Press Releases


Unveiling the Winners for the 6th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by the Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment

The Hashtag Sports Awards bring the sports, media, and entertainment industries together to celebrate excellence in engagement that inspires new and creative fan experiences.

New York, NY  – June 6, 2024

The Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment has announced the 2024 winners for the 6th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards hosted by MJ Acosta-Ruiz which took place in NYC at Terminal 5.

The Hashtag Sports Awards showcase the best sports, media, and entertainment content, marketing, and creative and celebrate excellence in engagement.

Winners were determined by The Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment, a prestigious group of CMOs, executives, athletes, entertainers, creators, and other engagement experts from across the converging sports, media, and entertainment landscape.

Highlights include 3 wins for Jung von Matt SPORTS and top honor as the Agency of the Year for Engagement Excellence, 3 wins for TNT Sports and recognition of Bleacher Report as Digital Media Team of the Year, 3 wins for Omaha Productions and top honor as Production Company of the Year for Engagement Excellence, 3 wins for the NBA, 1 win for the WNBA, and top honor for the NBA as Sports 2 wins for BetMGM and the selection of Adam Greenblatt, CEO as Engagement Executive of the Year, 2 wins for FOX Sports and recognition as Broadcast Team of the Year, 2 wins for BSE Global and recognition of the Brooklyn Nets as Creative Team of the Year and top honor as the Sports Team of the Year for Engagement Excellence.

"The work on display last night at the 6th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards was not only incredible but inspiring to a rapidly growing industry that is converging with media and entertainment. The Engagement Academy’s consideration and recognition is meaningful and needed for the vast creative and marketing talent behind the work," said Anthony Caponiti, CEO & Co-Founder of Hashtag Sports.

"Over the last two years, winners at the Hashtag Sports Awards have hailed from every continent in the world outside of Antartica which highlights the importance of fan engagement globally."

View the full list of award winning content and campaigns here: https://hashtagsports.com/awards/winners-2024.

About Hashtag Sports Awards
Presented by the Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment, the Hashtag Sports Awards are peer-based awards that recognize excellence in engagement and establish the benchmark for sports content, media, marketing, and experiences. Visit www.hashtagsports.com/awards for more information.

About the Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment
Comprised of industry leaders, athletes, creators, and entertainers, the Engagement Academy plays a vital role in driving an engaging and inclusive future of sports content, experiences, and entertainment. Through year-round events and education, the Engagement Academy exists to serve the sports entertainment community by celebrating, inspiring, and advocating for content creators, creatives, and marketers globally. Visit https://www.engagement.academy for more information.


Lindsey Zelle
lindsey@hashtagsports.com

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Hashtag Sports Announces Creators of Color Empowerment Summit hosted by the Minnesota Timberwolves & Lynx, Minnesota Twins, and Minnesota Vikings

Minneapolis-based summit provides a valuable opportunity to equip the program cohort with skills, resources, and relationships and enable a more diverse generation of sports entertainment leadership.

Minneapolis, MN – September 7, 2023

Fostering more opportunities for people of color within the sports, media, and entertainment ecosystem, Hashtag Sports is partnering with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx, Minnesota Twins, and Minnesota Vikings organizations to bring the third annual Creators of Color program summit to the Twin Cities region from September 18-20—each serving as an official host. The three-day event celebrates and educates the 2023 cohort of honorees who are among the most talented next-generation sports entertainment creatives and content creators ages 21-33 who identify as Black, Latinx, Asian, and People of Color.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx and team headquarters at Mayo Clinic Square will welcome the Creators of Color cohort on September 18 and kick off the empowerment summit programming with a creative competition and special “Ask Me Anything” conversation featuring Tru Pettigrew, Chief Impact Officer of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx, Meka Morris, Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer of the Minnesota Twins, and Martin Nance, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of the Minnesota Vikings.

“The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx are excited to welcome this year’s 2023 Creators of Color cohort to Minneapolis,” said Pettigrew. “We look forward to hosting these incredible individuals at our practice facility, The Courts at Mayo Clinic Square for a tour and a candid “Ask Me Anything” roundtable with executives from all four organizations.”

Target Field, home of the American League Central Division-leading Minnesota Twins, will serve as an official host for a tour of the award-winning ballpark and various breakout sessions covering topics such as personal brand building, athlete partnerships, immersive fan engagement, and creative inspiration.

“The Minnesota Twins are incredibly proud to join with our fellow Minneapolis-based pro sports organizations in welcoming the 2023 Creators of Color cohort to our home region,” said Morris. “Authentically telling stories of teams, athletes and entertainers demands that those creating the content reflect the diversity of the audience consuming it. We are excited to engage with these talented individuals leading the way in reimagining fan experiences.”

Summit highlights will include Media Day featuring content capture and creation stations designed to spotlight honoree styles, stories, and personalities through audio, video, and social media content—as well as a creative competition, town hall, and field trips to Minnesota-based businesses and agencies.

“The Minnesota Vikings proudly extend their recognition to the esteemed 2023 Creators of Color cohort,” said Nance. “With a resolute commitment to amplifying diverse perspectives, our organization is poised to offer these talented individuals a comprehensive immersion into the inner workings of professional sports teams, artistic visionaries, and influential figures within our community. The forthcoming engagements at the U.S. Bank Stadium and Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center stand as a testament to our dedication, while our collaborative efforts with local counterparts underscore Minnesota's vibrant creative landscape in unparalleled fashion.”

As an official host of the summit, the Minnesota Vikings and team headquarters, Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center, will provide the Creators of Color cohort with access to Vikings Entertainment Network’s TCO Studios, which includes a main studio, custom-production studio, podcast and radio studio, and photo studio, along with a state-of-the-art theater for content creation opportunities, networking, and thought leadership.

“We are deeply appreciative to have the support of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx, Minnesota Twins, and Minnesota Vikings organizations to create such an empowering and memorable experience for this year’s incredibly talented Creators of Color cohort,” said Anthony Caponiti, CEO of Hashtag Sports. “Each of the organizations are leaders in fan engagement, content creation, and entertainment and work together to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives throughout the industry. We look forward to showcasing the city of Minneapolis and the breadth of creative opportunity in the Twin Cities region.”

About Creators of Color
Creators of Color is a year-round recognition program and career enablement platform produced by Hashtag Sports that honors people of color ages 21-33 in sports entertainment creative and content roles for their industry-shifting work. Honorees are independently selected by The Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment—the prestigious judging body for the Hashtag Sports Awards—based on merit and qualification across creative specialties. Visit www.creatorsofcolor.com for more information.

About Hashtag Sports
Hashtag Sports is the premier recognition and continuing education platform for content creators, brand marketers, creatives, and engagement experts across the converging sports, media, and entertainment industries. From unparalleled event experiences, including next year’s Hashtag Sports 2024 festival, to prestigious recognition at the 6th Hashtag Sports Awards to mission-driven empowerment programs like Creators of Color led by the Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment, Hashtag Sports is the benchmark for fan engagement and the go-to resource for the development of a sports entertainment ecosystem powered by content, creativity, culture, and purpose. Visit http://www.hashtagsports.com for more information.


Lindsey Zelle
lindsey@hashtagsports.com

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Shortlist Unveiled for The 5th Hashtag Sports Awards

Richard Jefferson to host live show on June 14 at Terminal 5 to honor excellence in fan & consumer engagement through the lens of sport, entertainment, and culture.

New York, NY – May 25, 2023

The Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment has announced the finalists for the 5th Hashtag Sports Awards.

The awards honor excellence in fan and consumer engagement with a live show hosted by NBA Analyst, social media superstar, 17-year NBA veteran, and 2016 NBA Champion Richard Jefferson at Terminal 5 in New York City. The awards show is a night of recognition and networking to remember and will conclude the Hashtag Sports 2023 festival and conference.

Finalists and winners are determined by the Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment, a prestigious group of CMOs, executives, athletes, creators, and other engagement experts from across the global sports media, marketing, and content ecosystem.

Shortlist highlights include fourteen (14) nominations for the NBA, eleven (11) nominations for Wieden + Kennedy, and ten nominations (10) for FCB New York while McEnroe vs. McEnroe is the most nominated campaign across seven (7) categories.

"I am absolutely blown away by the quality and depth of the creative work across sports entertainment media, marketing, and content right now,” said Anthony Caponiti, CEO of Hashtag Sports. “Especially considering the record number of entries this year, the Engagement Academy did an amazing job identifying the work that will shape the future of fan engagement, and we look forward to celebrating the organizations and talent who have raised the bar for effective engagement this year.”

In addition to 175+ finalists in more than forty categories across eight concentrations, the Engagement Academy is honoring leaders of all levels of experience who are shaping the future of sports content and experiences with three individual and one team Special Achievement awards in addition to the Outstanding Achievement in Overall Engagement for an Organization.

Anthony Caponiti
anthony@hashtagsports.com

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Tellyo and Hashtag Sports Announce Partnership for 2023 Conference and Awards

Partnership will leverage Tellyo’s flagship cloud production platform to facilitate online coverage of the events, including live streaming, highlights packages, and clips.

NEW YORK, NY – April 18, 2023

Five years after an early-stage partnership for both organizations, Tellyo and Hashtag Sports are teaming up once again on live production at Hashtag Sports 2023.

Hashtag Sports will use Tellyo Pro to clip and publish real-time highlights of the conference
speakers and award winners, and stream select conference sessions and athlete/executive interviews using the latest generation of Stream Studio – Tellyo’s flagship solution for live multi-camera production.

“We are tremendously impressed by the product evolution and enhancements made by Tellyo, and we are thrilled to be partners again as both of our organizations continue to ascend,” said Hashtag Sports CEO Anthony Caponiti. “Together with Tellyo, we’re excited to deliver Hashtag Sports content to a larger audience than ever before, and we appreciate the support of their team in bringing our vision to life.”

The 2-day event will feature two stages and over 100 speakers representing the brightest minds and most critical voices from across the sports entertainment media and marketing ecosystem along with the 5th Hashtag Sports Awards which will recognize winners in 50+ categories for their engagement effectiveness. Previous Hashtag Sports event clips and soundbites have driven hundreds of millions of video views across both web and television.

“We are big fans of Hashtag Sports and what Anthony and his team have achieved, so we are looking forward to restarting our association and helping them achieve their vision,” said Richard Collins, CEO of Tellyo. “Cloud production solutions have evolved beyond recognition over the last few years and we’re now offering the most powerful, feature-rich, and scalable platform in the industry. We can’t wait to thrill audiences everywhere with the best of Hashtag!”

The event will be hosted in New York City on June 13-14 at Warner Bros Discovery’s headquarters in Hudson Yards. For more information, visit https://hashtagsports.com/conference.

