Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame

What Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame does

The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame (legally Jim Thorpe Association, Inc., Oklahoma) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1986 by Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett and headquartered at 20 South Mickey Mantle Drive, Oklahoma City. The organization preserves Oklahoma sports heritage through the Jim Thorpe Museum and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame induction program, and administers three national collegiate awards: the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award (college football's best defensive back, since 1986; NCFAA member, announced live on ESPN), the Aeneas Williams Award (HBCU Division I's best defensive back, since 2022), and the Warren Spahn Award (MLB's most outstanding left-handed pitcher, since 1999). It operates with 1–10 staff led by President/Executive Director Mike James and is governed by a volunteer board chaired by Gregg Vandaveer.

The organization runs youth-focused community programs under the Bright Path umbrella, including the All Sports & Scholar Athlete Awards, the Children's Challenge fourth-grade track meet (in partnership with Oklahoma City Public Schools), the Jim Thorpe Museum Children's Corner, and the Red Ribbon Campaign drug prevention program, which reaches an average of 715,000 Oklahoma schoolchildren annually across 2,078 public schools and 120 private schools. The Jim Thorpe Museum offers free admission, guided tours, and field trips, and is a participant in the national Blue Star Museums program for active-duty military families.

Revenue is generated through a diversified nonprofit mix: recurring monthly donations via the Bright Path program (with a $20-donation/free T-shirt acquisition incentive), ticket sales for induction ceremonies and the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Banquet (600+ attendees), an exclusive naming-rights sponsorship with Paycom Software (NYSE:PAYC) for the Jim Thorpe Award, merchandise sales through an Inksoft e-commerce storefront, and sustaining support from INTEGRIS Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation, the Chickasaw Nation, and the Oklahoma City Dodgers. The organization operates primarily in the Oklahoma City metro area but achieves national recognition through its collegiate awards and ESPN/NCFAA exposure.

Name

Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame

Legal name

Jim Thorpe Association, Inc.

Website

https://oklahomasportshalloffame.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame (Jim Thorpe Association, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that preserves Oklahoma sports heritage through the Jim Thorpe Museum, inducts Oklahoma athletes, and administers three national collegiate awards (Jim Thorpe, Aeneas Williams, Warren Spahn), while running youth-development programs serving Oklahoma schoolchildren.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame

NAICS

Museums (712110), Historical Sites (712120)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF), Youth & Amateur Sports Tournaments (MPAGAMAF), Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Sports heritage preservation
• Hall of fame museum
• Youth athletics programs
• Collegiate sports awards
• Drug prevention education

Headquarters

HQ city

Oklahoma City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Monthly giving program through Bright Path initiative where supporters contribute to fund youth programs, mission activities, and museum operations.
2. Event Revenue: Ticket sales for induction ceremonies and award banquets, including the Class of 2026 Induction Ceremony and annual awards events.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online store selling Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame branded merchandise and apparel through their e-commerce platform.
4. Sponsorship Revenue: Corporate sponsorship arrangements such as the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award naming rights sponsorship.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame is a nonprofit that preserves Oklahoma sports heritage through the Jim Thorpe Museum and Hall of Fame inductees, administers three national sports awards (Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, Aeneas Williams Award, Warren Spahn Award), and delivers youth development programs under the Bright Path initiative including the Children's Challenge track meet, All Sports & Scholar Athlete Awards, Children's Corner, and the Red Ribbon Campaign drug prevention program.

