San Jose Sports Authority

What San Jose Sports Authority does

San Jose Sports Authority is a non-profit organization founded in 1991 that serves as the official sports commission for the City of San Jose, California. Its stated mission is to increase the city's economic development, visibility, and civic pride by attracting and hosting major sporting events in the South Bay region. The Authority operates a portfolio of recurring programs including the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame (established 1995; 136 inductees as of 2025), the REACH Youth Scholarship Program for Santa Clara County student-athletes, and the Game On, San José youth sports initiative. It coordinates event hosting across the region's major venues — SAP Center, PayPal Park, Levi's Stadium, and the San Jose McEnery Convention Center — working with rights holders, venue operators, and municipal partners.

Revenue is generated through corporate sponsorships, public-sector partnerships, philanthropic contributions, and event-management services rather than direct fees to attendees. The organization's 5-employee team is supported by a Board of Directors and an executive director (John Poch, in role since the organization's inception). Funding is sourced from a mix of recurring Silicon Valley technology and financial-services sponsors plus event-specific activations; for the 2026 SJ26 campaign alone, nearly $5 million was raised from corporate, philanthropic, and public partners to fund concerts, watch parties, drone shows, and community programming around Super Bowl 60, NCAA March Madness, and FIFA World Cup matches. The Authority has no equity funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries; it functions as a chartered civic intermediary whose financial sustainability depends on continued municipal recognition and corporate sponsor renewal.

Name

San Jose Sports Authority

Legal name

San Jose Sports Authority

Website

https://sjsa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

San Jose Sports Authority is a non-profit, municipally-designated sports commission founded in 1991 that attracts and hosts major sporting events in San Jose and the South Bay, operating programs including the Sports Hall of Fame, REACH Youth Scholarships, and the Game On youth initiative, funded by corporate sponsors and municipal partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Commission Services

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD)

Keywords

• Sports commission services
• Event management
• Youth athletic programs
• Community sports engagement
• Sports sponsorship acquisition

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships: The organization raises funds from corporate partners including tech companies, financial institutions, and local businesses to support sports events and community programming.
2. Event Management Services: The Sports Authority provides leadership and support to attract and host sporting events in San Jose and the South Bay, partnering with venues and event organizers.
3. SJ26 Fundraising Campaign: Nearly $5 million raised from corporate, philanthropic, and public partners to fund concerts and activations around major 2026 sporting events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The San Jose Sports Authority is a non-profit organization that serves as the official sports commission for the City of San Jose. It attracts, creates, and hosts sporting events that generate economic impact, while delivering youth athletic scholarship programs and community engagement initiatives tied to the City's sports identity.

Product overview

San Jose Sports Authority is a non-profit organization serving as the City of San Jose's official sports commission since 1991. The organization operates as a unified portfolio of sports development programs rather than a technology platform. Core offerings include the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame (honoring local sports legends), the REACH Youth Scholarship Program (supporting student-athletes), and the Game On San Jose initiative (youth sports programming with mentorship and community activations). In 2026, the organization expanded into a mobile platform with the Game On SJ26 Community App, which integrates Adobe Express for user-generated content creation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Game On, San José: Youth sports initiative connecting students with sports programming, mentorship opportunities, and community activations.
• Game On, SJ26
• San Jose Sports Hall of Fame
• REACH Youth Scholarship Program
• SJ26