About Tellyo

Tellyo empowers media and content teams to produce compelling live video that can be streamed to multiple digital and social media destinations using Stream Studio, Tellyo’s cloud-native production solution that includes an 8ME vision mixer/production switcher. With Tellyo Pro, branded video clips, highlights, and compilations can be created and published to channels simultaneously and instantly, from anywhere, all with one click. Tellyo Guest helps you deliver high-quality web conferences, events, and presentations in real-time that bring external contributors and commentators into productions from multiple devices. Tellyo Talent lets athletes, actors, sponsors, ambassadors, and influencers amplify your reach and engagement across social media. Faster, greener, and more efficient, Tellyo is #smarterproduction!

About Hashtag Sports

Hashtag Sports® is the premier event and recognition platform for content creators, marketers, and the next generation of creative talent driving the crossover of the sports and entertainment industries. From unparalleled experiences like the annual Hashtag Sports Festival and the Hashtag Sports Awards to inspirational digital content and mission-driven initiatives like Creators of Color led by the Engagement Academy of Sports x Entertainment, Hashtag Sports is the benchmark for fan engagement and the go-to resource for development of a sports entertainment ecosystem powered by content, culture, and purpose.

Anthony Caponiti
anthony@hashtagsports.com

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Hashtag Sports Announces Creators United Summit presented with Canva

Atlanta-based Summit will equip Creators of Color honorees with skills and allies to inspire a more diverse generation of sports content leadership

NEW YORK, NY – July 29, 2021 (PRNewswire)

In order to foster more opportunities for people of color, Hashtag Sports has launched the Creators United Summit to celebrate and educate the inaugural Creators of Color cohort.

As the program and Summit title sponsor, Canva looks forward to continuing their commitment to supporting diverse content creators around the globe.

"We're looking forward to partnering with the Hashtag Sports team on this important initiative. Spotlighting and supporting diverse creators is core to our mission of empowering the world to design, and the opportunity to work with Hashtag Sports to recognise these incredibly talented creators is an enormous privilege," said Lachlan Andrews, Canva's Corporate Communications Lead.

Following nominations from business moguls, TV personalities, executives and peers, the 33 honorees were selected by members of The Engagement Academy of Sports x Entertainment, the prestigious judging body for The Hashtag Sports Awards.

Selection committee members include Josh Hart (Athlete & Podcaster), Ariel Johnson Lin (JP Morgan Chase), Kazeem Famuyide (MSG A.M.), Sarah Crennan (Yahoo Sports), Jennifer Alvarez (Miami Heat), Jimmy Spencer (SpringHill), Jessica Robertson (TOGETHXR), Raleigh Gray (DraftKings), Selena Castillo (Duke WBB), Brandon Rhodes (Overtime), Kelsey Taylor (Twitter), Dakota London (Sports Illustrated), Marissa Daly (LA Rams), Nyerr Parham (SB Nation), Kelli Konzen (Texas Longhorns), Mike Stricoff (Snap), Bryan Harper (Minnesota Vikings), Sarah Ramundt (Utah Athletics), and Jennifer van Dijk (Hoonigan).

"Atlanta's vibrant culture and explosive growth in film and entertainment make it the perfect crossover hub to unite creators of all backgrounds," said Hashtag Sports CEO Anthony Caponiti. "Together with Canva, we're eager to empower these talented creators with the tools and relationships necessary to grow into a diverse, empathetic, and engaging next generation of sports leaders."

The event will be hosted in Atlanta, Georgia on September 15-17. For more info on Creators of Color and cohort, visit https://creators.hashtagsports.com.

About Canva
Launched in 2013, Canva is a free online visual communications platform with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design. Featuring a simple drag-and-drop user interface and a vast range of templates ranging from presentations, social media graphics, posters, apparel to videos, plus a huge library of fonts, stock photography, illustrations, video footage, and audio clips, anyone can take an idea and create something beautiful.

Emily Black
emily@hashtagsports.com
479-518-1224

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Hashtag Sports Announces Refreshed Virtual Experience for 2021 Flagship Festival

Erin Andrews and Constance Schwartz-Morini to head roster of 100+ content creators, executives, and athletes speaking on jaw-dropping Welcome platform

NEW YORK, NY – June 14, 2021 (PRWeb)

Hashtag Sports, the premier event platform for content creators, marketers, and the next generation of talent across the converging sports and entertainment industries, has announced an enhanced experience for the company’s sixth annual festival, taking place June 15-17 online.

Set to encompass six track themes, plus an NFT Summit, Job Recovery Summit, Podcast Summit, and SnapBack Sports Summit, the event will be hosted for the first time on Welcome—the tech world’s virtual event platform of choice and a new partner of Hashtag Sports.

Notable speakers scheduled for broadcast inside Welcome include media personalities Erin Andrews and Steve Smith, SMAC co-founder Constance Schwartz-Morini, USWNT legend Julie Foudy, NFL athlete & Esports streamer Austin Ekeler, NFL athlete & influencer Michael Gallup, WNBA Champion Alysha Clark, Four-time Paralympian Oksana Masters, artist, athlete, & Aku founder Micah Johnson, former Disney-ABC executive & MOJO founder Ben Sherwood, and dozens more.

The event will also feature personalized networking on matchmaking platform Brella on which Hashtag Sports attendees generated over 10,000 meeting communications last year.

“Even as we plan for the return of in-person events, we look forward to hosting one of sports and entertainment’s most robust virtual conferences to-date in order to continue providing accessible education and networking at scale to doers, executive, and creators alike globally,” said Anthony Caponiti, CEO of Hashtag Sports. “We are thrilled to partner with a platform like Welcome who shares our purpose-led values and is on the cutting edge of digital experiences.”

With Fandem’s architecture, sports properties can offer true, long-term utility with NFTs that impact all lines of their business—media, sponsorships, event ticketing, and merchandise. The partnership with Hashtag Sports comes as the company is beginning to announce several of its global league and athlete partnerships.

For a full list of Hashtag Sports 2021 speakers, visit https://hashtagsports.com/virtual.

About Hashtag Sports
Hashtag Sports® is the leading forum fueling the converging sports and entertainment ecosystem with unparalleled event experiences including the annual Hashtag Sports festival, purposeful recognition initiatives like Creators of Color and the Sports Entertainment Talent Pipeline, and industry-leading awards, judged by the Engagement Academy of Sports x Entertainment, honoring the most engaging content, athletes, and creators entertaining sports fans and audiences around the world. Visit hashtagsports.com for more information.

About Fandem
Welcome is a Webby Award-winning virtual event platform that enables you to produce high-quality internal and external events that can be run like an interactive TV show. Welcome is on a mission to provide access to jaw-dropping virtual experiences that connect, transport and engage people like never before. Welcome is a privately-held company backed by Kleiner Perkins, Kapor Capital, WIN (Webb Investor Network) and Y Combinator. Visit experiencewelcome.com for more information.

Emily Black
emily@hashtagsports.com
479-518-1224

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Hashtag Sports Adds First NFT Summit presented by Fandem to 2021 Festival Agenda

Summit set to help sports leagues, athletes, and brands understand how to utilize NFTs as the building block of the fan experience

NEW YORK, NY – June 1, 2021 (PRWeb)

Hashtag Sports, the premier event and recognition platform for content creators, marketers, and the next generation of talent across the converging sports and entertainment industries, has launched its inaugural NFT Summit presented by Fandem.

Part of the multi-day Hashtag Sports 2021 annual conference, the Summit will consist of three segments centered around the key players driving sports NFT engagement—fans, creators (athletes & entertainers), and innovators (leagues, brands, and publishers) and will cut through the clutter to efficiently emphasize the most impactful ways to utilize blockchain technology to drive revenue.

According to projections from Invezz, NFT trade volume is expected to double to 175 million USD by October of this year, and sports is expected to contribute to a considerable share of the market.

“As the sports and entertainment industry rapidly evolves, so too does our programming, including the introduction of new summits and experiences to educate attendees on the highest area growth opportunities,” said Anthony Caponiti, CEO of Hashtag Sports. “We’re honored to serve as the platform introducing Fandem and cutting-edge NFT use cases to an audience of current and future content leaders.”

Fandem is a blockchain solutions provider for athletes, sports leagues, and brands. The company has built a scalable platform to launch decentralized applications that drive always-on fan engagement. NFT marketplaces are table stakes.

With Fandem’s architecture, sports properties can offer true, long-term utility with NFTs that impact all lines of their business—media, sponsorships, event ticketing, and merchandise. The partnership with Hashtag Sports comes as the company is beginning to announce several of its global league and athlete partnerships.

“Fandem is excited to serve as the title sponsor for the NFT Summit with Hashtag Sports”, said G.I. Zaratsian, Founder and CEO of Fandem. “The opportunity to connect and collaborate with an audience that is seeking to understand a rapidly evolving blockchain ecosystem provides us a perfect format to share our knowledge and expertise.”

About Hashtag Sports
Hashtag Sports® is the leading forum fueling the converging sports and entertainment ecosystem with unparalleled event experiences including the annual Hashtag Sports festival, purposeful recognition initiatives like Creators of Color, and in coordination with the Engagement Academy of Sports x Entertainment, awards honoring the most engaging content, athletes, and creators entertaining sports fans and audiences around the world. Visit hashtagsports.com for more information.

About Fandem
Fandem is building the future of the fan experience. By serving a global fanbase through partnerships with sports properties and athletes, Fandem takes the guesswork out of blockchain and NFTs to deliver an engaging experience that brings those same fans closer to their favorite teams and stars. As Fandem creates new inventory and revenue lines for its partners, they strive to be light on buzzwords and heavy on impact. Visit fandem.com for more information.

Emily Black
emily@hashtagsports.com
479-518-1224

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Hashtag Sports Adds Inaugural Job Recovery Summit to 2021 Festival Lineup in Partnership with Industry Leader WorkInSports

Summit aims to mobilize organizations to proactively fill talent gaps and shape a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable industry workplace amid recovery from unprecedented challenges in sports and entertainment

NEW YORK, NY – May 21, 2021 (PRNewswire)

Part of the multi-day Hashtag Sports 2021 annual conference, the inaugural Job Recovery Summit presented by WorkInSports will provide practical and actionable advice centered around four themes as workers get back in the game and employers adjust to evolving needs and expectations—recreation of jobs, reemploymen, reskilling, & upskilling, and retaining talent.

According to Emsi data, the cancellation and postponement of sporting events during the pandemic furloughed, reduced, or erased approximately 1.3 million sports jobs with Millennial workers age 25-34 the most impacted.

"Talent is not a commodity—it is the most valuable form of currency for any organization" said Anthony Caponiti, CEO of Hashtag Sports. "We're excited to find a partner in WorkInSports who shares our belief in the power of doers and creators to drive the future of fandom and sports entertainment business alike."

WorkInSports, recently acquired by industry-focused recruitment platform iHire, is a leading employment hub in the sports industry, having helped sports-minded job seekers make their passions their careers for more than 21 years.

The partnership with Hashtag Sports comes as the brand expands its sports-specific recruitment marketing solutions designed to reach, attract, and nurture the right job candidates as the market rebuilds, as well as to equip candidates with job search, resume writing and career advice needed to stand out from the competition.