Product overview

The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of sports heritage preservation and youth development programs. Its core offerings include the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame (honoring legendary Oklahoma athletes) and the Jim Thorpe Museum (displaying sports memorabilia and artifacts). The organization administers three national awards: the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back in college football), the Aeneas Williams Award (best defensive back in HBCU Division I football), and the Warren Spahn Award (best left-handed pitcher in MLB). Through its Bright Path Youth Programs division, it operates community initiatives including All Sports & Scholar Athlete Awards, Children's Challenge track meets, Jim Thorpe Museum Children's Corner, and the Red Ribbon Campaign drug prevention program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame The main hall of fame program that honors legendary Oklahoman athletes and sports figures, with inductees' exhibits, artifacts, and memorabilia displayed inside the Jim Thorpe Museum.
• Jim Thorpe Museum A museum containing artifacts and memorabilia from legendary athlete Jim Thorpe and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame inductees, Oklahoma Tennis Hall of Fame inductees, and Paycom Jim Thorpe Award and Warren Spahn Award recipients. Includes guided tours and group field trips. Free admission.
• Paycom Jim Thorpe Award A prestigious national college football award presented annually to the nation's best defensive back, selected through a national panel of over 250 committee members. Part of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA).
• Aeneas Williams Award An award presented annually to the nation's best defensive back in HBCU Division I college football, honoring Pro Football Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams.
• Warren Spahn Award An award presented annually to Major League Baseball's most outstanding left-handed pitcher, named after the winning-est left-handed pitcher of all time, Warren Spahn.
• Bright Path Youth Programs Community advocacy programs focused on youth and schoolchildren throughout Oklahoma, including awards, scholarships, education programs and athletic competition to build self-esteem and promote healthy lifestyles. Encompasses All Sports & Scholar Athlete Awards, Children's Challenge, Jim Thorpe Museum Children's Corner, and Red Ribbon Campaign.
• All Sports & Scholar Athlete Awards Annual awards ceremony recognizing high school students for athletic accomplishments and academic achievements, including scholarships and coach awards.
• Children's Challenge A year-end finals track meet for fourth grade track and field finishers in partnership with OKCPS, promoting health and fitness through Olympic-style competition with medal ceremonies.
• Jim Thorpe Museum Children's Corner A sports-themed, interactive learning area for children featuring tactile displays, basketball skill testing, and a locker room dress-up corner with jerseys from OKC sports teams.
• Red Ribbon Campaign (Oklahoma Affiliate) Oklahoma's affiliate of the national drug prevention program, reaching over 715,000 Oklahoma schoolchildren annually with Red Ribbon Week activities in October, including Art & Essay Contests.
• Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame Online Merchandise Store E-commerce storefront selling branded merchandise and apparel, hosted at stores.inksoft.com/oshof.
• Class of 2026 Induction Ceremony (and Annual Induction Ceremonies) Annual induction ceremony honoring athletes and teams into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, with tickets sold via PayPal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Red Ribbon Campaign reaches 715,000+ Oklahoma schoolchildren annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Paycom Software, Inc.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPaycom (NYSE:PAYC) entered into an exclusive sponsorship arrangement in May 2017 to sponsor the Jim Thorpe Award, resulting in the accolade being named the 'Paycom Jim Thorpe Award'. This is the organization's primary naming rights sponsor for its flagship collegiate award.
• National Endowment for the Arts - Blue Star MuseumsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJim Thorpe Museum is a Blue Star Museum participant, offering free admission to active duty military personnel and their families during summer months through this national initiative.
• National Cowboy & Western Heritage MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for the Class of 2026 Induction Ceremony. The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum hosts major events for the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.
• ESPN / Home Depot College Football AwardscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Paycom Jim Thorpe Award winner is announced live on ESPN during The Home Depot College Football Awards show, providing national television exposure.
• National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is a member of the NCFAA, which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients dating to 1935.
• Oklahoma Center for NonprofitsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJim Thorpe Museum partner providing organizational support and resources for nonprofit operations.
• Adventure RoadminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJim Thorpe Museum partner for travel and tourism-related programming.
• National Family Partnership / Red Ribbon CampaigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOklahoma Sports Hall of Fame serves as an Oklahoma Affiliate for the Red Ribbon Campaign, the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation, reaching millions of young people during Red Ribbon Week.
• Oklahoma Chapter of Former NFL Players AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing feedback and collaboration for the All Sports & Scholar Athlete Awards program.
• Oklahoma Chapter of the National Football FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing feedback and collaboration for the All Sports & Scholar Athlete Awards program.
• Oklahoma Coaches AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing feedback and collaboration for the All Sports & Scholar Athlete Awards program.
• Oklahoma Soccer Coaches AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing feedback and collaboration for the All Sports & Scholar Athlete Awards program.
• INTEGRIS Jim Thorpe RehabilitationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustaining partner of the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.
• Chickasaw NationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustaining partner supporting Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame programs and initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Texas Sports Hall of Fame: State-level sports hall of fame and museum in Waco, TX, operating under the same nonprofit model (induction ceremonies, memorabilia, youth programs) — the most direct peer given the parallel state-based sports heritage mission.
• International Boxing Hall of Fame: Nonprofit sports hall of fame and museum with annual induction events, memorabilia exhibits, and small-staff operations — a closely comparable operating model at smaller national scale.
• National Wrestling Hall of Fame: National sports hall of fame with a state-affiliate model (Oklahoma has a Wrestling Hall of Fame as well) that mirrors the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame's structure of national brand plus state-level youth outreach and induction events.

Broad incumbents

• Pro Football Hall of Fame: Major sports hall of fame and museum focused on professional football, sharing the same memorabilia, induction, and youth education model. Highly comparable in operating structure, though at significantly larger national scale.
• Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: National basketball hall of fame and museum offering an analogous memorabilia/exhibit and induction model, with programming partnerships similar to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame's high school and collegiate athlete recognition.
• National Baseball Hall of Fame: Premier sports hall of fame and museum operating a comparable memorabilia/exhibit model with induction ceremonies, and effectively the parent category comparison for the Warren Spahn Award administered by Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.
• U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum: National sports heritage museum focused on Olympic athletes, with comparable youth education programs and corporate sponsorship model. Reflects the same hall-of-fame/honor-the-athlete value proposition.
• College Football Hall of Fame: Nationally scoped sports hall of fame and museum focused on college football, sharing the same induction/museum model and NCFAA membership with the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame's Jim Thorpe Award. Far larger in scale, but materially comparable in product category.
• NASCAR Hall of Fame: Sport-specific hall of fame and museum with paid-admission exhibit halls and induction events, broadly comparable in product category though corporate-owned rather than nonprofit-led.

Emerging players

• National Football Foundation: Nonprofit organization that partners with the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame on the All Sports & Scholar Athlete Awards and operates overlapping scholar-athlete recognition programs nationally, making it a peer in the youth athlete recognition category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ourbrightpath
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@OklahomaSportsHallofFame
• Facebookfacebook.com/OKSportsHOF
• Instagraminstagram.com/jimthorpeaward/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oklahoma-sports-hall-of-fame

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame