Navigate Research
Navigate Research is a Chicago-based private consulting firm founded in 2006 that delivers valuations, impact studies, and strategic advisory services to major brands, leagues, teams, universities, and media companies in the sports and entertainment industry.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Navigate Research does
Navigate Research (also operating as 'Navigate') is a Chicago-based, privately held strategic consulting firm founded in 2006 that specializes in evaluating and measuring marketing investments in the sports and entertainment industry. The company delivers valuations and impact studies using proprietary research, data, and analytics methodologies, covering local, regional, national, and global levels of partnership activity. Its client roster includes major U.S. sports leagues (NFL, MLB, MLS), professional teams (New York Mets, Houston Rockets, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Bucks), the SEC, collegiate programs (Baylor University, University of Oregon), media companies (ESPN), and global brands (Anheuser-Busch InBev, Visa, PepsiCo, Adobe, T-Mobile).
The firm's core technology is a business intelligence and analytics methodology applied through expert consulting rather than a packaged software product. Service offerings are organized around five client verticals (Brands, Leagues & Teams, Collegiate Athletics, Media, Agencies, with Venues & Entertainment added on the website), plus core Valuations and Impact Studies and a recently introduced AI Strategy Services practice. Navigate also distributes content via the 'Navigating Sports Business' podcast, a blog/resource center, and a TEDx talk to support top-of-funnel demand generation.
Navigate runs a sales-led, consultative go-to-market targeting enterprise decision-makers. Revenue is generated through professional services fees for custom sponsorship valuation, impact study, and strategic advisory engagements; pricing is not publicly disclosed and quotes are issued on a project basis. The firm operates from a single Chicago headquarters, employs 11–50 people, has not raised external funding, and has no disclosed parent, M&A, or restructuring activity.
Navigate Research firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Navigate Research
- Legal name
- Navigate
- Website
- https://navigateresearch.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Navigate Research is a Chicago-based private consulting firm founded in 2006 that delivers valuations, impact studies, and strategic advisory services to major brands, leagues, teams, universities, and media companies in the sports and entertainment industry.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Navigate Research industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sports & Entertainment Consulting
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910), Marketing Consulting Services (541613)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports Business Consulting & Advisory (Strategy, Valuation, Due Diligence) (MPAKAKAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE), Product & Innovation Research (Concept, Pricing, Packaging, Conjoint) (MPAAALAI)
Keywords
Where Navigate Research is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Navigate Research business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Strategic Consulting Services: Consulting fees for data-driven research, analytics, and strategic advisory services for sponsorship valuation and major strategic decisions in sports and entertainment.
- Research and Analytics Services: Fees for market research, partnership valuations, and impact studies across local, regional, national and global levels.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Navigate Research product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Navigate Research is a sports and entertainment consulting firm that applies business intelligence, research, data, and analytics to measure and value marketing investments. Its core deliverables are Valuations and Impact Studies for sponsorships and partnerships, delivered through dedicated service lines for Brands, Leagues & Teams, Collegiate Athletics, Agencies, Media, and Venues & Entertainment, with supplemental AI Strategy consulting.
Product overview
Navigate operates as a unified sports strategy and entertainment consulting platform offering multiple service verticals including Brands, Leagues & Teams, Collegiate Athletics, and Agencies. The company provides core Valuations and Impact Studies as its primary analytical service, supplemented by AI Strategy Services. All offerings are delivered through expert consulting rather than standalone software products. The company also produces content through its Navigating Sports Business Podcast.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Navigate Research
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Navigate Research technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Navigate Research partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Navigate Research competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SponsorUnited: SponsorUnited provides sponsorship data, analytics, and valuation insights across sports and entertainment. Like Navigate, it serves brands, leagues, and agencies with sponsorship intelligence and partnership analytics.
- IEG (now part of Kantar): IEG was the long-standing pioneer in sponsorship valuation and strategy consulting, now part of Kantar. It is the most directly comparable peer to Navigate because it offers sponsorship valuation, research, and consulting services to brands, leagues, and agencies.
Emerging players
- Blinkfire Analytics: Blinkfire Analytics delivers AI-driven sports sponsorship analytics, valuation, and media value measurement across leagues, teams, and brands. It overlaps Navigate's valuation use cases but is more software-led and emerging in scale.
- Hookit (SponsorPulse): Hookit (now SponsorPulse) provides sponsorship analytics and marketing measurement for sports and entertainment sponsors. Comparable to Navigate as a sponsorship intelligence platform, though more software-driven and focused on digital exposure measurement.
- Gleanin: Gleanin provides fan engagement and partnership activation analytics for sports properties. It is a smaller emerging player whose focus on fan insights and partnership data overlaps Navigate's research offerings for leagues and teams.
Broad incumbents
- Repucom (now Nielsen Sports): Repucom was a leading sports market research and sponsorship consulting firm before being absorbed into Nielsen Sports. It is historically comparable to Navigate in sponsorship valuation methodology and is referenced here as a legacy benchmark for niche sports research firms.
- Octagon: Octagon is a global sports and entertainment marketing agency offering consulting, sponsorship strategy, and athlete management. It overlaps with Navigate's strategic advisory work for brands and properties but operates at much larger scale as part of IPG.
- Wasserman: Wasserman is a global sports, music, and entertainment marketing agency providing consulting, talent management, and sponsorship services. Comparable in client base (brands, leagues, teams) but operates as a large diversified agency rather than a boutique advisor.
- Nielsen Sports: Nielsen Sports (part of Nielsen) provides media and sponsorship measurement, audience analytics, and valuation services globally. It competes with Navigate in sponsorship ROI and impact measurement, but at a much larger scale with broader media measurement offerings.
- Deloitte Sports Business Group: Deloitte's Sports Business Group advises leagues, teams, and brands on strategy, analytics, and major deal decisions. It is a scaled consulting competitor that increasingly pitches into the same 'millions-at-stake' mandates Navigate targets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Navigate Research social profiles
Digital presenceNavigate Research financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Navigate Research leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Navigate Research funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Navigate Research 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 Navigate Research
What does Navigate Research do?
Navigate Research is a sports and entertainment consulting firm that applies business intelligence, research, data, and analytics to measure and value marketing investments. Its core deliverables are Valuations and Impact Studies for sponsorships and partnerships, delivered through dedicated service lines for Brands, Leagues & Teams, Collegiate Athletics, Agencies, Media, and Venues & Entertainment, with supplemental AI Strategy consulting.
Is Navigate Research a public or private company?
Navigate Research is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Navigate Research founded?
Navigate Research was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Navigate Research based?
Navigate Research is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Navigate Research make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Strategic Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are research and Analytics Services.
Who are Navigate Research's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SponsorUnited and IEG (now part of Kantar). Emerging players are Blinkfire Analytics, Hookit (SponsorPulse) and Gleanin. Broad incumbents are Repucom (now Nielsen Sports), Octagon, Wasserman, Nielsen Sports and Deloitte Sports Business Group.
Does Navigate Research have an API?
No public API is recorded for Navigate Research.
What industry is Navigate Research in?
Navigate Research's product category is Sports & Entertainment Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAKAL, Sports Business Consulting & Advisory (Strategy, Valuation, Due Diligence), with a secondary code of BPAHALAE, Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom). Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.