"WorkInSports is thrilled to serve as the title sponsor of the Job Recovery Summit at Hashtag Sports—an opportunity to share our talent acquisition expertise in a time when the industry needs it most," said Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning, WorkInSports. "As hiring picks up again, we're ready and able to help bring the sports world back to its pre-COVID glory days."

About Hashtag Sports
Hashtag Sports® is the leading forum fueling the converging sports and entertainment ecosystem with unparalleled event experiences including the annual Hashtag Sports festival, purposeful recognition initiatives like Creators of Color, and in coordination with the Engagement Academy of Sports x Entertainment, awards honoring the most engaging content, athletes, and creators entertaining sports fans and audiences around the world. Visit hashtagsports.com for more information.

About WorkInSports
Since 2000, Phoenix-based WorkInSports has been widely recognized as the #1 source for jobs in the sports industry. With over 8,000 sports employers nationwide actively posting their latest openings, WorkInSports has helped thousands of job seekers follow their passion and discover their dream career in sports. WorkInSports is part of the iHire family of 57 industry-focused talent communities. Visit www.WorkInSports.com for more information.

Emily Black
emily@hashtagsports.com
479-518-1224

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Hashtag Sports Announces Game-Changing Annual Recognition Program for Minority Content Creators

Initiative includes exclusive networking, mentorship, and education to enable and empower the next generation of content and marketing leaders across sports x entertainment

NEW YORK, NY – December 16, 2020 (PRNewswire)

In an effort to spotlight and empower sports creatives who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, the industry’s leading event platform, Hashtag Sports, has launched Creators of Color.

The new annual program will provide deserved recognition and career acceleration opportunities to individuals who have created brand-defining work for organizations at the intersection of sports, content, and entertainment and helped diversify their fan audiences.

A report from D&AD indicates that as recent as last year, Black and minority ethnicities made up just 11.4% of the creative industry, while The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) indicates that although racial hiring practices continue to improve, individuals who are currently in decision-making roles at sports organizations remain predominantly white and male.

“As the home for fan engagement, Hashtag Sports is creating a rising tide that educates, empowers, and connects a converging sports x entertainment community that will look, think, and create more like the young, global and diverse fans who consume its content and experiences,” said Hashtag Sports CEO & Founder Anthony Caponiti.

“Creators of Color will not only provide a group of highly talented people with industry acknowledgement and connections to help them grow into tomorrow’s leaders, but it will also inspire today’s decision makers to see the business benefit of giving the diverse minds behind a fan’s favorite content a stage to showcase their own work and influence.”

A cohort of 30 men and women of color (ages 21-33) will be hand-selected by members of The Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment, the prestigious judging body for The Hashtag Sports Awards. Honorees will be picked from applicants across eight creative specialties: video production; social media; podcasting; marketing & revenue; storytelling & editorial; on-camera talent; design & art; and photography.

Creators of Color was developed with guidance from members of The Engagement Academy’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion council, including Sarah Crennan (Yahoo Sports / Verizon Media) and Taylor Rooks (Bleacher Report / Turner Sports).

Applications open December 16, 2020. For more information, please visit https://hashtagsports.com/creators-of-color

Individuals and organizations interested in supporting the effort may reach out directly to Emily Black at the contact information listed below.

About Hashtag Sports
Hashtag Sports® is an unprecedented and fast-growing forum for collaboration and dialogue across media and marketing professionals and the next generation of creative talent driving the converging sports and entertainment industries. From unparalleled experiences like our annual Hashtag Sports Festival and The Hashtag Sports Awards to inspirational digital content and mission-driven initiatives like Creators of Color led by The Engagement Academy of Sports & Entertainment, Hashtag Sports is the benchmark for fan engagement and the go-to resource for the development of a new sports and entertainment ecosystem powered by digital media, content, culture, purpose, and technology.

Emily Black
emily@hashtagsports.com
479-518-1224

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Unveiling the Winners for the 2nd Annual Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser

Hashtag Sports recognizes the most engaging sports brands, agencies, properties, athletes and influencers of 2020.

NEW YORK, NY – October 8, 2020

Hashtag Sports, the most influential sports & entertainment conference and community for media and marketing professionals, has announced the 2020 winners for the Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser.

The Awards will honor excellence in fan and consumer engagement across sports and entertainment with a digital experience on October 8, 2020 in advance of the 5th Annual Hashtag Sports Conference which will be held virtually October 20-22.

Finalists and winners were determined by The Engagement Academy of Sports & Entertainment, a prestigious group of CMOs, executives, athletes, entertainers, creators, and other engagement experts from across the converging sports and entertainment landscape.

Winner highlights include 3 wins for INTERSPORT Deutschland and Jung von Matt AG’s “NOT BAD FOR A GIRL” campaign, as well as a 3 wins for millennial sports media publisher Bleacher Report. Other notable winners include the “Women Worth Watching” campaign by USTA, ShelS, and mcgarrybowen for the Gender Equality in Sports category, in addition to “The Last Dance” by ESPN Films for Best Athlete Storytelling and “Deep Fake | ESPN The Last Dance” by State Farm and Optimum Sports for Most Engaging Advertisement.

"Despite the obvious challenges presented by the COVID-19 pause to live sports, we experienced a 50% increase in the total number of submissions this cycle which speaks volumes about how the brightest minds in sports, media, and entertainment have rallied over the course of several months to embrace innovation and produce never-before-created content and campaigns worthy of The Engagement Academy’s consideration and recognition," said Anthony Caponiti, CEO & Co-Founder of Hashtag Sports.

Check out the full list of award winner campaigns and acceptance speeches on-demand here: https://hashtagsports.com/awards/winners-2020.

2020 Winners – Brand & Properties

Best Integrated Campaign

  • #HINCHASWANTED (beIN SPORTS, VMLY&R Miami)

Best Social Media Campaign

  • #SandlotToTheShow (MLB Network)

Most Engaging Advertisement

  • Deep Fake | ESPN The Last Dance (State Farm, Optimum Sports)

Best Athlete Storytelling

  • The Last Dance (ESPN Films)

Best Integrated Campaign

  • NOT BAD FOR A GIRL (INTERSPORT Deutschland, Jung von Matt AG)

Best Fan Storytelling

  • #SandlotToTheShow (MLB Network)

Best Original Content or Series

  • 10,000 Hours Documentary Series (In The Lab)

Best Sports Podcast

  • Pardon My Take (Barstool Sports)

Best Engagement Through Esports & Gaming

  • ESL Mobile Open Presented by AT&T (AT&T, ESL)

Best Engagement Through Sports Betting

  • Elevating the Sports Experience Through Legalized Sports Betting (FanDuel Group)

Best Use of Culture, Music, or Entertainment

  • Phila Unite Custom Jordan 1's (Philadelphia 76ers)

Best Gen Z or Kids Activation

  • Nike Game Growers (Nike)

Best Live Brand Experience

  • Home of the SportsCenter Top 10 (Preacher, ESPN)

Best Pop-Up or Retail Activation

  • Lambeau Leap Day (Bose, CAA, Green Bay Packers)

Best Use of Events for Content

  • FANS FOR LIFE (beIN SPORTS, VMLY&R Miami)

Best In-Game Integration

  • Your Call Football (Your Call Inc., CTP)

Best OTT or Streaming Experience

  • WWE Network (WWE)

Best Use of Technology

  • Marathon City: Sprint and Spin to Win (TCS, New York Road Runners)

Best Website or Mobile Experience

  • Atlanta Falcons Mobile App (Atlanta Falcons, Rover)

Best Engagement for Good

  • NOT BAD FOR A GIRL (INTERSPORT Deutschland, Jung von Matt AG)

Gender Equality in Sports

  • Women Worth Watching (USTA, ShelS, mcgarrybowen)

Mental Health in Sports

  • USA Cycling's Well-Being Program (USA Cycling)

Most Inspiring Engagement During the Sports Pause

  • All In Challenge (Fanatics)

Best Jersey Sponsorship Activation

  • Connected by Magic (Orlando Magic, Walt Disney World)

Most Creative Partnership (Without an Athlete or Influencer)

  • #NFLTwitter Super Bowl Confetti 2020 (Twitter)

Best Real-Time Engagement

  • Bleacher Report #1 in Engagement (Bleacher Report)

Outstanding Use of Instagram

  • House of Highlights (Bleacher Report)

Outstanding Use of Snapchat

  • SportsCenter On Snapchat (ESPN)

Outstanding Use of TikTok

  • @NBA TikTok (NBA)

Outstanding Use of Twitter

  • Bleacher Report #1 on Twitter (Bleacher Report)

Register to attend the Hashtag Sports 2020 VRTL Conference on October 20-22, 2020. Get access to exclusive insights from the most influential talent and digital content creators across sports & entertainment and engage in select 1-on-1 meetings to network and connect with industry professionals. Limited spots are available—register at https://hashtagsports.com/virtual.

For more information on The Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser, visit https://hashtagsports.com/awards.

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Hashtag Sports & Intel Sports Announce Industry-Wide Diversity & Inclusion Initiative

Working Committee Formed Out of The Engagement Academy of Sports & Entertainment

NEW YORK, NY – June 15, 2020 (PRNewswire)

Hashtag Sports, the premier conference, awards, and community for media and marketing professionals and the next generation of talent across the converging sports and entertainment industries, has mobilized a working committee alongside Intel Sports aimed at increasing gender equality and representation in the business behind sports and entertainment.

Led by Sandra Lopez, VP and GM of Intel Sports, the first of its kind committee will set aim at enabling the sports and entertainment industries to more effectively represent the audiences they are engaging. Research from McKinsey found that among younger generations of sports fans, the gender gap is closing, with women making up as much as 45% of Millennial sports fans.

Additionally, a study from the Boston Consulting Group shows that increasing diversity on leadership teams unlocks innovation and creativity, adding to the bottom line by as much as 19% and driving market growth. As the 21st-century sports fan continues to diversify, it is critical that sports-led content and campaigns as well as the marketers and creators behind them reflect the modern fan who is young, multicultural, and increasingly female.

“Intel has seen business and societal impact when we foster a diverse and inclusive environment. As we continue our journey, we believe we should challenge other industries to do the same, including sports. Based on the most recent Race and Gender Report Cards from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida, women are underrepresented in positions of power or influence at senior leadership levels across all sports. That is why Intel Sports decided to partner with Hashtag Sports to not only challenge the industry but to also make forward progress in advancing women as well as underrepresented minorities in leadership roles,” said Sandra Lopez, VP Intel Sports.

“We’ve seen the power of a collective group, bound together for a greater cause as evidenced by the outpouring support,” Lopez added. “The comradery and empathy in our community are strong, and I am proud and equally enthusiastic to work together as we explore new ideas and opportunities for change.”

In 2015, Intel challenged both itself and the technology industry to establish a more diverse and inclusive workforce in order to ensure the organization was able to effectively represent the markets that it serves as well as innovate and drive tangible business results. Since that announcement, Intel has achieved full representation in its U.S. workforce two years ahead of the 2020 goal.