Products and services

• REACH Youth Scholarship Community-based youth athletic scholarship program providing funding support to young athletes in the San Jose area, addressing participation barriers such as equipment and registration costs.
• San Jose Sports Authority Hall of Fame Recognition program honoring athletes, coaches, contributors, and community figures associated with San Jose's sporting heritage.
• Game On San Jose (Event Hosting & Attraction Services) End-to-end sporting event acquisition and hosting services delivered to the City of San Jose, including event attraction, creation, and on-the-ground event management.
• Game On, SJ26 Mobile App Mobile application serving as the fan-facing companion for sporting events hosted by the San Jose Sports Authority, enabling event discovery and engagement for attendees and the San Jose community.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.4 billion expected economic impact in Bay Area from 2026 major sporting events
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Devcon Construction, Inc.majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 January 2026Devcon Construction is a partner of San Jose 2026. This partnership represents commitment to the City of San Jose and its people—working together to support an experience that celebrates culture, connection, and community impact.
• eBaymajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 January 2026Local tech company partnering as San Jose 2026 sponsor to support major sporting event activations in the city.
• AdobemajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 January 2026Adobe partnered with the city to enhance inclusive and memorable experiences during Super Bowl and World Cup. Adobe also helped develop the Game On SJ26 mobile app and designed in-app experiences for fans.
• GooglemajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 January 2026Major technology company partnering as San Jose 2026 sponsor for major sporting events.
• Tech CUmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 January 2026Tech CU is the official credit union of SJ26 campaign. Built to serve the San Jose community, Tech CU supports free and accessible experiences during 2026 major sporting events.
• Visit San JosecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 January 2026Official destination marketing organization for San Jose partnering on sports tourism initiatives and event promotion.
• San Jose Mineta International AirportcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 January 2026Public sector partner supporting San Jose 2026 events and welcoming visitors to the city.
• City of San JosecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 January 2026Primary municipal partner and the entity the Sports Authority serves as official sports commission for since 1991.
• USA Table TennismajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2025National governing body for table tennis partnering with City of San Jose and Sports Authority to host 2026 US National Table Tennis Championships at San Jose Convention Center.
• Bay FCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2025NWSL expansion team and local partner for hosting the 2025 NWSL Championship at PayPal Park. The Bay Area is a women's soccer hotbed with deep-rooted history.
• SAP Center Management / San Jose SharkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue operator and sports franchise partner for major indoor sporting events and Hall of Fame ceremonies.
• San Jose EarthquakescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal MLS soccer team and key partner for soccer events, watch parties, and community activations including Bay Area Host Committee for 2026 World Cup.
• San Jose State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner for hosting sports events including Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic tennis tournament and NCAA regionals.
• Team San JosecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative destination marketing and sports organization serving San Jose venues and events.
• Hoop It Up / Big Ticket Sports LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHoop It Up, owned by NBA legend Kevin Garnett, partnered with SJSA for Slam Jose! 3x3 basketball tournament. Proceeds benefit local community organizations.
• PG&EminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUtility company partner supporting San Jose 2026 events.
• VerizonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTelecommunications partner supporting San Jose 2026 events.
• Samsung SemiconductorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology company partner in Silicon Valley supporting San Jose 2026 events.
• Levi's StadiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSanta Clara stadium venue partner hosting Super Bowl 60 and 2026 FIFA World Cup matches.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Atlanta Sports Council: Metro Atlanta's sports council, part of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, focused on bidding for and hosting major sporting events in the Atlanta region. Directly comparable in civic mission, event-attraction function, and corporate sponsor base.
• San Diego Sports Commission (San Diego Tourism Authority): San Diego's destination authority with an explicit sports commission function, focused on attracting sporting events to the San Diego region. Comparable in California-market positioning and city-level sports promotion role.
• Boston Sports Commission (Greater Boston CVB): Boston-area sports commission embedded in the regional CVB, focused on attracting major sporting events. Comparable in regional event-attraction model and reliance on university and professional venue partnerships.
• NYC Sports Commission (NYC & Company): New York City's official destination marketing organization with an embedded sports commission function, attracting major sporting events to the five boroughs. Comparable city-level role and event-attraction mandate at larger scale.
• Houston Sports Commission: Houston's official city-level sports commission with a near-identical mandate: attracting major sporting events and supporting amateur sports programming in the Houston metro. Comparable in scope, civic mission, and reliance on corporate sponsorships and city partnerships.
• LA84 Foundation: Los Angeles-based non-profit sports foundation supporting youth and amateur sports in Southern California. Closely comparable as a non-profit foundation with a youth-sports development mission and a legacy tied to prior Olympic hosting.
• Greater Philadelphia Sports Alliance: Non-profit sports commission serving the Greater Philadelphia region, focused on attracting major events, supporting amateur athletics, and driving sports tourism. Directly comparable in non-profit structure, civic mandate, and event-hosting focus.
• Choose Chicago: Chicago's destination marketing organization, with explicit sports commission responsibilities for attracting and hosting major events. Comparable in promoting a major city as a sports-hosting destination and leveraging corporate partnerships.
• Greater Phoenix Sports Authority (Visit Phoenix): Phoenix-area sports commission function embedded in the regional tourism authority, focused on attracting Super Bowls, NCAA events, and other major sporting events. Comparable in scale, civic mandate, and event-attraction competition with San Jose.

Regional players

• Bay Area Sports Organizing Committee (BASOC): Local organizing committee that hosted Super Bowl 50 in the Bay Area; operates in the same geography with a similar mega-event coordination function but is formed per-event rather than as a permanent commission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/san-jose-sports-authority

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 San Jose Sports Authority