Black Sports Professionals

Name

Black Sports Professionals

Legal name

National Society of Black Sports Professionals

Website

https://blacksportsprofessionals.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Networking Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Community Relations & Grassroots Program Management (MPAKAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs) (MPAKAFAF), Cause, Community & CSR-Linked Sports Partnerships (Foundations, Youth Programs) (MPAKALAJ)

Keywords

• Sports industry networking
• Professional membership association
• Career acceleration programs
• Diversity equity inclusion
• Mentorship and networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: BSP generates revenue through annual membership fees. Individual memberships are priced at $75/year (Professional), $50/year (Student), and $100/year (Affiliate). Corporate memberships are also available with discounted rates based on quantity purchased. In 2021, 100% of individual and corporate membership dues went to the selected chapter.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Black Sports Professionals (BSP) is a 501(c)(6) national nonprofit membership organization that operates a network of 24+ local chapters connecting, empowering, and advancing Black professionals and students in the sports industry. Members pay annual dues to access local/national networking events, career development resources, an executive mentoring program (Sports Business Executive Accelerator), a C-suite pipeline program, member directory, and exclusive discounts through partnerships with TeamWork Online and Sports Business Journal.

Product overview

Black Sports Professionals (BSP) is a membership-based national non-profit organization structured as a network of local chapters across the United States. The core offering is the BSP National Membership, which provides career acceleration services including access to local and national relationship-building opportunities, industry information, and exclusive member discounts. BSP's product portfolio is organized around its chapter network and includes complementary programs powered by strategic partnerships: TeamWork Online Career Platform Access for job search tools, Sports Business Journal Partnership for industry content, the Sports Business Executive Accelerator for executive mentorship, the Diverse Sports Executives Pipeline Program for C-suite preparation, the Black Experience in Sports Research Initiative for industry research, and RISE to Vote Partnership for civic engagement. BSP functions as a career accelerant connecting, empowering, and advancing Black professionals through programming, events, and professional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BSP National Membership Annual membership network and career accelerant for Black sports professionals and students, with tiered pricing (Professional $75/yr, Student $50/yr, Affiliate $100/yr) and corporate memberships with volume discounts. Provides access to local and national relationship-building opportunities, industry information, the BSP National Membership Directory and Spotlights, priority status for events, and exclusive member discounts.
• BSP Local Chapters Network of 24+ active local chapters across the US (Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Miami/South Florida, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/Twin Cities, New Orleans, Northern California, North Texas, Orlando/Central Florida, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles/SoCal, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Washington D.C./DMV) that empower members locally through professional development, networking events, and chapter-specific programming.
• Sports Business Executive Accelerator National mentoring program developed with RISE designed to foster personal and business-oriented professional growth by connecting experienced executive mentors with high-potential, mid-career mentees aspiring to executive-level leadership in sports. Features monthly 1:1 coaching sessions and virtual group leadership development seminars across two six-month cohorts annually with 20 executive mentors and mentees each.
• Diverse Sports Executives Pipeline Program Three-month program in partnership with Diverse Representation and Minorities in Sports to increase racial diversity and close the racial gap at the C-suite level of professional sports teams and leagues. Includes one-on-one mentorship, professional executive coaching, leadership development workshops, and a speaker series for accepted executives.