As Intel moves into the next decade, the company will extend their impact by partnering with others to advance diversity and inclusion across its global workforce and industry. As part of their RISE strategy, Intel intends to expand opportunities through technology inclusion and digital readiness initiatives.

Joining Sandra Lopez on the D&I working committee will be 10 members of The Engagement Academy of Sports & Entertainment, a society of sports media, marketing, and entertainment professionals whose mission is to inspire creative talent of all ages while championing diversity, inclusion, and new ideas that galvanize the sports and entertainment industries. Academy members are responsible for determining the winners of The Hashtag Sports Awards, announced each year at the annual Hashtag Sports conference, which recognizes excellence in fan engagement.

Founding members include Jill Gregory (Chief Marketing Officer, NASCAR), Jarvis Sam (Talent Sourcing & Diversity Recruiting, Nike), Alex Flanagan (Partner & Head of Women’s Growth, The Familie V2), Taylor Rooks (Talent, Turner Sports), Tyger Danger (Director of Communications, Bleacher Report), Shiz Suzuki (AVP Sponsorships and Experiential Marketing, AT&T), Dev Sethi, (Head of Sports, Instagram), TJ Adeshola (Head of U.S. Sports, Twitter), Blake Stuchin (VP, Digital Media Business Development, NFL), and Sarah Crennan (Head of Content, Yahoo Sports/Verizon Media).

Building on this foundation, Hashtag Sports will add industry partners and select new members to support the initiative’s growth and reflect the perspectives of all key industry stakeholders, including athletes, teams, leagues, federations, sponsors and advertisers, agencies, talent, and media companies.

“Now, more than ever in the midst of the global pandemic and racial unrest in the United States, we have an opportunity to unite and catalyze through collaborative coalitions that will build a rising tide out of the economic losses experienced and the calls for action expressed by black Americans,” said Anthony Caponiti, CEO & Founder at Hashtag Sports.

“The Engagement Academy’s working committee will advocate for the industry to proactively build organizations that represent all genders, backgrounds, and voices and to do so with purpose and accountability. It’s challenging yet simple—executive leadership, content creators, and marketers should look and think like their fans,” added Caponiti.

After months of organization, the committee will begin working this month in the lead up to Hashtag Sports 2020 on October 21-22 to combine existing market research with first-hand knowledge and experience. This work will include evangelizing the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workforce and encouraging sports and entertainment executives to pledge a business commitment to the advancement of opportunities for women and minorities in the workplace, with a focus on enabling the next generation of marketers and content creators.

Individuals and organizations interested in supporting the effort may reach out directly to Emily Black at the contact information listed below.

Emily Black, Hashtag Sports
emily@hashtagsports.com
479-518-1224

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Hashtag Sports 2020 Announces Inaugural Sports Betting Media Summit

Half-Day Summit Set to Explore Fan Engagement and Monetization Opportunities

NEW YORK, NY – February 13, 2020

Hashtag Sports, the most influential conference, awards, and community for media and marketing professionals across sports and entertainment, has launched its inaugural Sports Betting Media Summit, set to take place on June 17th, 2020 at The TimesCenter in New York City.

Presented by boutique research firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, the Summit will begin at noon on the second day of Hashtag Sports 2020 and effectively doubles the amount of sports betting content previously offered as part of the annual conference programming.

As legalized sports betting rapidly expands across the United States following the Supreme Court’s strike down of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018, fan engagement opportunities abound for leagues, teams, brands, and media companies. A survey by the Seton Hall Sports Poll found that 70% of Americans are more likely to watch a game that they bet on.

“As the sports and entertainment industry rapidly evolves, so does our programming including the introduction of new summits and experiences to educate our attendees,” said Anthony Caponiti, CEO of Hashtag Sports. “Our goal is to fuel the rising tide of sports media and content consumption, and sports betting is poised to create a more dynamic fan and engaged consumer in North America.”

The Summit will emphasize education surrounding sports betting’s importance to fan engagement experts and will focus on critical areas including content strategy, streaming’s impact on in-play betting, growth of online and mobile sportsbooks, advertising impact, and content partnerships. A three-hour seminar led by sports media veteran Chris Russo will expand upon immediate revenue and monetization opportunities for sports teams and publishers.

Confirmed speakers include executives from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, Bleacher Report, Monterosa, FanDuel, SBTech, William Hill, Phenix RTS, and PointsBet with dozens more to be announced.

Executives interested in speaking at the summit are encouraged to submit here: https://nyc.hashtagsports.com/speaking-submission.

For sponsorship inquiries, please reach out directly to emily@hashtagsports.com.

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About Hashtag Sports:

Hashtag Sports® is the premier and authoritative global event celebrating, recognizing, and educating people who excel at creating engaging experiences for sports fans and consumers.

In a few short years, the Hashtag Sports conference and The Hashtag Sports Awards, judged by The Engagement Academy of Sports & Entertainment, have become the industry standard for benchmarking fan engagement and understanding the rapid changes in consumer behavior brought on by the rise of digital media, technology, and culture as a currency.

Held annually each June in New York City, this year’s conference will feature the inaugural Sports Betting Media Summit at Hashtag Sports educating audiences on the hottest trend and biggest growth opportunity in the North American sport world. For more information, visit https://hashtagsports.com.

About Eilers & Krejcik Gaming:

Eilers & Krejcik Gaming is a boutique research and consulting firm focused on sports betting as well as servicing gaming equipment and interactive gaming within the global gaming industry. Primary services include market research, company research, and advising clients, primarily online casino operators and gaming regulators among others. For more information, visit https://ekgamingllc.com.

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Hashtag Sports 2019 Announces Full Speaker Line-Up

Dana White and Julian Edelman to Head Roster of 120 Executives and Athletes for Annual Hashtag Sports Conference

NEW YORK, NY – June 24, 2019

Hashtag Sports, the industry’s most influential conference, awards, and community for media and marketing professionals, has released the final roster of speakers for the 4th Annual Hashtag Sports Conference taking place June 26-27, 2019 at the TimesCenter in New York City.

Notable professional athletes include the New England Patriots’ Julian Edelman, Pittsburgh Steelers’ Benny Snell Jr., New York Giants’ Evan Engram, and two-time NBA Champion, entrepreneur, and investor Baron Davis while sports industry executives include UFC President Dana White and NBA Commissioner Emeritus David Stern along with other major industry leaders from Amazon, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bleacher Report, Converse, DAZN, ESPN, Facebook, Google, Hulu, IBM, Instagram, Kraft Heinz Company, Moet Hennessy, SAP, Turner Sports, and Univision among others. Media personalities set to make appearances include ESPN’s Mina Kimes and Thursday Night Football’s Andrea Kremer and Hannah Storm.

“As the shape and direction of the industry constantly evolves, so does our speaker lineup,” said Steve Cobb, co-founder of Hashtag Sports. “2019 is one of our most dynamic speaker lineups yet, representing a wide range of sports, leagues, backgrounds, and expertise from all corners of the industry.”

Additional speakers include:

  • Geoff Collins, Head Coach Georgia Tech Football
  • Carola Jain, CMO Spartan Race
  • Katie O’Reilly, CMO Philadelphia 76ers
  • Tim Clark, Chief Digital Officer & SVP NASCAR
  • Renie Anderson, CRO & EVP of Partnerships NFL
  • Scott Langerman, CEO ACE Media
  • Howard Mittman, CEO Bleacher Report
  • Connor Schell, EVP of Content ESPN


For a full list of Hashtag Sports 2019 speakers visit hashtagsports.com/speakers.

In addition to the more than 70+ speaker-led sessions held over two days, the event will feature original content showcases and performances including live athlete podcasts, SportsFronts, and the Hashtag Sports Comedy Hour at Bleacher Report featuring an all-star lineup celebrating the convergence of sports and entertainment.

Full conference agenda and session details can be found at hashtagsports.com/agenda.

--

About Hashtag Sports:

Hashtag Sports® is the leading global event celebrating, recognizing, and educating people who excel at engaging sports fans and consumers. In a few short years, the Hashtag Sports has become the industry standard for benchmarking fan engagement and understanding the rapid changes in consumer behavior brought on by the rise of digital, technology, and culture as a currency. Held annually in New York City, this year’s event will feature The Inaugural Hashtag Sports Awards and 120+ speakers representing a diverse mix of thought leaders, decision makers, athletes and, influencers. For more information, visit https://hashtagsports.com.

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Inaugural Shortlist Unveiled for The Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser

Scott Rogowsky to host live show June 25 at TimesCenter in New York City to recognize most engaging sports brands, agencies, properties, athletes and influencers

New York, NY – May 29, 2019 (PRWeb)

Hashtag Sports, the industry’s most influential conference and community for media and marketing professionals, has announced the finalists for The Inaugural Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser.

The Awards honor excellence in fan and consumer engagement with a live show hosted by digital star Scott Rogowsky on June 25, 2019 at The TimesCenter in New York City to kick off the 4th Annual Hashtag Sports Conference.

Finalists and winners were determined by the newly established Engagement Academy of Sports & Entertainment, a prestigious group of CMOs, executives, athletes, and other engagement experts from across the global sports media and marketing ecosystem.

Shortlist highlights for Brands & Properties categories include seven nominations for millennial sports media publisher Bleacher Report and six for brand experience agency Momentum Worldwide.

"We were blown away by the quality and number of entries received in the first year of the awards,” said Steve Cobb, Co-Founder of Hashtag Sports. “The Academy did an amazing job identifying the work that will shape the future of fan engagement, and we look forward to celebrating the organizations and talent who have raised the bar for effective engagement as we kick off Hashtag Sports 2019.”

In addition to finalists in more than twenty Brands & Properties categories, winners of eleven Athletes & Creators categories have been revealed ahead of the show. Selected by a combination of fan voting on social media and peer judging by the Engagement Academy, winners include JuJu Smith-Schuster, Charlotte Flair, The F2, Colin Kaepernick, and Pat McAfee among others.

