp Country is a merchandise partner of the Westminster Kennel Club, selling co-branded merchandise including the official Westminster commemorative book and other items through its online shop and at events.
• Doheny NYCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDoheny NYC is a merchandise partner of the Westminster Kennel Club, contributing to the event's merchandise offerings for attendees.
• Purina Pro Plan Veterinary (for Veterinarian of the Year Award)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurina Pro Plan Veterinary is the presenting partner for the Westminster Kennel Club Veterinarian of the Year Award. The award includes a $10,000 donation to a Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission partner in the winner's name. The 2026 award marks the fifth anniversary of the initiative and introduces an all-new fan voting component.
• Kristen Visbal (Sculptor — Courageous Together Statue)minorOthersKristen Visbal, the artist behind the 'Fearless Girl' statue, created the 'Courageous Together' statue depicting a woman and her dog taking a courageous first step forward together as domestic violence survivors. The statue is displayed at Westminster as part of the Purple Leash Project initiative for the third consecutive year, in partnership with Purina and RedRover.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Eukanuba World Challenge: A global invitational conformation event branded under premium pet nutrition (now Royal Canin) that aggregates Best in Show winners from national competitions. It competes for prestige and international attention in the same global conformation ecosystem as Westminster.

Direct peers

• World Dog Show: Run annually by the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale), the World Dog Show rotates among member countries and represents the international apex of conformation competition. It is the global-tier peer to Westminster's "second-longest continuously held" U.S. status.
• The National Dog Show: Hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia and televised on NBC on Thanksgiving Day, the National Dog Show is the most direct U.S. peer to Westminster: another major all-breed conformation event with prime-time broadcast distribution and a similar presenting sponsor relationship (Purina).
• International Kennel Club of Chicago: The International Kennel Club of Chicago hosts a long-running annual cluster of all-breed dog shows, obedience trials, and agility events. It is one of the legacy U.S. conformation competitors and competes for exhibitor entries in the Midwest.
• AKC National Championship: The AKC National Championship is the American Kennel Club's flagship annual conformation and performance event, held in Orlando. It directly competes for elite exhibitor entries and sponsor dollars with Westminster, and broadcasts on ABC.
• Crufts: Crufts is the United Kingdom's premier annual dog show, run by The Kennel Club. It is the closest international analogue to Westminster, offering conformation, agility, obedience, flyball, and junior handling at massive scale with broadcast and ticketing revenue.

Regional players

• Morris & Essex Kennel Club Dog Show: A historic U.S. dog show founded in 1927 by Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge, held in New Jersey. It shares the U.S. purebred show heritage with Westminster and historically attracted elite East Coast exhibitors before going dormant and being revived.
• Beverly Hills Dog Show: A more recently established U.S. all-breed conformation event in California, broadcast on ESPN. It competes for West Coast exhibitor attention and national broadcast audiences, positioning itself as a younger alternative to Westminster's traditional East Coast event.

Others

• National Cat Show / Cat Fanciers' Association events: The Cat Fanciers' Association runs conformation-style events for pedigreed cats that are structurally and culturally analogous to Westminster (judging, breeds, group competition, Best in Show). It is thematically adjacent rather than directly competitive, reflecting the broader pedigree-show ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• American Kennel Club (AKC): The American Kennel Club is the national kennel club and the parent registry whose breed standards and titles gate-keep entry into Westminster. As the umbrella body for conformation, agility, obedience, and junior events in the U.S., it is the closest broad incumbent to Westminster's event ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wkcdogs
• Instagraminstagram.com/westminsterkennelclub
• Xx.com/WKCDOGS
• Facebookfacebook.com/WKCDogShow

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 Westminster Kennel Club