Quantifiable outcome

• 700+ professionals and students gathered at Black Sport Business Symposium in 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TeamWork OnlinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2026Strategic partnership after years of grassroots collaboration. TeamWork Online provides BSP members nationally greater access to employers and career opportunities, tools for members to better position their profiles and candidacies and networking opportunities. Active BSP members receive access to TeamWorkU program including weekly career development newsletters, profile analyzer, and discounts to TW events. MVP Access activation fee waived for BSP members. BSP Chapters have access to TeamWork's 60+ career fairs and networking events annually. TW will attend BSP national and chapter events and collaborate on virtual programming.
• NCAAcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 4 February 2024NCAA National Office hosts BSP and RISE's Sports Business Executive Accelerator launch events during NBA All-Star Weekend. Hosted inaugural cohort seminar at NCAA National Office in Indianapolis (2024) and provided continued collaboration for the program.
• RISEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 January 2024BSP and RISE launched the Sports Business Executive Accelerator as a national mentoring program designed to foster personal and business-oriented professional growth by connecting experienced leaders with high-potential, mid-career mentees. The program includes two six-month cohorts annually with 20 executive mentors and mentees each. RISE is a national nonprofit coalition of major U.S. sports leagues and media networks that uses sports to eliminate racism and champion social justice.
• RISE to VotecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 July 2023Partnership leverages the power of sports to promote civic engagement by increasing the reach and impact of RISE to Vote (RTV) across the country through 2024 elections. BSP assists with implementing RTV's voter engagement strategies within its 20+ chapters. RISE trains BSP members on RTV tools, modules, and voting information resources.
• Dallas MavericksminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 June 2021Founding partner of BSP North Texas chapter. The Dallas Mavericks provided generous support enabling BSPNTX to collaborate with Elevate Design Studio to create BSPNTX.com website.
• Sports Business JournalcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 April 2021Partnership provides BSP members exclusive perks and discounts including 10% off SBJ, SportTechie and Leaders in Sports Events, and 15% off SBJ subscriptions (both monthly and annual All Access plans). BSP members receive access codes from chapter leadership or during membership signup.
• Color of SportsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2021Partnership for the 'Black Experience in Sports' Research Initiative - a first-of-its-kind comprehensive industry-wide initiative to quantify and profile the experience of Black professionals in the business of sports while amplifying their voices to provoke change.
• Minorities in SportsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2021Partnership for the Diverse Sports Executives Pipeline Program - a three-month program to increase racial diversity and close the racial gap at the C-suite level of professional sports teams and leagues. Program provides one-on-one mentorship, professional executive coaching, speaker series and more.
• Diverse RepresentationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2021Partnership for the Diverse Sports Executives Pipeline Program to increase racial diversity in Black Executive leadership of professional sports teams and leagues through one-on-one mentorship, professional executive coaching, and speaker series.
• Cleveland BrownsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 April 2021BSP Cleveland announced new partnership between the Cleveland Browns and the Marcus Graham Project during the BSP relaunch at the Power of Sport Summit.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• RISE: RISE is a national nonprofit coalition of major US sports leagues and media networks using sports to eliminate racism and champion social justice. BSP co-launches the Sports Business Executive Accelerator with RISE, indicating closely aligned mission, member base, and DEI-focused programming in the sports industry.
• National Sports Forum: National Sports Forum is a longstanding sports industry conference and professional network. BSP partnered with NSF in 2013-2014 to launch the Business of Diversity in Sports and Entertainment initiative, indicating significant overlap in audience and mission around sports industry professional development.
• Women in Sports and Events (WISE): WISE is the leading national membership organization advancing women in the sports and events industry through networking, mentorship, and professional development. BSP and WISE operate as parallel demographic-focused community networks serving sports business professionals with analogous chapter-based, dues-funded, partnership-driven models.
• Minorities in Sports: Minorities in Sports is an organization promoting diversity in sports leadership, and a BSP partner on the Diverse Sports Executives Pipeline Program. It targets the same demographic and professional advancement mission as BSP.
• Color of Sports: Color of Sports is a media and research organization focused on Black professionals in sports, and a BSP research partner. Both organizations serve overlapping audiences of Black sports professionals and collaborate on initiatives such as the Black Experience in Sports Research Initiative.
• TeamWork Online: TeamWork Online is the leading sports and entertainment hiring platform, running 60+ career fairs annually and serving as BSP's core career partner. Both organizations serve as pipeline intermediaries between sports employers and aspiring professionals, making them functionally adjacent talent infrastructure players.
• Marcus Graham Project: Marcus Graham Project (MGP) is a national pipeline organization developing diverse talent for advertising, media, and entertainment industries. MGP partnered with the Cleveland Browns and BSP on diversity programming, indicating overlap in mission around diverse professional advancement in sports adjacent industries.
• Diverse Representation: Diverse Representation is an executive pipeline initiative focused on increasing racial diversity at the C-suite level of professional sports teams and leagues. It is a direct partner with BSP on the Diverse Sports Executives Pipeline Program, serving the same population of mid-career Black sports executives.

Broad incumbents

• Sports Business Journal: Sports Business Journal is the leading industry media outlet covering the business of sports and a BSP partnership that provides members with subscription discounts. SBJ is the broad incumbent media, networking, and events brand serving the same sports industry professional audience as BSP.
• National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA): NACDA is a longstanding professional association for college athletic administrators offering membership, professional development, and advocacy. It represents an analogous professional association model in the college sports segment of the broader sports industry served by BSP.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BSP_National
• Facebookfacebook.com/BlackSportsProfessionals
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-sports-professionals-bsp
• Instagraminstagram.com/bsp_national

Compliance1 record

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 Black Sports Professionals