2019 Shortlist – Brand & Properties:

Best Integrated Campaign

  • American Express Jersey Assurance (Momentum Worldwide)
  • Good Karma Payout (PointsBet / North 6th Agency)
  • Focus On (Bose)
  • Rival Hug (FIFA / Jung von Matt)
  • This is Our Ice (ICF Next)
  • #zLAtan (LA Galaxy)

Best Multi-Platform Campaign

  • Double Clasico (beIN SPORTS USA / VMLYR Miami)
  • New Level of In (Chicago Cubs)
  • Purple Reign (Minnesota Timberwolves)
  • Rookies Drawing Logos (NFL)

Best Social Media Campaign

  • Brees-A-Thon by The Checkdown (NFL)
  • Lifetime Tattoo Ticket (Hertha BSC / Jung von Matt)
  • NHL Fan Choice Awards (NHL)
  • Rival Hug (FIFA / Jung von Matt)
  • #zLAtan (LA Galaxy)

Breakthrough Sports Ad of the Year

  • Who is Kevin Love? (R/GA / Banana Republic)
  • We Got Now: Kawhi Leonard | New Balance Basketball (The Rec League)

Best Athlete Storytelling

  • Dear Kyle (Minnesota Vikings)
  • Lou Williams: Live from the Underground (LA Clippers)
  • Run With Us: Home (Chicago Bulls)
  • Snow Pack: Shaun White’s Horrific Crash (Yahoo Sports)
  • The People (The Ohio State University)
  • Visa Defeats FIFA World Cup FOMO (Visa / Endeavor Global Marketing)

Best Branded Content Series

  • Hockey 101 with Snoop Dogg (NHL)
  • House of UA (House of Highlights)
  • IBM & Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Poster Series (MKTG)
  • JCPenney Style Stories (Bleacher Report)
  • SAP GM School (Momentum Worldwide)
  • Who is Kevin Love? (R/GA / Banana Republic)

Best Fan-Generated Content

  • Believing in Miracles (Minnesota Vikings)
  • FanSided/Sports Illustrated NFL Preview (MKTG)
  • Lifetime Tattoo Ticket (Hertha BSC / Jung von Matt)

Best Original Content or Programming

  • Behind the Scenes with the Storytellers: New York Jets (Libris by Photoshelter)
  • Face to Face (LaLiga)
  • #NBATwitteris… (Twitter)
  • SkoLOL (Minnesota Vikings)
  • The Breakdown (Chicago Cubs)
  • The Grind (Canadian Football League)

Best Real-Time Engagement

  • Bleacher Report (Bleacher Report)
  • ESPN x 2018 NBA Finals (ESPN)
  • Farewell Jersey (beIN SPORTS USA / VMLYR Miami)
  • Kit Launch Wallpaper Wednesday (Atlanta United FC)
  • Real-Time Custom Fantasy Team Logos (NFL)
  • SportsCastr Social First Screen (SportsCastr)

Best Website or Mobile Experience

  • 2018 TCS New York City Marathon App (New York Road Runners / TCS)
  • Bleacher Report (Bleacher Report)
  • ‘See The Puck’ Mobile Campaign (San Jose Sharks / Rover)
  • SportsCastr (SportsCastr)
  • theScore (theScore)

Outstanding Use of Instagram

  • Farewell Jersey (beIN SPORTS USA / VMLYR Miami)
  • @HouseofHighlights (House of Highlights)
  • @NBAKicks at NBA All-Star 2019 (NBA)
  • NFL Throwback (NFL)
  • The Brotherhood (Duke Men’s Basketball)
  • @theScore (theScore)

Outstanding Use of Snapchat

  • Skol Scribbles (Minnesota Vikings)
  • NFL Highlights: Snapchat Discover Story (NFL)
  • Premier League: Extra Time (NBC Sports Group)
  • Showtime Sports: Wilder vs. Fury (Showtime Networks)

Outstanding Use of Twitter

  • 2 Chainz “Rap Or Go To The League” Emoji (Def Jam Recordings)
  • @BleacherReport (Bleacher Report)
  • #NBATwitterLive (NBA)
  • The Metro by T-Mobile Purple Couch (Lagardere Plus)

Outstanding Use of Facebook

  • CFL Game Time (Canadian Football League)
  • DAZN Surpasses 295 Million Facebook Video Views (Grabyo / DAZN)

Best Engagement through Epsorts

  • IEM Katowice 2019 (ESL)
  • NBA 2K League (NBA 2K League)
  • State Farm Esports Partnerships (ReKTGlobal)
  • theScore Esports (theScore)
  • The Overwatch League: World Class Ecosystem (Activision Blizzard)

Best Use of Culture, Music, or Entertainment

  • 2 Chainz x LeBron James “Rap Or Go To The League” (Def Jam Recordings)
  • Brooklyn Nets City Edition Campaign (BSE Global)
  • Mostly Football (Yahoo Sports / Complex Media)
  • @NBA x UnitedMasters (NBA)
  • “The Bullchelor” Starring Robin Lopez (Chicago Bulls)
  • Who is Kevin Love? (R/GA / Banana Republic)

Best Activation to Reach Young Fans

  • B/R Kicks Presents: The Drop Up (Bleacher Report)
  • Cox Flight Speed 4D Experience (Cox Communications)
  • Skol Scribbles (Minnesota Vikings)
  • NBA TikTok: #AllStarTalent Challenge (NBA)

Best Engagement Through A Live Event

  • All-Star Access: A Front-Row Seat to All-Star Week (MLB Network)
  • Minnesocial: The Minnesota Vikings Fan-Focused Gameday (Minnesota Vikings / Tagboard)

Best Event-Based Activation

  • 2018 NBA Draft Social Circuit (NBA)
  • Australian Open #EmiratesPlay (Tennis Australia / Brizi)
  • IBM at the US Open (IBM)
  • Rival Hug (FIFA / Jung von Matt)
  • Rugby World Cup Sevens (CSM)

Best Use of Immersive Media

  • Cox Flight Speed 4D Experience (Cox Communications)
  • NASCAR Playoffs AR Experience (NASCAR)
  • SAP Battles from the Bench (Momentum Worldwide)
  • The Drone Racing League (DRL)

Best Use of Technology

  • American Express Super Rally (Momentum Worldwide)
  • Artificial Intelligence = Athlete Insights (Miro AI)
  • CBS Sports: Google Assistant Ultimate Fantasy Advisor (CBS Interactive)
  • Fox Sports World Cup Highlights Machine (Thuuz)
  • IBM & ESPN Fantasy Football (IBM)
  • ShotTracker Broadcast Solution (ShotTracker)

Best Engagement for Good

  • Dear Kyle (Minnesota Vikings)
  • Hockey’s Declaration of Principles (NHL / The Vault)
  • Kevin Durant Charity Foundation (KDCF)
  • Rival Hug (FIFA / Jung von Matt)
  • Touchdowns Against Cancer (Pledge It)

Most Creative Partnership With an Athlete or Influencer

  • American Express Jersey Assurance (Momentum Worldwide)
  • CAHILLTEX (TLA Worldwide)
  • NHL’s Jason Zucker Co-Designs for a Cause (Lola Pro Sports Marketing)
  • Rock Your Routine - With UCHealth, the Colorado Rockies and Charlie Blackmon (UCHealth)
  • Who is Kevin Love? (R/GA + Banana Republic)

Most Creative Partnership Without An Athlete or Influencer

  • #BarstoolDoesDaytona (Barstool Sports / NASCAR)
  • Minnesota Vikings and 3M Light Up U.S. Bank Stadium Purple (Minnesota Vikings)
  • Natural Light Beer - Race Resume (M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment)
  • SAP GM School (Momentum Worldwide)
  • The AI Revolution in High School Sport (PIxellot / NFHS Networks)
  • #TheDebut - Live High School Basketball Games (Twitter / Gatorade / Intersport)

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2019 Winners – Athletes & Creators:

Best Female Athlete on Social Media

  • Charlotte Flair

Best Male Athlete on Social Media

  • JuJu Smith-Schuster

Best Creator

  • The F2

Best Athlete Show or Series

  • Tom vs. Time

Best Sports Podcast

  • The Pat McAfee Show 2.0

Best Parody or Comedy Account

  • Bob Menery

Best Streamer

  • Ninja

Social Highlight Star

  • Katelyn Ohashi

Most Gif-Worthy

  • Gritty

Best Engagement for Change

  • Colin Kaepernick

Best Engagement for Good

  • LeBron James

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For more information on The Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser, visit https://awards.hashtagsports.com.

For more information on The Engagement Academy, visit https://awards.hashtagsports.com/academy.

About Hashtag Sports:
Hashtag Sports® is the leading global platform celebrating and educating people who excel at engaging sports fans and consumers. In only three years, the Hashtag Sports Conference has become the industry standard for benchmarking fan engagement and understanding the rapid changes in consumer behavior brought on by the rise of digital, technology, and culture as a currency. Held annually in New York City, this year’s event will feature the inaugural Hashtag Sports Awards and 120+ speakers, including Dana White, Carola Jain, Connor Schell, Howard Mittman, Mina Kimes, David Stern, and more. For more information, visit http://www.hashtagsports.com.

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Hashtag Sports Unveils First Annual Hashtag Sports Engage 150 List

Inaugural editorial list recognizes the 150 agencies that best engage consumers through U.S. sports and fan culture across more than 20 areas of expertise

New York, NY – March 26, 2019

Hashtag Sports, the industry’s leading conference, awards, and community for sports media and marketing professionals, has unveiled The Hashtag Sports Engage 150. It is the first and only editorial list of agencies excelling in fan and consumer engagement through the lens of U.S. sports and fan culture.

Just as The Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser were created to establish an industry benchmark for engagement excellence, The Hashtag Sports Engage 150 is designed as a resource to guide brand marketers seeking new agency partners for sports-related projects and features profiles that showcase each agency’s core capabilities, relevant clients, notable work, and RFP contact information.

“In today’s rapidly changing and digital-first world, effectiveness is synonymous with engagement,” said Anthony Caponiti, Co-Founder of Hashtag Sports. “We created this list to establish an industry resource and benchmark by recognizing the elite agencies that are truly transcending the status quo for sports-led content, campaigns, and experiences and establishing the new rules of engagement.”

Hashtag Sports accepted submissions throughout the first three months of 2019. The agencies recognized on this list were selected by editorial staff based on criteria that include: demonstrated expertise in U.S. sports, athletes, and fan culture; ability to drive effective engagement across multiple sports-related projects and platforms; award-winning work in sports; and bold displays of innovation and creativity that push the industry forward. The 150 agencies selected for this inaugural list are proven experts in helping their clients leverage the unique power of sports to authentically engage consumers.

For more information on The Hashtag Sports Engage 150, please visit https://hashtagsports.com/engage-150.

For more information on The Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser, please visit https://awards.hashtagsports.com.

About Hashtag Sports:

Hashtag Sports® is the leading global platform celebrating and educating people who excel at engaging sports fans and consumers. In only three years, the Hashtag Sports Conference has become the industry standard for benchmarking fan engagement and understanding the rapid changes in consumer behavior brought on by the rise of digital, technology, and culture as a currency. Held annually each June in New York City, this year’s event will feature the inaugural Hashtag Sports Awards celebrating work reflecting excellence in engagement from brands, agencies, sports properties, publishers, and athletes. For more information, visit https://hashtagsports.com.

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Athlete & Creator Nominees Announced for The Inaugural Hashtag Sports Awards

Budweiser will be Presenting Sponsor of Inaugural Hashtag Sports Awards taking place June 25, 2019 at The TimesCenter in New York City

New York, NY – March 6, 2019

Hashtag Sports announced today the official nominations of the ten Athlete & Creator categories for the inaugural Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser, which honor excellence in fan engagement across more than thirty categories. The Awards will take place June 25, 2019 at The TimesCenter in New York City.

