COMPETITIONS
SAMMY AWARD
The SAMMY (Sales Advertising Marketing Management Idea of the Year) Award celebrates the year's most exceptional idea based on its overall objective, execution, and results. This prestigious award was created to honor organizations that develop innovative and impactful ideas that set a benchmark for the industry. These standout ideas achieve remarkable results—such as boosting ticket sales, securing more sponsorships, closing more deals, and enhancing fan engagement—and serve as valuable lessons for other organizations to adopt and benefit from. This "gem" of an idea truly exemplifies excellence and innovation in the sports business world.
A superior judging panel, consisting of sports industry professionals from the pro and collegiate teams in San Diego, CA, reviews all the SAMMY submissions and narrows them down to the six best ideas of the year. Finalists are chosen based on how well they executed their idea to see serious results. Each of the six finalists gives an eight-minute presentation for a special SAMMY Award finalists session at the 2026 SBJ National Sports Forum.
Applications for the 2026 SAMMY Awards will open this fall.
TECH TANK
The Tech Tank aims to introduce innovative companies to the teams, properties, agencies, and corporate partners that shape the sports landscape. SBJ NSF attendees are eager to push boundaries and boost revenues for their organizations, and the Tech Tank provides a platform to discover emerging, cutting-edge technologies that can transform various segments of the sports business. Tech Tank participation is limited to four companies per track. Each company gives a 12-minute presentation about its technology during breakout sessions within the relevant track. A panel of judges then identify the winning company from within each of the four tracks, and those four companies participate in a “best of the Tech Tank” webinar hosted after the Forum.
To learn more about the Tech Tank, contact advertise@sportsbusinessjournal.com.
THERE ARE 4 DIFFERENT THEMES DURING TECH TANK
Marketing & Fan Engagement
The Marketing & Fan Engagement flight aims to showcase innovative companies assisting sports organizations in creating the next level of engagement with their fans inside and out of the venue. Creating a unique in-venue experience is a driving force in our industry today, as well as generating year-round engagement campaigns between team and fan. This flight is looking to introduce new and innovative companies that can assist properties in generating that memorable experience for fans.
Ticket Sales & Strategy
Ticket sales are the lifeblood of every sports franchise, with the ultimate goal of filling the stadium with enthusiastic fans. This flight aims to spotlight innovative companies revolutionizing the ticketing space. It will focus on fresh and unique strategies for sports properties to boost ticketing revenues, drive season- ticket renewals, and optimize inside sales operations. Discover groundbreaking solutions that will transform the way you fill your seats and engage your fans.
Corporate Partnership & Brand Activation
In today's digital age, sports organizations and their corporate partners are on the hunt for the most effective ways to captivate fans and consumers. Gone are the days of static signage and mass marketing; now, partnerships are becoming increasingly targeted and experiential. This flight aims to uncover cutting-edge technologies that can enhance existing corporate partnerships and introduce exciting new revenue streams for sports properties. Explore innovative solutions that will revolutionize fan engagement and brand activation.
Innovation
The “Innovation” flight aims to highlight companies that are on the cutting edge of the technological frontier. Whether it’s a new technology entirely, or something that helps increase day-to-day efficiency, this session showcases options that fall under any of the 5 NSF pillars.
CASE CUP
The Case Cup Competition is a case-style competition for graduate students held each year at the National Sports Forum. It is a unique opportunity for students to utilize the skills obtained in their programs’ curricula in a case study competition.
SBJ NSF created the annual Case Cup competition to meet the needs of graduate-level students preparing to embark on a career in sports business. Twelve teams, each comprised of four students from the same program, compete in a 24-hour multidisciplinary case study designed to push students to excel in a real-world, fast-paced environment similar to working conditions in the sports industry.
After completing the immersive learning experience, students become attendees at the SBJ National Sports Forum. Case Cup students are the ONLY full-time students allowed to attend the Forum.
Applications for the 2026 Case Cup will open soon.
CHALLENGE CUP
The SBJ NSF Challenge Cup Competition was created in 2021 to meet the needs of students from top undergraduate programs who are embarking on their journey to a career in sports business.
Unlike the Case Cup, this competition is held virtually in October. Each case is based on a sports-related topic and allows students to showcase the tools obtained in their program’s curriculum to a panel of sports industry professionals and academic experts.
Twelve schools are selected to compete, and four students from each undergraduate program present their findings after the case is distributed, with one alternate if needed. Teams have one week to review the case and are encouraged to use all outside resources (classmates, graduate students, professors, etc.) to prep for the first-round presentations. When it comes time for the presentation, only four students present on each team, and the four students participating in the preliminary rounds must also present in the finals.
The team that wins the SBJ NSF Challenge Cup Competition is invited to attend the 2026 National Sports Forum. Lodging and attendee badges will be covered, and a $3,000 stipend will be provided for travel costs.
