Scripps National Spelling Bee

What Scripps National Spelling Bee does

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the nation's largest and longest-running educational competition program, founded in 1925 and operated as a non-profit by The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) from its Cincinnati, Ohio headquarters. The program reaches 11 million students annually through a tiered competitive structure spanning classroom bees, school-wide bees, regional competitions hosted by 175+ regional partner organizations (newspapers, sports teams, universities, organizations), and a nationally televised national championship held annually in Washington, D.C. The 2026 competition at DAR Constitution Hall featured 247 contestants from all 50 US states, multiple territories, and five international countries. The Bee is governed by editorial staff (Director of Editorial, editorial specialists) who curate official word lists in partnership with Merriam-Webster (Official Dictionary Partner), and operations staff who manage school enrollment and the Online Testing Platform.

The core product is the annual national competition, supplemented by an ecosystem of offerings including the Bee Keeper magazine, the Word Club mobile application, the Words of the Champions 4,000-word study guide, Britannica Online for Kids subscriptions, and the 'Beeloved' centennial commemorative book. The School Enrollment Program charges $199 per school annually, providing competition lists, study materials, certificates, and partner benefits. The Spell-off format (introduced 2021) and Vocabulary Rounds are signature competition mechanics, with the 2026 champion Shrey Parikh setting a new Spell-off record of 32 words in 90 seconds. Technology infrastructure consists of the spellingbee.com website for enrollment and competition management, an Online Testing Platform, and broadcast distribution via ION Television and the Scripps Sports Network.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining school enrollment fees ($199 per school), national and regional sponsorship partnerships (Merriam-Webster, Delta Air Lines, Scholastic, Encyclopaedia Britannica, News-O-Matic, Kennedy Space Center), broadcast partnerships with ION Television and Scripps Sports Network, regional partner fees, merchandise sales (spellingbee.shop), and philanthropic contributions via the Beelieve fund (in partnership with the Scripps Howard Fund and matched by the Adam R. Scripps Foundation's $100,000 pledge). The organization employs 11-50 staff led by Executive Director Corrie Loeffler and operates as a program within The E.W. Scripps Company, with no separate financial disclosure available for the Bee itself.

Name

Scripps National Spelling Bee

Legal name

The Scripps National Spelling Bee

Website

https://spellingbee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a 100-year-old non-profit educational competition program operated by The E.W. Scripps Company, reaching 11 million students annually through a tiered classroom-to-national competition structure. Schools enroll at $199/year, supplemented by national sponsorships and broadcast partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Competition Services

NAICS

Other Schools and Instruction (6116), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Spelling, Vocabulary & Word Study Programs (EDAMAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Literacy, Reading & Writing Tutoring (Native & Second-Language) (EDANACAL), Test & Admissions Writing (SSAT/ISEE/SAT/ACT Essays, Personal Statements) (EDAMAJAM)

Keywords

• Educational competition program
• Spelling bee services
• Academic enrichment programs
• Vocabulary development resources
• School enrollment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

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, Others

Revenue model

1. School Enrollment Fees: Schools pay a per-school enrollment fee of $199 through December 31, 2025, to participate in the Bee program. This fee provides access to competition lists, study materials, certificates, and regional partner coordination.
2. Sponsorship and Partnership Revenue: The Bee generates revenue through national partner sponsorships (Merriam-Webster as Official Dictionary Partner, Delta Air Lines as Official Airline Partner), regional partner fees, broadcast partnerships with Scripps Networks, and prize sponsors including Kennedy Space Center and Scholastic.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Scripps National Spelling Bee administers the nation's largest and longest-running educational spelling competition, structured as a multi-tier pathway from classroom and school bees through 175+ regional partner competitions to a nationally televised national championship held annually in Washington, D.C. Schools enroll at $199 per school to access official word lists, study guides, certificates, and competition materials, while the organization monetizes broadcast, sponsorship, and donation channels to support the program.

Product overview

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a single primary product—an annual national academic competition for spelling—supplemented by an ecosystem of related offerings. The core competition involves students progressing through classroom, school, and regional spelling bees before reaching the nationally-televised national championship. Supporting products include the annual Bee Keeper magazine, the Word Club mobile application, and the School Enrollment Program ($199 per school) which provides study lists, competition materials, and vocabulary resources. The Regional Partner Program enables over 175 organizations to host local bees that feed into the national competition. Recent additions include the Beelieve access fund (2025) and the centennial commemorative book 'Beeloved' (2025).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scripps National Spelling Bee Competition The annual national spelling bee competition, structured as a multi-tier pathway from classroom and school bees through 175+ regional partner competitions to a nationally televised national championship held in Washington, D.C. Students compete for the Scripps Cup and a $50,000+ prize package.
• School Enrollment Program Annual per-school enrollment for $199 providing access to official word lists, the 4,000-word Words of the Champions study guide, supplemental vocabulary materials, customizable certificates, Britannica Online for Kids, and regional partner coordination.
• Regional Partner Program
• Bee Keeper Magazine
• Beeloved: Celebrating the First 100 Years (commemorative book)
• Beelieve Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• Shrey Parikh won 2026 championship by correctly spelling 32 words in 90 seconds, setting a new Spell-off record
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

