Big Sky State Games | Montana Amateur Sports

What Big Sky State Games | Montana Amateur Sports does

Big Sky State Games (BSSG), operated by Montana Amateur Sports, is a 501(c)-style nonprofit founded in 1986 in Billings, Montana that runs an Olympic-style amateur multi-sport festival for residents of Montana and four bordering states (Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming). The annual event spans roughly 10 weeks from June through September and encompasses 40 sports — from archery and track and field to pickleball, esports, axe throwing, and speed climbing — drawing approximately 8,000 athletes per year from 250+ Montana communities, with cumulative participation exceeding 375,000 over its 40-year history.

The organization's core technology is light: a RaceReach-powered online registration platform for sign-ups, waivers, and participant management, with the website built on SportReach and instrumented with Google Analytics. Operations are supported by a lean professional staff of under 10 (Executive Director, Operations Director, Technology Director, Social Media & Marketing Director, plus interns and a Special Events Coordinator) and an extensive volunteer network, with first-aid coverage coordinated through Billings Clinic and partner fire/EMS providers.

BSSG monetizes through a diversified nonprofit revenue mix: individual athlete registration fees (with veterans receiving free entry via the Veterans Athlete Assistance program and low-income athletes supported through the Sanford-Gall Athlete Entry Assistance Program), corporate sponsorships from regional brands (KOA Kampground, Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, multiple hotel partners), merchandise sales through an online shop, and individual/corporate donations channeled via an endowment held at the Montana Community Foundation. Year-round programmatic extensions include Shape Up Montana (team-based wellness), Big Sky Fit Kids (youth nutrition and activity), Heart & Sole Race (Father's Day 5K), and the YES Cross Country Meet for elementary students.

Name

Big Sky State Games | Montana Amateur Sports

Legal name

Montana Amateur Sports

Website

https://bigskygames.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Amateur Multi-Sport Athletic Festival

NAICS

Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Regional Multi-Sport Games & Festival Organizers (MPAKADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Amateur & Grassroots Tournament Organizers (MPAKADAH), Community Sports & Recreation Festivals (Fun Runs, Local Games Days) (MPAGAEAN)

Keywords

• Amateur sports festival
• Multi-sport competition
• Olympic-style games
• Community athletic events
• Sports event management

Headquarters

HQ city

Billings

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. Event Registration Fees: Athlete registration fees for individual sports and events. Veterans receive free entry for individual sports through the Veterans Athlete Assistance program.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Major sponsors and sport-specific sponsors support the Games financially. Sponsors include KOA Kampground (Major Sponsor), Billings Hotel and Convention Center, ClockTower Inn, Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, and others.
3. Merchandise and Souvenirs: Online shop selling souvenirs and memorabilia. Virtual Goodies also available for purchase.
4. Donations: Individual, corporate, and civic club donations support athlete assistance programs. Endowment fund held by Montana Community Foundation. PayPal and Amazon Smile donation options available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Big Sky State Games, operated by the nonprofit Montana Amateur Sports, organizes an annual Olympic-style multi-sport amateur sports festival for residents of Montana and bordering states (Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming). The festival offers competition across 40+ sports with age divisions and medal awards, supported by opening ceremonies, scholarship, wellness, and athlete assistance programs. Registration is processed through the RaceReach online platform.

Product overview

Big Sky State Games is an Olympic-style amateur sports festival operated by Montana Amateur Sports, offering a unified platform for athletes of all ages and abilities in Montana and bordering states. The core offering is the annual multi-sport festival featuring 40+ sports (archery, track & field, swimming, volleyball, shooting, cycling, and more) with age divisions and medals. Supporting programs include Opening Ceremonies with the Montana Mile and Montana 100, the Character Counts! Scholarship, Athlete/Volunteer of the Year awards, National Anthem Contest, and State Games of America eligibility. Additional programs extend the mission through Shape Up Montana wellness initiative, Big Sky Fit Kids youth program, Heart & Sole Race, and YES Cross Country Meet. Financial assistance programs (Sanford-Gall Athlete Assistance, Veterans Assistance) and internship/volunteer opportunities support participation. Registration is managed through RaceReach platform with the website powered by SportReach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shape Up Montana: A 3-month team-based wellness program that encourages Montanans to develop healthy physical activity and eating habits.
• Big Sky Fit Kids
• Heart & Sole Race
• Yellowstone Elementary Cross Country Meet

