National Sports Forum

Name

National Sports Forum

Legal name

National Sports Forum

Website

https://sports-forum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Industry Conference and Networking Events

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Conferences & Sales Kickoffs (MPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB)

Keywords

• Sports business conference
• Industry networking events
• Sports marketing forums
• Professional development conferences
• Event sponsorship services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Registration Fees: The National Sports Forum generates revenue through registration fees charged to attendees. Multiple pricing tiers exist including Team Forum Family Rates ($1,195) and Supplier Forum Family Rates ($1,295), with early registration discounts available until July 31. Group pricing for three or more attendees from the same company is also offered.
2. Sponsorship and Advertising: The forum generates revenue through sponsorship opportunities including named events like the Budweiser Beer Wagon and Budweiser Gala, as well as the Budweiser Parney Award sponsorship. Sponsorship opportunities are offered through [email protected].

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The National Sports Forum is an annual three-day immersive conference that brings together 1,000+ sports business professionals from teams, leagues, agencies, colleges, and corporate sponsors for education and networking. Programming is organized around five pillars: Sponsorship Sales & Partner Activation, Marketing & Fan Engagement, Ticket Sales & Service, Business Development, and Diversity & Inclusion, delivered through 30+ breakout sessions, 18 workshops, and 6 main stage sessions, plus ancillary events such as the Case Cup competition, Newcomers Breakfast, Women Sports Leaders Reception, Budweiser Gala, and multiple annual awards.

Product overview

The National Sports Forum (NSF), now operating under the Sports Business Journal (SBJ) umbrella, is an annual three-day conference for sports business professionals. Founded in 1996 by Ron Seaver, the Forum brings together more than 1,000 sports professionals from teams, leagues, agencies, and brands. The event is organized around five core pillars: Sponsorship Sales & Partner Activation, Marketing & Fan Engagement, Ticket Sales & Service, Business Development, and Diversity & Inclusion. The program includes the main conference with breakout sessions, workshops, and main stage sessions, as well as ancillary programs like the Case Cup student competition, Newcomers Breakfast, Women Sports Leaders Reception, Project Possible Award, Budweiser Gala with multiple awards (Parney Award, Sammy Award, Tech Tank, Anniversary Awards), and networking traditions like the Host Bar and Budweiser Beer Wagon.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sammy Award: Annual sales advertising marketing management idea competition
• Tech Tank
• Project Possible Award
• Budweiser Parney Award

