2021 Best Employers in Sports Survey Now Open

Rising 25 Award

Established in 2017, the Front Office Sports Rising 25 Award has become one of the most competitive and prestigious awards in sports business. Former Rising 25 winners have gone on to start companies, lead departments and shape the industry as we know it.

This year, we received nearly 500 nominations highlighting young professionals whose drive to succeed – even in a year of uncertainty – inspired us. They crushed it in the workplace and carried that spirit “off the field” by championing philanthropic causes and advocating for diversity and inclusion.

On Thursday, October 21, we celebrated this year’s “Dream Team”. Watch the virtual celebration, featuring a keynote address from CBS Sports Analyst Amy Trask here.



Presented by

Supporting Partner

Mentorship Program Partner

Education Partner

Rising 25 Class of 2021

2021 Judges

JP Abercrumbie

Associate Athletic Director, SOAR/ Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer,
Rice University R25 '17

Cory Bernstine

Senior Director of Strategy, United Soccer League

Kofi Brown

Senior Director of Global Basketball Brand Communications, adidas

Matt Davis

Head of U.S. Sports Marketing, Anheuser-Busch

Jim Huether

CEO, Hyperice

Adam Johnson

Marketing Manager, Coolray Heating & Air Conditioning, R25 '19

Brette Sadler

Head of Corporate Partnerships, MGM Resorts

Laura Waters-Brown

Senior Manager, The Collective, Wasserman

Bailey Weigel

Digital Platform Manager,
New York Knicks, R25 '18

Jeremy Yarin

Business Operations,
GumGum Sports, R25, '20

Selection Process

Winners are selected through two rounds of judging.

  • Round 1: FOS staff review, resulting in 50 semi-finalists
  • Round 2: Panel of ten judges reviews 50 semi-finalists and selects the 25 winners

During the judging process, a variety of factors are weighed to determine whether a nominee should be a Rising 25 winner, including but not limited to:

  • Size & scope of work responsibilities
  • Accomplishments over their school or professional career up to this point
  • Leadership roles
  • Activities outside of work – professional organizations, volunteering, etc.
  • The scope of influence within their area of expertise
  • Specific business results driven by ideas/execution of the nominee

All nomination information is kept private. No member of Front Office Sports is eligible to win. Only the winners of the award will be notified.

 

Previous Rising 25 Winners

View Winners