Products and services

• Big Sky State Games Olympic-style amateur sports festival offering 40+ sports including archery, track and field, swimming, shooting, volleyball, cycling, and more. Participants compete in age divisions with medals awarded to top finishers. Open to residents of Montana and bordering states.
• Opening Ceremonies Annual opening ceremony featuring the Montana Mile, Montana 100 Meter sprint, torch lighting, Parade of Athletes, Food Truck Olympics, and entertainment at Lockwood High School Stadium.
• Character Counts! Scholarship $500 scholarship awarded to high school juniors in Montana who demonstrate the Six Pillars of Character (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship), community involvement, and sports participation.
• State Games of America Eligibility pathway allowing Big Sky State Games medalists to compete in a national multi-sport event across sports including Archery, Badminton, Bowling, Disc Golf, Esports, Flag Football, Figure Skating, Golf, Karate, Pickleball, and others.
• Shape Up Montana 3-month team-based wellness program encouraging Montanans to develop healthy physical activity and eating habits.
• Big Sky Fit Kids 2-month program teaching Montana children about the importance of being physically active and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.
• Heart & Sole Race Annual 5K and 2 Mile Health Walk held in Billings, MT during Father's Day weekend, finishing at Dehler Park.
• YES Cross Country Meet Yellowstone Elementary Cross Country Meet, one of the largest of its kind, open to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders in Montana schools to promote physical activity.
• Sanford-Gall Athlete Assistance Program Financial assistance program providing entry fee support to athletes who cannot afford registration costs, funded through donations and an endowment held by the Montana Community Foundation.
• Veterans Athlete Assistance Provides free individual sport/event entry to veterans via a registration code obtained by submitting a form.
• Online Event Registration Self-service online registration platform (powered by RaceReach) allowing athletes to register for sports and events, sign waivers, and manage participation digitally.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grown from 3,376 athletes in 12 sports (1986) to 8,000 athletes in 40 sports
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Integration4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RaceReachcoreTechnology or IntegrationRaceReach provides the online registration platform used for all Big Sky State Games events. Athletes register through the RaceReach system, sign waivers, and manage their participation. The platform handles event registration across 40+ sports.
• Montana Community FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMontana Community Foundation holds and invests the Big Sky State Games endowment fund. They also administer Montana Tax Credit programs for donors. Contact: 101 N. Last Chance Gulch, #211, Helena, MT 59601, 406-443-8313.
• State Games of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational multi-sport event for State Games medalists. All 2024 and 2025 Big Sky State Games medalists are eligible to compete in State Games of America. 2026 event will be held in State College, Pennsylvania.
• Shape Up MontanaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliated wellness program - a fun, interactive 3-month, team-based wellness program that encourages Montanans to develop healthy physical activity and eating habits.
• Big Sky Fit KidsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliated youth wellness program - a 2-month program teaching Montana youth about the importance of being physically active while increasing fruit and vegetable servings.
• Yellowstone Elementary Cross Country Meet (YES)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOne of the largest youth cross country meets of its kind, open to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders in Montana schools to promote physical activity.
• Pye-Barker Fire & SafetyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Character Counts! Scholarship program, which awards $500 scholarships to Montana student-athletes demonstrating the Six Pillars of Character.
• CHARACTER COUNTS! CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization promoting youth character development. The Big Sky State Games partners with them on the annual Character Counts! Scholarship for student-athletes.
• Billings ClinicminorOthersCoordinates first aid coverage during Big Sky State Games Finals weekend. The Emergency and Trauma Center is located at 2800 Tenth Ave. North and is open 24 hours.
• Billings Firefighters, Lockwood Firefighters, Rocky Mountain College Physician Assistants Program, Laurel Volunteer AmbulanceminorOthersSupporting first aid providers during the Games. Billings Firefighters and Lockwood Firefighters assist with coverage, along with Rocky Mountain College PA students and Laurel Volunteer Ambulance.
• KOA KampgroundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Sponsor of the Big Sky State Games. Located at 547 Garden Ave., Billings, MT 59101, 406-252-3104.
• Billings Hotel and Convention CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSport Sponsor offering BSSG Rate of $129/night including breakfast. Located at 1223 Mullowney Lane.
• ClockTower Inn (Best Western Plus)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHotel partner offering 20% discount on rate with complimentary breakfast. Located at 2511 1st Ave North.
• Northern HotelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner hotel located at 19 North Broadway, 406-867-6767.
• Kelly InnminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner hotel offering 12% discount for Big Sky State Games participants. Located at 5610 S. Frontage Rd, 406-248-9800.
• Ledgestone Suites HotelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner hotel at 4863 King Ave E, 406-259-9454.
• TownePlace Suites by MarriottminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner hotel at 2480 Grant Rd, Billings, MT 59102, 406-652-7160.
• Courtyard by MarriottminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner hotel at 2225 Overland Ave, 406-534-2704. Group rate $159/night for July 16-18, 2026.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Amateur Athletic Union (AAU): National nonprofit that sanctions and operates amateur athletic events across many of the same sports as BSSG. A broader incumbent specializing in youth competition rather than the State Games multi-age festival model.
• YMCA of the USA: National nonprofit delivering community sports, wellness, and youth programming comparable in mission and access orientation, though organized around facility-based local chapters rather than an annual festival.

Direct peers

• Cornhusker State Games (Nebraska): Nebraska's State Games member, offering Olympic-style summer competition across multiple sports with similar age divisions and medal framework. Directly comparable rural-state peer.
• Iowa Games: Long-running Iowa-based multi-sport amateur sports festival organized under the Iowa Sports Foundation, comparable in mission, nonprofit structure, and Olympic-style format.
• Sunflower State Games (Kansas): Kansas's Olympic-style multi-sport amateur games, comparable in nonprofit operation, sponsorship model, and broad sport catalogue.
• Empire State Games (New York): Multi-sport amateur games featuring Olympic-style competition across numerous sports for New York residents. Comparable in format and nonprofit operation, though larger state population.
• Minnesota State Games: Operates an Olympic-style amateur multi-sport festival with 30+ sports and several thousand athletes annually in Minnesota. Closest structural twin to BSSG in scale, sport breadth, and per-capita participation focus.
• Badger State Games: Wisconsin's Olympic-style multi-sport amateur games, offering a similar menu of summer sports and age divisions. Direct regional peer competing for State Games of America athletes.

Regional players

• Special Olympics Montana: Montana affiliate of Special Olympics, running year-round amateur sports training and competition statewide. Comparable community-driven, Montana-focused nonprofit sports model serving overlapping athlete populations.

Others

• National Congress of State Games: Parent membership body that represents all US State Games, including BSSG as Montana's member. Strongly comparable as the governing organization and pipeline to State Games of America, but not a direct operator of regional games.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/bigskygames
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCaOCtST6QSyUknQsdo7KDPQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/bigskygames
• Instagraminstagram.com/bigskygames
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/big-sky-state-games

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Big Sky State Games | Montana Amateur Sports