Products and services

• SBJ National Sports Forum Annual Conference Annual three-day immersive conference for sports business professionals that brings together 1,000+ attendees from teams, leagues, agencies, colleges, and corporate sponsors for 30+ breakout sessions, 18 workshops, and 6 main stage sessions organized around five core pillars (Sponsorship Sales & Partner Activation, Marketing & Fan Engagement, Ticket Sales & Service, Business Development, and Diversity & Inclusion), plus venue tours and networking.
• NSF Case Cup Competition where graduate students from sport management programs analyze and present strategic solutions to a real-world sport-business case within 24 hours, with teams competing against top graduate programs.
• Newcomers Breakfast Structured networking breakfast on Monday morning that opens the Forum, with attendees seated at tables of 10 for networking and presentations on maximizing the Forum experience.
• Women Sports Leaders Reception Women-centric networking reception held Monday evening following the opening night cocktail reception in the Tradeshow Hall, dedicated to elevating women in sports.
• Budweiser Gala Festive and memorable conclusion to the Forum held at a sports venue, featuring a facility tour, featured speaker, networking, and presentations of the Budweiser Parney Award, Anniversary Awards, Sammy Award, and Tech Tank winner.
• Budweiser Parney Award Annual award named after Todd 'Parney' Parnell (CEO of the Richmond Flying Squirrels) presented to an attendee who embodies the spirit of the Forum Family.
• Tech Tank Competition Annual technology competition where innovators present solutions for the sports industry, with the winner recognized at the Budweiser Gala.
• SAMMY Award (Sales Advertising Marketing Management Idea of the Year) Annual award recognizing the Sales Advertising Marketing Management Idea of the Year, presented during the Budweiser Gala.
• Anniversary Awards Annual recognition for Forum Family members who have attended 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 Forums, celebrating long-term commitment to the community.
• Project Possible Award Award presented in partnership with Bonner Paddock and Project Possible that celebrates individuals in the sports and entertainment industry who go above and beyond to better their community through volunteering, teaching, or foundation work.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Sports Business Journal (SBJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Sports Forum was conceived in 1996 by Ron Seaver and is now being integrated under the Sports Business Journal umbrella. SBJ provides editorial infrastructure, subscriber base, sales organization for sponsorships, and industry credibility. The SBJ NSF event is part of SBJ's portfolio of sports business conferences and properties.
• BudweiserflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBudweiser serves as the naming sponsor for major Forum events including the Budweiser Beer Wagon (happy hour following programming) and the Budweiser Gala (festive conclusion to the Forum). Additionally, Budweiser sponsors the prestigious Budweiser Parney Award presented during the Gala.
• Project Possible / Bonner PaddockcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Project Possible Award (previously the One Man Foundation Award) is presented in partnership with Bonner Paddock and Project Possible. This award celebrates individuals in the sports industry who go above and beyond to better their community. The inaugural recipient was recognized at the 2014 National Sports Forum.
• Union Station HotelminorOthersUnion Station Hotel in St. Louis serves as the primary venue for the 2026 National Sports Forum program, located at 1820 Market St, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Sports Business Journal: Parent publication of NSF and a leading trade media brand covering the sports business. Included for context as the organizational parent and shared subscriber/sponsor base, though it operates as a media and information business rather than an event in NSF's category.

Emerging players

• SportTechie: Sports technology media platform that also runs industry events and the Sports Tech Awards. Adjacent to NSF in targeting sports business and technology decision-makers, with a stronger tech-and-innovation focus.
• Front Office Sports Summit: Digital media company and event organizer covering the business of sports, including an annual summit. Comparable to NSF in audience (sports executives, leagues, brands) but positioned as a more media- and digitally native challenger.

Broad incumbents

• SXSW Conference & Festivals: Large-scale business, technology, and culture festival that includes sports programming. Comparable to NSF in being a high-profile B2B event with sponsorship-driven revenue, though at much larger scale and with a non-sports-specific audience.
• NAB Show: Massive annual media and entertainment trade show. While not sports-specific, it attracts broadcasters, rights holders, and sponsors who also attend NSF, making it a broader incumbent event competitor for sponsorship and attendee attention.

Direct peers

• Leaders in Sport: UK-headquartered sports business events and membership platform serving leagues, teams, federations, and corporate partners. Highly comparable to NSF in audience (sports business executives), event format, and sponsorship model, though with a stronger European footprint.
• Sportel: Long-running international sports media and technology conference held in Monaco. Comparable to NSF as a B2B sports industry event focused on rights, content, and technology, attracting leagues, broadcasters, and sponsors.
• MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference: Annual sports business and analytics conference that brings together sports executives, league and team representatives, and technology vendors. It overlaps NSF in targeting sports business decision-makers but specializes in analytics, making it a directly comparable niche B2B event.
• TEAMS Conference & Expo (Sports Events & Tourism Association): Annual conference and expo for the sports events, travel, and tourism industry. Targets sports commissions, destinations, organizers, and event suppliers — overlapping NSF's industry-vertical buyer base and event-driven revenue model.
• ALSD International Conference & Tradeshow: Conference for the premium seat, suite, and arena industry, serving teams, venues, and vendors. Directly comparable to NSF as a B2B sports business event with sponsorship revenue and a similar buyer profile across teams and corporate partners.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/natlsportsforum
• Facebookfacebook.com/NationalSportsForum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-national-sports-forum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 National Sports Forum