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Sports Business Awards

Sports League of the Year

Photo by: MLB


Major League Baseball


STYLE POINTS:


Total revenue approached $10 billion and attendance remained at historically high levels, a dramatic World Series enthralled the nation, and a major investment deal with Disney over the development of BAMTech pointed toward the potential future of media. Efforts such as the Fort Bragg game and a return to Cuba showed out-of-the-box thinking.


Photo by: GETTY IMAGES


National Basketball Association


STYLE POINTS:


With a new labor deal and an expected record $8 billion in revenue, 2016 ushered in the NBA’s most prosperous era. Last year’s Finals brought record TV viewership, and franchise values continue to soar, reflecting the NBA’s powerhouse position in sports.


Photo by: NHL


National Hockey League


STYLE POINTS:


Building up to its centennial season, the NHL took bold steps last year, highlighted by being the first major league to expand to Las Vegas and the relaunch of the World Cup of Hockey. Behind record league revenue, NHL clubs set full-season records in average attendance and stadium capacity.


Photo by: PBR


Professional Bull Riders


STYLE 
POINTS:


On the eve of its 25th anniversary, PBR enjoyed record ratings and attendance in major markets and reached a new deal with Wal-Mart to bring events to stores along the league’s 2016 tour schedule. PBR also saw a bump in mainstream, digital and nontraditional media coverage, and its Netflix series “Fearless” earned critical acclaim.


Photo by: USOC


U.S. Olympic Committee


STYLE POINTS:


Team USA set an all-time high mark of 121 medals in Rio, winning every category of medals for both men and women — the first time any country has done that since 1960. It also announced the long-awaited Olympic Channel with partners NBC and the IOC, and helped sign a blockbuster global deal with the Alibaba Group.

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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