The World Surf League (WSL), global home of competitive surfing, exemplifies the industry impact possible at the intersection of environmental sustainability and community empowerment. Standing out among the league’s multiple cause-related initiatives over the past year is the “Speak Up for the Ocean” campaign, which leveraged the WSL’s global platform during the WSL Championship Tour to amplify the stories of four ocean heroes. The campaign reached millions with the stories of individuals leading inspiring efforts on behalf of ocean conservation and encouraged fans to take tangible actions through a variety of on-the-ground activities and digital activations that brought together athletes, fans, and local communities. Embodying WSL’s industry-wide impact is its WSL One Ocean initiative, a comprehensive venture with nonprofit partner WSL PURE that includes a grassroots grant program for conservation and Indigenous causes, a coalition of nonprofit and commercial partners, and commitments to WSL’s operational sustainability measured in an annual impact report. Through the league’s own sustainable operations, its funding of grassroots environmental and social efforts, and its championing of concrete actions by fans and the industry more broadly, WSL has become a leading example of how sports organizations can leverage their influence to drive meaningful change for people and the planet.

BSE Global, the sports and entertainment organization behind the New York Liberty, the Brooklyn Nets, and Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, is setting industry benchmarks for impact through community-first initiatives. At the heart of BSE's impact is an unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Employee and talent-related programming aim to further the group’s ambition to embody the diversity of the borough it calls home, and external initiatives aim to act as an engine for equity in the community. BSE’s flagship program, Brooklyn Basketball, brings free professionally led basketball camps and clinics to public school students across New York City while fostering a supportive, dynamic, and inspiring environment for students to grow on and off the court. Additionally, BSE’s Supplier Diversity Program aims to empower minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) by generating and promoting opportunities for these businesses to supply goods and services to the Nets, Liberty, and Barclays Center. The arena’s Brooklyn Market combines rotating food stalls with consultative services, offering MWBE vendors a platform and strategic guidance to scale their businesses. With cause-related programming that puts Brooklyn first, BSE Global demonstrates the transformative power of taking a hyperlocal approach to impact.

LIV Golf, the league with a mission to revitalize and reinvigorate golf, exemplifies how a global sports league can harness its platform to create transformative opportunities for disadvantaged young people. At the core of its cause partnerships and integrated programming stands Potential, Unleashed, an ambitious sustainability and impact strategy aligned with UN Development Goals that aims to positively impact 5.4 million young lives by 2030. The league's flagship initiative, LIV to Learn, revolutionizes youth development through golf-based programming delivered by five strategic nonprofit partners across its event locations. These partnerships, supported by an $800,000 commitment in 2024, provide disadvantaged youth with vital education and skills development opportunities. LIV Golf further amplifies its impact through an innovative Impact Leaderboard, which incentivizes its teams to compete in creating positive change off the course, generating 100% team participation in grassroots sustainability and youth development initiatives. LIV Golf's collaboration with Discovery Education transforms golf into a digital learning tool, creating educational content that will reach hundreds of thousands of students—including refugees in vulnerable circumstances—starting in 2025. From on-site youth activations to far-reaching educational partnerships, LIV Golf sets a new standard for how sports can drive meaningful societal change for youth around the globe.

The San Francisco 49ers exemplify how professional sports teams can create lasting positive change through sustained community engagement. Among the organization's milestone achievements this past year was the launch of 49ers Cares, which renews and amplifies the team's decade-long commitment to the community of Santa Clara, home of Levi's Stadium. The initiative pledges $250,000 annually to local programs, with inaugural grants, including $100,000 to the Santa Clara Swim Club for youth coaching, $50,000 to the Bill Wilson Center supporting vulnerable youth, $50,000 to the City of Santa Clara's Community Grant Program for self-directed needs, and $50,000 for emerging local causes throughout the year. This new commitment, set to total $5 million over the stadium's lifetime, builds upon the team's substantial impact since 2014, including $11 million for STEAM education and $2 million directed to youth and senior programs. Through strategic local investment and programming that puts community needs first, the 49ers demonstrate how professional sports can serve as a powerful catalyst for local transformation and empowerment.

The National Hockey League, which aspires to make hockey the most inclusive sport in the world, is advancing its vision through industry-shaping initiatives that expand access and transform the fan experience. A landmark achievement in 2024 was the launch of NHL in ASL, a groundbreaking alternate telecast of the Stanley Cup Final that brought authentic, in-depth coverage to the Deaf sports community across all seven championship games. The league's commitment to inclusivity was also exemplified by the inaugural NHL All-Star Pride Cup in Toronto, which celebrated LGBTQ+ participation while providing the Toronto Gay Hockey Association with funding and vital media visibility. And fundamental to every part of the fan experience, the NHL implemented a modernized Fan Code of Conduct beginning in the 2023–2024 season that united all 32 clubs behind consistent standards and consequences for misconduct, ensuring every arena provides a safe environment for fans, players, and staff. The policy is reinforced through in-game messaging and a PSA voiced by legendary announcer Mike "Doc" Emrick. Through systematic efforts to remove barriers and create meaningful connections with diverse communities, the NHL sets a powerful example of how professional sports can drive genuine progress toward a more inclusive future.

