The 19th annual Sports Business Awards honored industry heavyweights for their ability to innovate and build upon their success. The winners included the Dodgers, the U.S. Open, the World Series, the NHL, and ESPN, which won two awards.
Stan Kasten, CEO of the Dodgers, said the team takes its legacy seriously and tries to display it in a modern way every day. The Dodgers won Team of the Year and have built a business powerhouse with major renovations to Dodger Stadium and a progressive approach to maximizing opportunities overseas.
The winners of the Sports Business Awards included Lego at Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix for Brand Activation of the Year, WWE for Best in Sports Social Media, and Soccer Without Borders for Celebration of Service. The U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Championship won Sports Breakthrough of the Year, and CAA Sports won Best in Talent Representation.
Candice Storey Lee, Vanderbilt University’s athletic director, was named Athletic Director of the Year. The 2025 World Series won Sports Event of the Year, and John Henry, principal owner of Fenway Sports Group, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
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ESPN made two consequential decisions last year, making all its content fully available in a direct-to-consumer product and acquiring NFL Network and NFL RedZone in exchange for a 10% stake in the network. Brian Rolapp, PGA Tour CEO, said sports is like any other industry, and if you’re not innovating, you’re going backwards.
The U.S. Open found a new way to expand its reach and profile by moving its mixed doubles competition to Fan Week, with some early-round matches free to the public.
The NHL won League of the Year on the back of strong interest in international competitions and is expanding the number of international regular-season games it will play.
John Henry, in his Lifetime Achievement Award speech, implored players and owners to find common ground ahead of the expected contentious CBA negotiation.
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Sam Kennedy, FSG CEO, emphasized the need to constantly evolve as a business.
Theo Epstein, who won the 2004 World Series as Red Sox GM, said John Henry’s vision was to build a multisport platform like Fenway Sports Group, which would transform the industry. Epstein added that Henry was the first to build an entire organization around data and analytics and progressive thinking, resulting in four World Series titles and a lot of history.
Without John Henry, the sports industry would be different, Epstein said. The Sports Business Awards ceremony was attended by a crowd of 1,000 at the Marriott Marquis in New York City.
The awards recognized the innovators and risk-takers in the sports industry who are building upon their success and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.