The Awards represent an important expansion of Hashtag Sports’ industry-leading conference to showcase the game-changing work of brands, agencies, publishers, and sports properties.

“Athletes and creators play a key role in the engagement ecosystem and have a unique ability to amass audiences and build authentic direct-to-fan relationships,” said Steve Cobb, Co-Founder of Hashtag Sports. "It’s only right the best talent is also recognized side-by-side the industry’s best work.”

Winners for the ten Athletes & Creators categories will be determined by a combination of fan voting and the newly established Engagement Academy for Sports & Entertainment, a prestigious group of CMOs, executives, athletes, and other engagement experts from across the global sports media and marketing ecosystem. Fans may vote now through March 29 using unique hashtags on Twitter.

Notable Academy members who will be voting on these categories include:

 

  • Baker Mayfield
  • Jemele Hill
  • Martellus Bennett
  • Gotham Chopra
  • Jay Williams
  • Michael Ratner
  • and more

 

Notable athletes and influencers who received nominations for their efforts in building direct-to-fan relationships on digital and social platforms include:

 

  • Tom Brady
  • Joel Embiid
  • Lindsey Vonn
  • FamousLos
  • Patrick Mahomes
  • Katie Nolan
  • Ninja
  • Pat McAfee
  • CC Sabathia
  • Aly Raisman
  • Colin Kaepernick
  • and many more

 

Highlights include Katelyn Ohashi’s nomination for Social Highlight Star stemming from a pair of viral gymnastics routines that generated over 100M views on social media, Chloe Kim whose mid-competition Tweet about breakfast outshined her Olympic gold medal, and Tom Brady’s Tom vs. Time series on Facebook Watch which gave 50M fans an inside look into the Super Bowl champ’s otherwise private life.

2019 Hashtag Sports Awards Nominees

Best Male Athlete on Social Media

  • Boban Marjanovic
  • JuJu Smith-Schuster
  • Adam Rippon
  • Alex Bregman
  • Tom Brady
  • Joel Embiid

Best Female Athlete on Social Media

  • Charlotte Flair
  • Chiney Ogwumike
  • Lindsey Vonn
  • Sydney Leroux
  • Chloe Kim
  • Naomi Osaka

Best Creator

  • The F2
  • Taylor Rooks
  • Katie Nolan
  • Scooter Magruder
  • Rachel DeMita
  • Rob Perez

Best Social Highlight Star

  • Dude Perfect
  • Kendall Coyne
  • Katelyn Ohashi
  • Mac McClung
  • Patrick Mahomes
  • Zion Williamson

Best Parody or Comedy Account

  • Gritty
  • What He Looks Like
  • Barstool Big Cat
  • Dragonflyjonez
  • Bob Menery
  • Capt. Andrew Luck

Best Streamer

  • Ninja
  • KittyPlays
  • Demetrious Johnson
  • Castro_1021
  • Dr Disrespect
  • Timthetatman

Best Original Show or Series

  • I Am More: OBJ
  • Martellus Bennett: Mostly Football
  • Parking Lot Chronicles
  • The Famous Los & Filayyyy
  • Tom Brady
  • Behind Baker

Best Sports Podcast

  • The Mina Kimes Show
  • R2C2
  • The JJ Redick Podcast
  • Glass Case of Emotion
  • The Pat McAfee Show 2.0
  • The Fighter & The Kid

Best in Engagement for Good

  • Serena Williams
  • Shaquem Griffin
  • DrLupo
  • PK Subban
  • Anthony Rizzo
  • LeBron James

Best in Engagement for Change

  • Carmelo Anthony
  • Chris Long
  • Breanna Stewart
  • Megan Rapinoe
  • Aly Raisman
  • Colin Kaepernick

For a full list of categories and more information on The Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser, visit https://awards.hashtagsports.com.

About Hashtag Sports:

Hashtag Sports® is the leading global platform celebrating and educating people who excel at engaging sports fans and consumers. In only three years, the Hashtag Sports Conference has become the industry standard for benchmarking fan engagement and understanding the rapid changes in consumer behavior brought on by the rise of digital, technology, and culture as a currency. Held annually in New York City, this year’s event will feature the inaugural Hashtag Sports Awards and 120+ speakers representing a diverse mix of thought leaders, decision makers, athletes and, influencers. For more information, visit www.hashtagsports.com.

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Hashtag Sports Launches New Awards Show to Honor Excellence in Fan Engagement

Budweiser will be Presenting Sponsor of The Inaugural Hashtag Sports Awards taking place June 25, 2019 at The TimesCenter in New York City

New York, NY – March 5, 2019 (PRWeb)

Hashtag Sports, the industry’s most influential conference and community for sports media and marketing professionals, has unveiled The Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser to celebrate excellence in fan and consumer engagement. The live awards show will take place June 25, 2019 at The TimesCenter in New York City to kick off the 4th annual Hashtag Sports Conference.

Following three years of explosive growth for the Hashtag Sports Conference, the Awards represent an important expansion of the industry-leading event to showcase the game-changing work of brands, agencies, publishers, and properties across more than 30 categories. Athletes and influencers will also be recognized for their key roles in the engagement ecosystem and unique ability to amass audiences and create authentic direct-to-fan relationships.

“Connecting with consumers through sports and fan culture is a critical skill for marketers so it’s only right that the best work is recognized on the industry’s biggest stage,” said Steve Cobb, Co-Founder of Hashtag Sports. "Based on early entries and b support from innovative and creative organizations, we’re confident these awards will inspire and fuel the future of fan engagement.”

Winners will be determined by the newly formed Engagement Academy for Sports & Entertainment, a prestigious group of CMOs, executives, athletes, and other engagement experts from across the global sports media and marketing ecosystem who will play a key role in helping establish benchmarks for effective engagement. The Academy's mission is to continually enhance the fan experience by recognizing excellence in fan and consumer engagement, while championing diversity and new ideas to galvanize the industry and better serve sports fans in the digital age.

Early members of The Engagement Academy include:

 

  • Heidi Browning – Chief Marketing Officer, NHL
  • Martellus Bennett – Athlete & Founder, Imagination Agency
  • Lisa Murray – Chief Marketing Officer, Octagon
  • Gotham Chopra – Founder, Religion of Sports
  • Jay Williams – Athlete & Sports Personality
  • Melissa Brenner – EVP Digital Media, NBA
  • Michael Ratner – Chief Executive Officer & Founder, OBB Pictures
  • Tina Davis – SVP Corporate Sponsorships & Marketing, Citi
  • Jemele Hill – Writer & Creator
  • Dev Sethi – Head of Sports, Instagram
  • Jennifer Storms – Chief Marketing Officer, NBC Sports
  • Larry Weintraub – Chief Innovation Officer, The Marketing Arm
  • Sandra Lopez – GM & VP, Intel
  • Mick Batyske – DJ & Entrepreneur
  • Carola Jain – Chief Marketing Officer, Spartan Race

 

“We’re thrilled to support Hashtag Sports in this awards initiative to inspire the industry and raise the bar on fan and consumer engagement,” said Nick Kelly, Head of U.S. Sports Marketing for AB InBev. “Sports is a leading consumer passion point, and it’s important that we all work together to celebrate new meaningful ways to connect with fans through sports-led content, campaigns, and experiences.”

Entries for the inaugural awards are now open and will be accepted through April 5. Prices increase on March 15 and categories include:

 

  • Most Creative Partnership With an Athlete
  • Breakthrough Sports Ad of the Year
  • Best Social Media Campaign
  • Best Real-Time Engagement
  • Best Fan-Generated Content
  • Best Branded Content or Series
  • Best Use of Esports or Gaming
  • Best Connected Experience
  • Best Use of Culture, Music, or Entertainment

 

Fans are also able to vote for the most engaging athletes and sports influencers using Twitter hashtags through March 29. Fan-voting categories include:

 

  • Best Male Athlete on Social Media
  • Best Female Athlete on Social Media
  • Best Social Highlight Star
  • Best Sports Podcast
  • Best in Engagement for Good
  • Best in Engagement for Change

 

For a full list of categories and more information on The Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser, visit https://awards.hashtagsports.com.

About Hashtag Sports:

Hashtag Sports® is the leading global platform celebrating and educating people who excel at engaging sports fans and consumers. In only three years, the Hashtag Sports Conference has become the industry standard for benchmarking fan engagement and understanding the rapid changes in consumer behavior brought on by the rise of digital, technology, and culture as a currency. Held annually in New York City, this year’s event will feature The Inaugural Hashtag Sports Awards and 120+ speakers representing a diverse mix of thought leaders, decision makers, athletes and, influencers. For more information, visit www.hashtagsports.com.

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Hashtag Sports 2018 Announces Full Speaker Line-Up

Steve Stoute and Hope Solo Headline Roster of 200 Executives and Athletes for Annual Industry Conference

New York, NY – June 21, 2018 (PRWeb)

Hashtag Sports, the industry’s largest and most diverse gathering dedicated to sports content, culture and innovation, today unveiled the final roster of speakers for Hashtag Sports 2018 taking place June 25-27 in New York’s Times Square.

Professional athletes including the NFL’s Ju-Ju Smith Schuster and U.S. Soccer star Hope Solo, sports and marketing industry executives including Translation CEO Steve Stoute and leaders from ESPN, WWE, FOX Sports, NBA and NHL among others, and media personalities including ESPN’s Mike Greenberg and Katie Nolan, will take part in the three-day event at the TimesCenter in Times Square. Speakers for Hashtag Sports 2018 will include:

Athletes and Talent:

 

  • Hope Solo (Soccer)
  • Ju-Ju Smith Schuster (NFL)
  • Mike Greenberg (ESPN)
  • Victor Cruz (NFL)
  • Ryan Blaney (NASCAR)
  • Katie Nolan (ESPN)
  • Jay Williams (The Players’ Tribune)
  • Omar Raja (House of Highlights)
  • Josh Norman (NFL)
  • Ryan Howard (MLB)
  • Marques Colston (NFL)

 

Industry Executives:

 

  • Steve Stoute, CEO & Founder Translation
  • Tom Rogers, Founder CNBC
  • Heidi Browning, CMO NHL
  • Ed Ehrhardt, President Global Sales & Marketing ESPN
  • Alicia Tillman, CMO SAP
  • Jennifer Storms, CMO NBC Sports
  • Sandra Lopez, GM & VP Intel
  • Erika Nardini, CEO Barstool Sports
  • Bonin Bough, Producer & Host Cleveland Hustles
  • Shelley Zalis, CEO & Founder The Female Quotient

 

For a full list of Hashtag Sports 2018 speakers, go to hashtagsports.com/speakers.

In addition to the more than 70+ sessions held over three days, the event will feature original content showcases and performances including live athlete podcasts, the SportsFronts, and the Hashtag Sports Comedy Hour at Bleacher Report featuring an all-star lineup celebrating the convergence of sports and entertainment.