The New York Jets stand at the forefront of advancing gender equity in sports, demonstrating how professional teams can use their scale to break down barriers for female athletes. The organization's transformative work in Girls Flag Football, which began in 2011 with the Public Schools Athletic League, has evolved into a movement reaching nearly 200 programs and 3,000 participants across the tristate area and internationally. This persistent advocacy achieved a landmark victory in 2024 when both New York and New Jersey officially recognized girls flag football as a championship sport, ensuring equitable opportunities for female athletes for generations to come. The Jets amplified this impact through their groundbreaking EmpowHer docuseries, the first award-winning content focused on girls flag football. The organization's commitment to equitable representation was exemplified by their inaugural Girls High School Flag Football Media Day at MetLife Stadium, where more than 60 schools participated in professional media training and heard from pioneering female football leaders. Through these sustained efforts to create opportunities, generate visibility, and establish lasting institutional change, the Jets demonstrate how sports organizations can meaningfully advance gender equity in athletics.

Athletes Unlimited, a network of next-generation professional sports leagues, exemplifies how professional sports can be reimagined with athlete equity at its core by demonstrating a revolutionary approach to league governance and athlete empowerment. Central to its model is making the athletes equity partners in the league with a true voice in all aspects of league governance, with Player Executive Committees involved in every significant decision affecting their sport including operational policies and social impact initiatives. This athlete-centric philosophy is embodied by programs like Athlete Causes, in which players individually select nonprofits to receive 100% of their win bonuses, which has resulted in more than $2 million donated to more than 200 organizations to date. The organization further advances accessibility and inclusion through strategic partnerships with nonprofits like Starlings Volleyball and Bronx Lacrosse, offering free clinics that diversify participation in volleyball, softball, and lacrosse. As Athletes Unlimited prepares to expand with its new softball league in 2025, featuring senior advisory support from industry trailblazers like Kim Ng, the network continues to demonstrate how centering athlete voice and leadership can create more equitable models for professional sports.

Stack Sports, a software ecosystem powering all aspects of the sports experience for clubs, teams, and athletes, demonstrates how technology companies can drive meaningful change in youth sports accessibility. Through its foundation Skyhawks Rise, the organization addresses fundamental barriers to participation by providing free after-school sports clinics and summer camps at Title I schools, serving more than 1,500 children to date and eliminating barriers to participation like transportation, equipment costs, and facility access. The organization's commitment to accessibility extends through initiatives like the formation of the GOALS Council in 2021, which brings together key stakeholders in the youth sports industry from around the country to advance soccer access and participation. The council's Community Ball Box program promotes free play by establishing equipment-filled boxes in community parks, schools, and sports fields. Following its recognition as a 2023 Project Play Champion by the Aspen Institute, Stack Sports has taken a leadership role in the 63x30 initiative, working to achieve 63% youth sports participation nationwide by 2030. By combining direct community investment with innovative solutions to accessibility challenges, Stack Sports shows how organizations can expand access to youth sports while building sustainable local sports ecosystems that serve all.

The Detroit Pistons demonstrate how professional sports teams can serve as catalysts for urban revitalization and civic engagement in their home communities. At the forefront of this commitment is The Future of Health, a transformative $3 billion partnership with Henry Ford Health and Michigan State University that aims to reshape Detroit's New Center neighborhood into a vibrant, walkable community anchored by state-of-the-art health-care facilities and mixed-use development. The organization's dedication to civic progress extends to criminal justice reform, evidenced by its Second Chance Summit partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office and local organizations, which helped more than 150 formerly incarcerated residents clear their records and access new opportunities in housing and employment. The Pistons further demonstrate civic leadership through comprehensive voting initiatives, becoming the first NBA team to offer its practice facility for election purposes and engaging employees as election workers. Through its innovative civic programs, the Pistons show how sports organizations can systematically invest in their communities' future while fostering meaningful participation at every level.

The VOICEINSPORT Foundation demonstrates how strategic advocacy can advance gender equity in sports through research, education, and grassroots activism. At the heart of the foundation’s impact is the VIS Advocate Program, which equips high school and college athletes with Title IX knowledge and advocacy skills, training them to evaluate their schools for compliance, identify inequities, and implement action plans for meaningful change. The organization's commitment to structural change is exemplified by its advocacy of the Fair Play for Women Act, federal legislation aimed at strengthening Title IX through improved accountability, data collection, and mandatory education—an effort that gained three new congressional sponsors following the foundation's impactful Capitol Hill briefing in 2024. Building local momentum, the Side of Equity Fund creates sustainable community partnerships by connecting local businesses, particularly women's sports bars, with women's athletic programs and VIS chapters in their areas. Through initiatives that span from backing critical sports legislation to empowering young advocates to create change in their communities, VOICEINSPORT Foundation demonstrates how targeted advocacy can systematically expand protections and opportunities for girls and women in sports.