Positive Impact
Positive Impact is a privately held Cranbury, NJ-based sports and entertainment consulting firm founded in 1998 that delivers event management, sponsorship activation, venue advisory, and brand services to professional leagues, teams, venues, universities, and corporate sponsors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersCranbury, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Positive Impact does
Positive Impact is a privately held sports and entertainment consulting firm founded in 1998 by Michael Rowe and headquartered at 68 South Main Street, Suite A, Cranbury, NJ. The firm provides human-capital-driven advisory services to professional sports leagues and teams, sports and entertainment venues, corporate brands and sponsors, universities, and non-profit organizations. Its service portfolio spans eight core areas: event management and franchise operations, corporate consulting and business planning, revenue generation and commercial review, marketing/advertising and media relations, brand management and activation, owner's representation, asset management, and contract negotiation and compliance. Notable clients include BIG3 Basketball, Fox Sports, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the New York Giants and Jets, Villanova University, the Prudential Center, and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.
The firm operates without proprietary technology or software products, instead competing on the experience of its principals — over 100 years of collective senior management experience and a track record of 4,000+ public events attended by 80M+ spectators across 17 countries. Service delivery is led by Founder/CEO Michael Rowe (former EVP/GM of Meadowlands Sports Complex and President/COO of the New Jersey Nets) and President/COO Allyson Rowe, supported by a 20+ member team that includes a Director of Event Operations managing 300+ annual New Jersey events, a Lead Project Manager supervising 20+ Field Marketing Representatives, and a Brand Activation Manager.
Positive Impact generates revenue exclusively through professional services engagements billed on a quote-based consulting model. Distribution is direct: client acquisition comes through industry relationships, RFP responses, RFQ requests, and referrals rather than channel partners. The firm is founder/management-controlled with no disclosed institutional investment, private equity, or venture capital backing, and is recognized as both an NJBIZ Best Places to Work 2025 honoree and a Forbes Americas Best Workplaces 2026 honoree.
Positive Impact firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Positive Impact
- Legal name
- Positive Impact
- Website
- https://positiveimpact.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Positive Impact is a privately held Cranbury, NJ-based sports and entertainment consulting firm founded in 1998 that delivers event management, sponsorship activation, venue advisory, and brand services to professional leagues, teams, venues, universities, and corporate sponsors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Positive Impact industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sports and Entertainment Consulting
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (711410)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Brand Activations & Experiential Campaign Design (MPAAAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cause, Community & CSR-Linked Sports Partnerships (Foundations, Youth Programs) (MPAKALAJ), Cause, ESG & Sustainability Communications (MPAAADAL)
Keywords
Where Positive Impact is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cranbury
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Positive Impact business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Professional Consulting Services: Business consulting engagements including strategic planning, asset reviews, sponsorship sales strategy, and advisory services for sports and entertainment clients.
- Event Management and Production: Full-service event management including venue operations, game production, game day operations, ticketing, and event execution for leagues, teams, and corporations.
- Sponsorship Sales and Activation: Sponsorship sales strategy, activation, and fulfillment services. Manages over 100 activation programs annually for major clients.
- Brand Management and Marketing Services: Communications planning, advertising campaign development, graphic design, social media strategy, and branding campaign execution.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Positive Impact product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Positive Impact is a sports and entertainment consulting firm that delivers professional advisory and management services to leagues, teams, venues, and corporations. Its core offerings span event management and franchise operations, corporate consulting and business planning, sponsorship sales strategy and activation, marketing and media relations, brand management, owner's representation, asset management, and contract negotiation. The firm sells people-driven expertise and execution capacity rather than a software product or platform.
Product overview
Positive Impact is a sports and entertainment consulting firm offering a comprehensive suite of professional services organized into eight core service areas: Event Management & Franchise Operations, Corporate Consulting & Business Planning, Revenue Generation & Commercial Review, Marketing/Advertising & Media Relations, Brand Management & Activation, Owner's Representation, Asset Management, and Contract Negotiation & Compliance. The company does not offer a software product or technology platform; rather, it provides human capital-driven consulting services for leagues, teams, venues, corporations, and sports entertainment rights-holders. The services are delivered by seasoned principals with over 100 years of collective experience.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Event Management and Franchise Operations Development and execution of entertainment and sports event plans, corporate and charitable fundraising events, franchise start-ups, owner-acquisition support, and complete team and event management capabilities for leagues, teams, venues, and corporate clients.
- Corporate Consulting and Business Planning Strategic planning, research, and problem-solving advisory engagements for sports and entertainment clients, including business planning for new ventures and existing organizations.
- Revenue Generation and Commercial Review Rights-holder valuation reviews, intellectual property maximization, commercial sales strategies, and sponsorship sales strategy, activation, and fulfillment services for sports and entertainment clients.
- Marketing, Advertising, and Media Relations Communications planning, advertising campaign development and execution, graphic design, social media strategy, and TV, radio, and digital media management for sports and entertainment clients.
- Brand Management and Activation Development of branding campaigns, execution and activation of various event types, engagement with target audiences and consumers, and outsourced staffing services including field marketing representatives.
- Owner's Representation Serving as subject matter expert representing the client's interests in business planning, construction, development, and general tenant and event responsibilities for venues and facilities.
- Asset Management
Quantifiable outcome
- Raised operating profits by over 300% during 16 years at Meadowlands Sports Complex
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Positive Impact
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Positive Impact technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Positive Impact partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Adventure Crossing Sports Complex Development GroupminorPositive Impact developed a marketing and sales brochure for the Adventure Sports Complex Development, gathering market information, studying regional competitive developments, and identifying advertising and commercial branding opportunities.