The full conference agenda and session details can be found at hashtagsports.com/schedule.

To secure your seat at this year’s event and to find out more information about Hashtag Sports 2018, go to hashtagsports.com.

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Hashtag Sports Announces Lineup for First-Ever Full Day “SportsFronts” at 2018 Annual Conference

ESPN, FOX Sports, WWE, YouTube, Hulu, Oath, Bleacher Report, and Barstool Sports Among Leading Media Companies Presenting at Hashtag Sports in NYC

New York, NY – June 18, 2018 (PRWeb)

Hashtag Sports, the industry’s largest gathering dedicated to sports content, culture and innovation, today unveiled the final lineup for its SportsFronts presentations held during its annual three-day conference in New York. This year’s SportsFronts take place on Wednesday June 27 at the TimesCenter in Times Square and will mark the first-time-ever that it will encompass a full-day schedule of presentations, discussions, and announcements from over a dozen of the leading sports broadcast and digital media companies.

“There is no other event in the industry that delivers this breadth of diverse opinions, creative insights, bold predictions, and candid discussions on hot-button topics,” said Hashtag Sports Co-Founder Steve Cobb. “The continued growth of our SportsFronts series provides a powerful platform for executives, marketers, and creators to showcase what’s next in sports media and discover how today’s connected fan consumes and engages with premium sports content.”

Hosted by sports journalist and on-air personality LZ Granderson, the full-day agenda will feature executives and talent from the most prominent broadcasters, publishers and platforms serving the connected fan. Speakers will include ESPN President of Global Sales and Advertising Ed Erhardt, WWE Co-President Michelle Wilson, YouTube Global Head of YouTube TV and Originals Marketing Angela Courtin, and Barstool Sports CEO Erika Nardini. Participating media personalities and athletes include Mike Greenberg, Victor Cruz, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Jay Williams.

“Extending SportsFronts to an entire day underscores the excitement today’s leading sports media executives have about showcasing the latest content, partnerships and innovations making sports-viewing more engaging, enjoyable, and compelling for today’s young, tech-savvy audience,” said Hashtag Sports Co-Founder Anthony Caponiti. “We couldn’t be more excited that Hashtag Sports has become the premier event and platform to provide a unique lens on both what is happening now and what lies ahead as the worlds of sports and entertainment continue to converge.”

The 2018 SportsFronts will feature presentations, interviews and panels to an audience of brand marketers, media buyers and industry professionals seeking to reach and engage the highly-coveted 13-34 year old demographic of digital-native, multi-platform sports fans and consumers.

The morning session, beginning at 9:30 am ET, will include:

 

  • 9:30am - Opening Words with LZ Granderson
  • 9:35am - DAZN
  • 10:00am - Hulu
  • 10:20am - Oath
  • 10:45am - YouTube
  • 11:30am - WWE
  • 11:50am - ESPN

 

The afternoon session, kicking-off at 1 pm ET, will feature:

 

  • 1:00pm - Bleacher Report
  • 1:45pm - Industry Panel
  • 2:30pm - FOX Sports
  • 2:50pm - The Players’ Tribune
  • 3:15pm - Barstool Sports
  • 3:35pm - SB Nation
  • 4:00pm - UNINTERRUPTED

 

The SportsFronts, first introduced by Hashtag Sports in 2015, will also feature an industry panel discussion titled “Disrupting Sports Media: A Look Ahead” featuring author and host of Cleveland Hustle Bonin Bough, Head of Digital Media for the NBC Sports Group Rick Cordella, Twitter’s Head of U.S. Sports Partnerships TJ Adeshola, and Fancred President Andrew Miller. The day will close with a special live recording of The Victor Cruz Show podcast featuring Victor Cruz and Paul Rivera.

To secure your seat at this year’s event and to find out more information about all three days of Hashtag Sports 2018, go to hashtagsports.com.

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Hashtag Sports to Ring The Nasdaq Stock Market Closing Bell

New York, NY – June 30, 2017 (GlobeNewswire)

What:

Hashtag Sports will visit the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square to celebrate a successful week of innovation and thought leadership that gathered executives, entrepreneurs, athletes and influencers from across the global sports economy.

In honor of the occasion, Steve Cobb & Anthony Caponiti, Co-Founders of Hashtag Sports, will ring the Closing Bell.

This year’s event (#HS17), featuring over 175 speakers and 1,200 attendees, was held on June 26-28, 2017 at The TimesCenter and Microsoft Technology Center in Times Square, NYC.

Where:

Nasdaq MarketSite – 4 Times Square – 43rd & Broadway – Broadcast Studio

When:

Friday, June 30, 2017 – 3:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET

About Hashtag Sports:

Hashtag Sports® is an innovation conference and thought leadership platform that explores key trends and technologies in sports across media, advertising, sponsorship, content, and culture. Held annually in New York City, this year’s three-day industry event featured 50+ sessions and 175+ speakers representing leading brands, agencies, properties, rightsholders, publishers, startups, investors and athletes. Hashtag Sports is the most diverse gathering of thought leaders, decision makers, and influencers across the sports economy and innovation ecosystem, providing a media-friendly platform to learn, collaborate, and evolve. For more information, visit www.hashtagsports.com.

About Nasdaq:

Nasdaq (Nasdaq:NDAQ) is a leading global provider of trading, clearing, exchange technology, listing, information and public company services. Through its diverse portfolio of solutions, Nasdaq enables customers to plan, optimize and execute their business vision with confidence, using proven technologies that provide transparency and insight for navigating today's global capital markets. As the creator of the world's first electronic stock market, its technology powers more than 90 marketplaces in 50 countries, and 1 in 10 of the world's securities transactions. Nasdaq is home to 3,800 total listings with a market value of $11 trillion. To learn more, visit: http://business.nasdaq.com

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Innovative Leaders in Sports, Media, and Tech To Gather At Hashtag Sports

Athletes and Executives from Microsoft, Verizon, ESPN, Twitter, and NFL Among Over 100 Confirmed Speakers

New York, NY – May 25, 2017 (PRWeb)

Hashtag Sports, a new innovation conference and thought leadership platform, has unveiled its preliminary agenda and initial lineup of 100+ confirmed speakers from leading media, marketing, and sponsorship executives representing the global sports ecosystem.

Hashtag Sports will feature 175+ speakers in Times Square to explore the trends and technologies around sports, media, content, and culture. The three-day event will take place on June 26-28, 2017 at the TimesCenter and Microsoft Technology Center and confirmed speakers include:

“Our speakers represent the industry’s best and brightest when it comes to understanding and shaping the evolving sports media landscape and Millennial fan experience” says Steve Cobb, co-founder of Hashtag Sports. “No other event dives as deep into understanding and serving the needs of today’s connected fan, which is showcased by our diverse speaker roster and comprehensive agenda.”

A full list of the first 100 speakers can be found at http://hashtagsports.com/speakers.

Hashtag Sports’ preliminary agenda includes the following programming tracks and sessions filled with original insights and announcements:

  1. Content & Distribution (Presented by Verizon Digital Media Services): Sessions include The Future of OTT: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Televised, The Evolution of SportsCenter, and The State of Streaming Audio in Sports.
  2. Athletes & Creators: Sessions include Beyond the Digital Megaphone: What’s Next in Athlete Activism, Going Live with Twitter, and Nickelodeon + NFL = A Dream Team.
  3. Fan Engagement (Presented by Omnigon): Sessions include Soccer in the States: A Digital Coming of Age Story, FANchise: Taking Fan Engagement to the Extreme, and Industry 2020: A Vision for the Future of Engaging Fans.
  4. Sponsorship & Advertising: Sessions include Building Lifelong Affection with Generation Z Kids in a Hyper-Competitive Market, and Pasion for Sports: How Hispanics are Driving the Future of Sports Marketing.
  5. Esports & Gaming (Presented by Genius Sports): Sessions include Esports: Big Buzz or Big Business, How to Effectively Capture the Esports Fan, and The Real Road Ahead for Esports.
  6. Transformational Analytics (Presented by Microsoft): Sessions include Data Intelligence is the New Black, Unlocking a World of Content & Data with Affordable Automated Technology, and Evolving Athlete Performance through Predictive Outcomes & Sports Analytics.
  7. Investment & Startups: Sessions include Where Investors Are Placing Their Bets in Sports Technology, and OneTeam Collective: Inside the First Athlete-Driven Accelerator.

In addition, Hashtag Sports will host a startup program to empower early-stage companies in the sports innovation ecosystem. Startups will receive one-on-one sessions with seasoned industry veterans, who are able to offer advice and expertise on starting, growing, and scaling successful sports businesses.

The conference agenda and session details can be found at https://nyc.hashtagsports.com/schedule.

To register for conference passes, please visit https://nyc.hashtagsports.com/register.

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About Hashtag Sports:

Hashtag Sports® is an innovation conference and thought leadership platform that gathers over 1,000 attendees to discuss key trends and technologies in sports across media, content, sponsorship, and advertising. Held annually in New York City, the three-day industry event features 50+ sessions and 175+ speakers representing leading brands, agencies, properties, rightsholders, publishers, startups, investors and athletes. Hashtag Sports is the most diverse gathering of thought leaders, decision makers, and influencers across the sports economy and innovation ecosystem, providing a media-friendly platform to learn, collaborate, and evolve. The next Hashtag Sports will be held on June 26-28, 2017 at The TimesCenter and Microsoft Technology Center in Times Square, NYC. For more information, visit www.hashtagsports.com

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Six Leading Digital Media Networks for Millennial Sports Fans Kick Off Inaugural SportsFronts in Brooklyn

Founding participants - Whistle Sports, The Players’ Tribune, Bleacher Report, FloSports, Nitro Circus, and ThePostGame - Present to Brand Marketers and Advertisers Looking to Reach Young Sports Fans

New York, NY – September 24, 2015 (PRWeb)

Hashtag Sports today announced the schedule for the inaugural SportsFronts series to be held during the 3-day Hashtag Sports conference expo and conference at the Brooklyn EXPO Center on October 20, showcasing six leading digital networks creating original video programming for millennial sports fans.

The 2-hour event will consist of a series of engaging presentations from prominent digital-first sports publishers, offering innovative content formats and partnerships with some of the world’s premier teams, leagues, brands, and athletes.

Sports is among the most popular and engaging genres for young viewers and is well-positioned to thrive in an increasingly fragmented media landscape and rapidly evolving multi-screen world. According to Nielsen's 2014 Year in Sports Report, viewers 18-34 posted a 53% increase in digital viewing from Q2 2013 to Q2 2014.

The SportsFronts’ six inaugural participants will each present to an audience of brand marketers and media buyers seeking to reach and engage the elusive 13-34 year old demographic of digital-native, multi-platform sports fans and athletes. The rapid growth of digital video advertising combined with the unique media consumption habits of young sports fans makes for a truly exciting event. View the full schedule below to learn more.