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

• Merriam-WebsterflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Dictionary Partner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Provides official dictionary resources, $2,500 cash prize for the champion, and reference library materials. The partnership supports word knowledge and spelling excellence.
• Delta Air LinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Airline Partner providing $1,000 in flight credits to the champion. Supports travel and logistics for the national competition.
• Scripps Howard FundflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with the Bee to create the 'Beelieve' fund celebrating the Bee's centennial in 2025. The fund aims to expand access to spelling bees for students from under-resourced communities. The Adam R. Scripps Foundation pledged a $100,000 matching donation.
• ION TelevisioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial broadcast partner for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Airs the Semifinals and Finals nationally, reaching millions of viewers. Available free over the air and on major cable, satellite, and streaming platforms.
• Encyclopaedia BritannicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner providing $400 of reference works including a 1768 Encyclopaedia Britannica replica set and three-year membership to Britannica Online Premium for the champion. Also provides one-year subscription to Britannica Online Premium for all national competitors.
• ScholasticcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrize sponsor providing $1,000 Scholastic Dollars to be donated to the Champion's school, supporting educational resources for the winning school.
• Kennedy Space Center Visitors ComplexminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrize sponsor providing two 1-day admission tickets to all quarterfinalists, supporting STEM and educational experiences.
• News-O-MaticcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner providing one-year subscription to News-O-Matic for the speller's school (all spellers) and a five-year subscription for the Champion's school.
• Carolina PantherscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum Regional Partner sending champions to the national competition from Charlotte, North Carolina area.
• Dallas Sports CommissioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum Regional Partner that advanced 2025 Champion Faizan Zaki to the national competition from Dallas, Texas.
• Houston City CollegecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum Regional Partner advancing champions to the national competition from Houston, Texas area.
• Los Angeles County Office of EducationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum Regional Partner advancing champions to the national competition from Los Angeles County, California.
• Minnesota Service CooperativescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum Regional Partner advancing champions to the national competition from Minnesota.
• Orange County Public SchoolscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum Regional Partner advancing champions to the national competition from Orange County, Florida.
• San Ramon Valley Rotary ClubcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum Regional Partner advancing champions to the national competition from San Ramon Valley, California area.
• Terrell Christopher Gladney Memorial AcademycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum Regional Partner advancing champions to the national competition from Sacramento, California area.
• Events DCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBee Week Experience Partner helping create fun and educational environment for national competitors in Washington, D.C.
• The Op GamesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBee Week Experience Partner providing games and activities for the 200+ national competitors during Bee Week.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MATHCOUNTS Foundation: MATHCOUNTS runs a tiered national math competition (classroom → school → chapter → state → national) for the same elementary/middle school age group as the Spelling Bee. The structure, regional-partner-driven model, and nonprofit sponsorship-driven revenue model closely mirror the Bee's operating playbook.
• Science Olympiad USA: Science Olympiad organizes K-12 STEM team competitions through regional, state, and national tournaments with university and corporate sponsorship. It shares the Bee's regional-partner funnel, school-based participation, and televised national finals model in a closely adjacent academic subject area.
• US Academic Decathlon (USAD): US Academic Decathlon stages a national academic competition across ten subjects for high school students, with regional qualifiers feeding a national championship. The competitive structure, school enrollment fees, and national sponsor portfolio are directly analogous to the Bee's model, just for an older age group and broader subject scope.
• Destination Imagination: Destination Imagination runs K-12 team-based creative problem-solving challenges with regional affiliates and a national finals. It mirrors the Bee's nonprofit educational-competition structure, multi-tiered regional-to-national funnel, and corporate partnership monetization model.
• FIRST: FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) operates K-12 STEM competitions including FIRST Robotics, with regional events and a national championship, corporate sponsorships (deeply embedded in the program's funding), and a school-affiliated participation base. The sponsorship-driven, regional-to-national, school-based competition model is structurally analogous to the Spelling Bee.
• Odyssey of the Mind: Odyssey of the Mind is a K-12 creative problem-solving competition with local, regional, state, and world finals run by an independent nonprofit. It is a structural twin to the Bee in terms of nonprofit operation, regional affiliate network, school enrollment, and competition-as-product model.
• National Academic Quiz Tournaments (NAQT): NAQT organizes academic quiz-bowl competitions for middle school, high school, and college students through tournaments, championships, and question-writing services. It is comparable to the Spelling Bee as a nonprofit academic competition operator serving the same K-12 demographic with tournament-based formats.
• National History Bee and Bowl: The National History Bee and Bowl runs history-themed competition series (bee format and bowl format) for elementary, middle, and high school students with regional and national championships. It explicitly adopts the "bee" competition format and shares the Spelling Bee's subject-specific academic competition positioning.

Broad incumbents

• College Board: College Board is a large, established nonprofit that operates nationally administered academic assessment programs (SAT, AP) and content partnerships serving the same K-12 academic enrichment space as the Spelling Bee. While much broader in scope and reach, it is comparable as a nonprofit educational-assessment operator monetizing through school and student participation.

Others

• Encyclopaedia Britannica: Encyclopaedia Britannica is a current strategic partner providing reference materials, prize content, and Britannica Online Premium subscriptions to Spelling Bee participants. It is included as a peer because it sits at the intersection of literacy, vocabulary, and reference content distribution and is the closest content/publishing counterpart to the Bee's literacy-focused offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Scrippsbee
• Facebookfacebook.com/scrippsnationalspellingbee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spelling-bee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Scripps National Spelling Bee