- Ontario Canada Cricket Stadium Development GroupminorPositive Impact was chosen to join an international group of developers to bring a state-of-the-art Cricket Stadium to the Ontario Canada Region, working on a Public-Private financing model.
- University of HoustonminorPositive Impact Sports and Entertainment, in conjunction with Stafford Sports, was retained by the University of Houston to conduct a business review of all master services and partnership agreements.
- Fox SportscorePositive Impact was retained by Fox Sports to produce and organize the FS1 Pearl Harbor Invitational college basketball events in 2015 and 2016, managing all non-broadcast operations.
- Stafford SportscorePositive Impact formed a joint venture partnership with Stafford Sports for various consulting assignments including Credit Union Centre (SaskTel Centre), Newark Parking Authority, and University of Houston.
- Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) - ConnecticutminorPositive Impact, along with Stafford Sports and SCI architects, conducted a study on options for the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, involving market study, event projections, and architectural options.
- Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA)corePositive Impact was retained in 2013 to deliver marketing and sports and entertainment advisory services to CRDA's Boardwalk Hall and Convention Center in Atlantic City. The partnership has been extended multiple times.
- Bermuda International Cricket ConferenceminorPositive Impact was retained by the Government of Bermuda to assist with their bid to host ICC 2007 World Cup matches, working on a consortium team to assure Bermuda could deliver requirements for warm-up and group matches.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Positive Impact competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Legends Hospitality: Sports-anchored hospitality, venue operations, and sponsorship advisory firm working with teams, stadiums, and brands. Comparable to Positive Impact's venue operations, game-day operations, and sponsorship activation offerings with professional sports franchises.
- ASM Global: Largest venue management company globally, operating convention centers, arenas, and stadiums. Comparable to Positive Impact's venue operations and asset-management consulting work with entities like CRDA's Boardwalk Hall and Prudential Center, but at vastly larger scale.
- CSM Sport & Entertainment: Chime-backed global sponsorship and sports consulting agency. Comparable because both firms advise leagues, teams, and corporate sponsors on activation strategy, rights valuation, and brand campaigns, but CSM operates across many more geographies and accounts.
- Harness Sports + Entertainment: Sports rights, sponsorship, and consulting business (formerly Lagardère Sports) working with brands, leagues, and federations. Comparable to Positive Impact on the consulting and sponsorship activation side but offers deeper international rights representation capabilities.
- Marketing Arm (Omnicom): Omnicom-owned experiential and sports marketing agency that delivers sponsorship activation, brand experiences, and event execution for Fortune 500 brands. Comparable in brand activation and event production scope but operates globally across a much larger client roster.
- Octagon: IPG-owned global sports marketing agency offering sponsorship consulting, event management, and athlete/brand representation. Overlaps with Positive Impact on sponsorship sales, activation, and event execution for sports rights-holders, but operates at much larger scale.
Direct peers
- Elevate Sports Ventures: Sports consulting firm representing rights-holders, brands, and venues across sponsorship sales, fan experience, and venue strategy. Closely comparable in service mix (sponsorship, consulting, event) and go-to-market (selling to leagues/teams/venues), though it operates at larger scale with multiple offices.
- Revolution Sports & Entertainment: Sports marketing and event management agency serving brands, teams, and venues with sponsorship, activation, and production services. Closely comparable boutique-to-mid-size peer in the same product category and customer base.
- Stafford Sports: Sports management and consulting firm that is Positive Impact's JV partner (Credit Union Centre, University of Houston, XL Center). Direct peer because they share clients, geography (Mid-Atlantic/Northeast US), and offer analogous venue/sponsorship/event consulting services.
- 21st Century Brand: Boutique sponsorship and sports marketing agency specializing in sponsorship strategy, sales, and measurement for athletes, brands, and rights-holders. Closely mirrors Positive Impact's sponsorship activation and brand management services from a similar boutique scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Positive Impact social profiles
Digital presencePositive Impact financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Positive Impact leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Positive Impact funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Positive Impact 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 Positive Impact
What does Positive Impact do?
Positive Impact is a sports and entertainment consulting firm that delivers professional advisory and management services to leagues, teams, venues, and corporations. Its core offerings span event management and franchise operations, corporate consulting and business planning, sponsorship sales strategy and activation, marketing and media relations, brand management, owner's representation, asset management, and contract negotiation. The firm sells people-driven expertise and execution capacity rather than a software product or platform.
Is Positive Impact a public or private company?
Positive Impact is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Positive Impact founded?
Positive Impact was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Positive Impact based?
Positive Impact is headquartered in Cranbury, United States, in the North America region.
How does Positive Impact make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Professional Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are event Management and Production, sponsorship Sales and Activation and brand Management and Marketing Services.
Who are Positive Impact's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Legends Hospitality, ASM Global, CSM Sport & Entertainment, Harness Sports + Entertainment, Marketing Arm (Omnicom) and Octagon. Direct peers are Elevate Sports Ventures, Revolution Sports & Entertainment, Stafford Sports and 21st Century Brand.
Does Positive Impact have an API?
No public API is recorded for Positive Impact.
What industry is Positive Impact in?
Positive Impact's product category is Sports and Entertainment Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAGAA, Brand Activations & Experiential Campaign Design, with a secondary code of MPAKALAJ, Cause, Community & CSR-Linked Sports Partnerships (Foundations, Youth Programs). Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.