3:20pm ET – Whistle Sports

“Whistle Sports is a Social Sports Media Company that entertains, engages and empowers today’s generation with fun, real, cool, and unexpected content and activations. We attract a highly-engaged, 13-34 year old Millennial audience of avid sports video viewers who are sports, video, digital, social, and brand influencers.

3:40pm ET – The Players' Tribune

"The Players’ Tribune is a new digital media platform dedicated to empowering athletes with the tools they need to tell their stories. Founded by Derek Jeter, the site features first-person essays, an array of video content, podcasts, and original photography, bringing fans closer to the games they love while providing a unique insight into the daily sports conversation."

4:00pm ET – Bleacher Report

"Bleacher Report, a division of Turner Sports, is the leading digital destination for team-specific sports content and real-time event coverage, and is one of the fastest-growing digital properties in the United States. We take a cutting-edge approach to sports content production and delivery based on the most relevant information for each sports fan. With that, we keep fans 'in the know' and ahead of the game at all times."

4:20pm ET – FloSports

“FloSports is a leading sports media company that is unlocking a world of sports coverage via original programming and live streaming video of sports such as wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, elite fitness, track and field, softball, gymnastics and more. FloSports plans to take attendees into our world of sports, athletes, live events, and make you 'Feel The Sweat'.”

4:40pm ET – Nitro Circus

“One of the most prolific content production entities in sports, Nitro Circus creates full length feature films, heart wrenching documentaries, network TV specials, unscripted reality TV series, numerous digital series, right down to 15 second Instagram clips and Snapchat stories.”

5:00pm ET – ThePostGame

"Sports fans are the most engaged of all consumer audiences and TPG Studios, the creative services and production division of ThePostGame, has pioneered content marketing to this crucial group. With original video programming ranging from custom segments to 18-episode series, TPG Studios has created some of the most provocative, arresting and inviting ad content for brands engaging the full spectrum of sports fans."

“With this impressive lineup for the inaugural 2015 SportsFronts, we are anticipating great interest and excitement from marketers and media agencies seeking to reach and engage today’s young sports fan through premium original digital video programming,” says Steve Cobb, Co-Founder of Hashtag Sports. “Sports fans have demonstrated an insatiable appetite for original video programming across social, mobile, online, and OTT platforms, and we are excited to showcase some of the leaders in this new wave of sports media brands for the digital era.”

Lead partners and sponsors of Hashtag Sports conference 2015 include: Barclays Center, IBM, Whistle Sports, and Telescope.

For more information about the SportsFronts, go to hashtagsports.com/sportsfronts and follow the conversation on Twitter at #SportsFronts.

For questions or media inquiries about Hashtag Sports, please contact press@hashtagsports.com.

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About SportsFronts:

The SportsFronts is a new annual series of presentations created to connect brand marketers and media buyers with digital publishers and content creators that reach young sports fans. The goal is provide a marketplace and platform for the new wave of innovative sports digital networks to tell their stories, announce new programming, and connect with brand marketers.

About Hashtag Sports:

Hashtag Sports® festival is a 3-day expo and conference that will showcase how digital media and emerging technologies are shaping the future of sports. With over 100 executive speakers and 30 cutting-edge exhibitors covering topics ranging from virtual reality to daily fantasy sports, this event will be critical to discovering the unique challenges and opportunities presented by today’s connected fan and athlete.

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Hashtag Sports Festival Expo and Conference in Brooklyn Gathers Leaders in Sports, Media, and Tech

Over 30 Companies at Forefront of Sports Tech Innovation Assemble at Brooklyn EXPO Center for Inaugural Industry Exhibition

New York, NY – September 09, 2015 (PRWeb)

Hashtag Sports, organizers of the industry leading #SportsConf virtual conference series, announce the inaugural Hashtag Sports conference expo and conference set to take place in Brooklyn, NY on October 20-22 and gather innovators at the convergence of sports, media, and technology.

This groundbreaking 3-day event will showcase how digital media and emerging technologies are shaping the future of sports covering a diverse range of topics including virtual reality, social platforms, daily fantasy sports, eSports, OTT, mobile ticketing, predictive analytics, and wearables. Over 80 thought leaders will present from Twitter, Facebook, FanDuel, ESPN, AMEX, AIG, FC Bayern Munich, NASCAR, NBA, Whistle Sports, The Players’ Tribune, Showtime Sports, and more.

Notable speakers include Danny Keens, Head of Sports Partnerships for Twitter; Elisa Padilla, SVP and CMO for the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center; John West, CEO and co-founder for Whistle Sports; and Patrick Willis, former San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Linebacker.

More than 30 cutting-edge tech companies and startups including IBM, STRIVR Labs, Athos, Catapult, Krossover, Second Spectrum, Next Galaxy, Vulcun, Grabyo, Omnigon, and Telescope will be exhibiting across 30,000 square feet at the new Brooklyn EXPO Center in Greenpoint. The expo floor, Innovation Stage interviews, and Opening Night Party will be accessible to sports industry professionals, startup founders, and investors with a free Expo-Only pass.

“Disruptive macro trends in technological innovation such as mobile, social, big data, and IoT are rapidly transforming how fans watch and experience sports,” says Steve Cobb, co-founder of Hashtag Sports. "Niche sports are reaching global audiences in real-time, young tech-savvy fans are consuming and producing social content at dizzying paces, and a new wave of digital-first media brands catering to this multi-platform, cord-cutting audience is emerging. All this has created substantial challenges, confusion, and opportunity."

“It is our goal to bring together the entire sports industry and create a much-needed platform for innovation, discovery, and education surrounding this new generation of connected fans and athletes,” adds Anthony Caponiti, Hashtag Sports co-founder. “We couldn’t think of a better place to host this event than the sports capital of the world.”

Conference programming spans two stages of keynotes, exhibitor demos, panels, workshops, and TED-style presentations designed to educate and inform today’s sports marketer. View the full agenda to learn more.

Day 1 will feature the inaugural "SportsFronts" presentations from six leading digital media brands that reach millennial sports fans. Chat Sports will bring its prestigious “Minds Behind the Game” series back to New York City with a Day 2 afternoon keynote panel on athlete investors. Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment will host a special invite-only closing breakfast, panel, and tour at Barclays Center on Day 3.

Lead partners and sponsors of Hashtag Sports conference 2015 include: Barclays Center, IBM, Whistle Sports, and Telescope.

To register for the free expo or purchase conference passes, please visit https://nyc.hashtagsports.com/register.

For questions or media inquiries, please contact press@hashtagsports.com.

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About Hashtag Sports:

Hashtag Sports® produces events and content that drive innovation at the convergence of sports, media, and technology. Our #SportsDaily email newsletter and global conferences now reach a growing community of over 45,000 professionals including more than 300 teams and leagues.

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#SportsConf Virtual Conference Unites Leaders of Sports, Media, and Technology

Free Educational Event on February 18th and 19th Assembles over 70 Thought Leaders to Explore Convergence of Sports, Media, and Tech

New York, NY – February 18, 2015 (PRWeb)

Hashtag Sports will host a free virtual conference on February 18th and 19th that brings together thought leaders from around the world to explore the convergence of sports, media, and technology in a global online summit designed to inform, innovate, and inspire. The two-day event will also feature 1-on-1 interviews with Whistle Sports’ CEO, John West, and Golden State Warriors’ small forward, Andre Iguodala.

What: #SportsConf is an online conference and conversation with more than 20 interactive Google+ Hangout panels, presentations, and interviews covering the future of mobile video, daily fantasy sports, eSports, virtual reality, OTT, predictive analytics, wearable tech, and much more.

When: Wednesday, February 18th and Thursday, February 19th, 2015 from 10am EST – 6pm EST.

Who: Speakers include 70+ thought leaders from NBC Sports, STATS, AEG, Nitro Circus, New Balance, Catapult Sports, Liverpool FC, Twitch, Atlanta Hawks, theScore, Stanford Athletics, Player’s Tribune, San Francisco Giants, and more. Sports professionals and fans alike are invited to join the conversation on social media and participate in live speaker Q&A.

Why: Technological innovation is revolutionizing how we watch, analyze, play, and experience sports. #SportsConf will conveniently connect an international audience of industry professionals to discuss trends and share best practices surrounding technology’s growing impact on sports with a focus on media, mobile, gaming, data, and wearables.

Register: Register at http://www.hashtagsportsconf.com to view the live Google+ Hangout presentations and panels.

Participate: Follow @Hashtag_Sports on Twitter and join the #SportsConf discussion.

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About Hashtag Sports:

Hashtag Sports™ produces events and content that drive innovation at the convergence of sports, media, and technology. Our #SportsDaily email newsletter and global conferences reach a growing community of over 50,000 professionals including more than 100 teams and leagues.

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Hashtag Sports Presents Inaugural #SportsConf, Powered by Google+

Over 60 leaders in sports, social media & technology unite for first-of-its-kind virtual conference.

New York, NY – January 13, 2014 (PRWeb)

Thought leaders from around the world will come together today to explore how social media and technology are disrupting the sports industry in a virtual conference powered by Google+.

This open online event will feature representatives from leading sports brands, teams, leagues, agencies, networks and startups in a series of live interactive panels, case studies, interviews and Q&A sessions from 10:00am EST – 6:30pm EST.

"The goal of #SportsConf is to conveniently and affordably connect a global audience of sports digital marketers and industry professionals to network, learn, share and innovate," said Steve Cobb, Co-founder and Partner of Activ8Social. "This event will be the largest single usage of Google+ Hangouts on Air in any industry to date."

Participating organizations include the San Francisco 49ers, Everton FC, ESPN, Google, USA Today Sports, Red Bull, Octagon, NBA, Mashable, USOC, Bleacher Report, Turner Sports, Deadspin, Wasserman, Bloomberg Sports and over 40 other leading sport and technology brands.

The conference will feature an action-packed agenda that includes topics ranging from social media's influence on the 2014 Winter Olympics and 2014 World Cup to content creation strategies and in-stadium fan engagement. Cisco, Hendrick Motorsports, Tagboard and the Green Sports Alliance will present case studies.

The day will conclude with back-to-back Hangouts featuring professional athletes Jimmy Spithill of Oracle Team USA and Harrison Barnes of the Golden State Warriors, among others.

For free registration to #SportsConf, please visit www.hashtagsportsconf.com, and to learn more about Activ8Social, please visit www.activ8social.com.

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About Activ8Social:

Activ8Social is a digital agency that specializes in driving fan engagement and loyalty for sports, entertainment and lifestyle brands. Activ8Social affects change for clients though a growing network of strategic partners and properties that extend its reach and relevance to an international sports audience. In 2011, Activ8Social created Hashtag Sports as a free daily email newsletter to curate the top stories in sports, social and tech. It has since grown to an industry leading publication.

About Hashtag Sports

Hashtag Sports® is the leader in curation for sports, social and tech through its growing network of properties and events that include the #SportsDaily email newsletter, #SportsAwards series and #SportsConf virtual conference.

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