Top 10 Sports Companies in 2024

Companies	Employees	HQ location	Revenue	Website	Industry
Adidas	View 58,203 employees	🇩🇪 Germany, Bayern	$ 1B+	adidas-group.com	Fashion, Sports, Shoes, Sporting Goods, Retail
Decathlon France	View 17,424 employees	🇫🇷 France, Hauts-de-France	$ 500M – $ 1B	decathlon.fr	E-Commerce, Sporting Goods, Sports, Retail, Cycling
Finish Line	View 5,510 employees	🇺🇸 United States, Indiana	$ 1B+	finishline.com	E-Commerce, Retail, Fashion, Shoes, Sporting Goods, Sports
Academy Sports + Outdoors	View 8,301 employees	🇺🇸 United States, Texas	$ 500M – $ 1B	academy.com	E-Commerce, Retail, Sporting Goods, Outdoors, Sports, Shopping, Online Portals, Consumer Goods
Red Bull	View 15,141 employees	🇦🇹 Austria, Salzburg	$ 500M – $ 1B	redbull.com	Sports, Basketball, Gaming
Intersport	View 3,966 employees	🇫🇷 France, Île-de-France	$ 500M – $ 1B	intersport.fr	E-Commerce, Retail, Sporting Goods, Fashion, Sports, Shoes, Shopping, Consumer Goods
Topgolf	View 6,410 employees	🇺🇸 United States, Texas	$ 500M – $ 1B	topgolf.com	Golf, Recreation, Sports, Outdoors, Events, Resorts, Leisure
Fanatics	View 5,703 employees	🇺🇸 United States, New York	$ 500M – $ 1B	fanaticsinc.com	Sports, Sporting Goods
ESPN	View 7,322 employees	🇺🇸 United States, Connecticut	$ 500M – $ 1B	espn.com	American Football, Sports, Basketball, Fantasy Sports, News, Soccer, Baseball, eSports
Rebel Sports	View 1,021 employees	🇦🇺 Australia, New South Wales	$ 500M – $ 1B	rebelsport.com.au	E-Commerce, Retail, Sports, Sporting Goods, Shopping

1. Adidas

Adidas is a global leader in sportswear, known for its innovation in athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment. Founded in 1949 by Adolf Dassler, the German company has become one of the top sports brands worldwide, second only to Nike. Adidas is deeply involved in various sports, including soccer, running, and basketball, offering cutting-edge technology like the Boost midsole and sustainable product lines made from recycled ocean plastic. Iconic products like the Adidas Samba and collaborations with major athletes and designers have made the brand a cultural and athletic staple.

Location 🇩🇪 Germany, Bayern	Size View 58,203 employees
Revenue $ 1B+	Industries Fashion, Sports, Shoes, Sporting Goods, Retail
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Things to Consider When Prospecting into Sports Companies

Common Pain Points and Challenges for Companies in Sports

Shifting Consumer Preferences

Sports businesses are seeing a change in how consumers engage with brands, with a growing preference for sustainable products, customization, and digital-first experiences.

Why it’s a pain point:

Consumers are demanding more eco-friendly and ethical options.
Personalized experiences are now expected, not just appreciated.
Traditional retail sales are declining as e-commerce grows.

Sales Insight: Highlight how your solution can help brands stay relevant by offering insights into consumer behavior or by facilitating personalization and sustainable product offerings. Showing how your product can drive digital transformation or improve product offerings will resonate with companies trying to adapt.

Increased Competition

With more sports brands, media outlets, and health-conscious products entering the market, competition is tougher than ever for both established and emerging businesses.

Why it’s a pain point:

Saturated markets make differentiation harder.
Price wars are driving down margins.
New entrants are quickly capturing niche markets.

Sales Insight: Position your solution as a way to help sports businesses stand out—whether through better marketing strategies, innovative products, or superior customer insights. Offering a way to create a unique brand experience will appeal to companies facing competitive pressures.

Supply Chain Disruptions

Global supply chains for sports apparel, equipment, and beverages have been hit by disruptions, causing delays and higher costs.

Why it’s a pain point:

Difficulty sourcing materials on time.
Rising costs of shipping and logistics.
Increased pressure to manage stock levels efficiently.

Sales Insight: Emphasize how your solution can offer better supply chain visibility, predictive analytics, or more flexible production schedules. Helping sports companies streamline logistics will position your offering as essential in overcoming these disruptions.

Sponsorship and Advertising Shifts

Sports-related businesses, especially media companies and sports drink brands, are seeing shifts in sponsorships and advertising as brands become more selective with their budgets.

Why it’s a pain point:

Sponsors want measurable ROI.
Increasing demand for digital and social media advertising.
Reduced spending from traditional brands in favor of influencer-driven marketing.

Sales Insight: Show how your solution can help businesses measure and improve the impact of sponsorships or adapt to new advertising trends. Whether it’s providing better data or helping tap into influencer markets, this can help brands navigate a changing sponsorship landscape.

Technological Advancements

The growing role of technology in sports—from wearables to digital streaming—means companies need to continually innovate to stay competitive.

Why it’s a pain point:

High cost of adopting new technologies.
Keeping pace with rapidly evolving tech trends.
Consumer expectations for seamless digital experiences.

Sales Insight: Position your product as easy to adopt and scalable, helping companies implement new tech without disrupting their business. Highlight how it can help sports businesses improve performance tracking, customer engagement, or digital media offerings.

Brand Loyalty Decline

As consumers have more options, loyalty to sports brands, media platforms, and products is becoming harder to secure.

Why it’s a pain point:

Younger audiences are less brand-loyal than previous generations.
Easy access to online alternatives reduces brand stickiness.
Increased focus on price over brand loyalty.

Sales Insight: You can help businesses strengthen their brand loyalty by offering tools that improve customer engagement, personalization, or community building. Showing how your solution can foster long-term relationships through rewards programs, exclusive content, or tailored experiences will appeal to brands looking to boost retention.

Sustainability Expectations

Consumers and regulatory bodies are pushing sports-related businesses to adopt more sustainable practices across their operations, from sourcing materials to reducing their carbon footprints.

Why it’s a pain point:

Increased operational costs for sustainability efforts.
Difficulty balancing eco-friendly practices with profitability.
Pressure to meet evolving environmental regulations.

Sales Insight: By positioning your solution as a way to help companies achieve sustainability without breaking the bank, you can appeal to brands trying to balance profitability with environmental impact. Emphasize cost-effective solutions for reducing waste, energy use, or emissions to meet both consumer expectations and regulatory demands.

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Key Decision-Makers and Influencers in Sports

Key Departments

Operations

Insight: Responsible for the efficient running of events, facilities, and services. Operations professionals look for solutions that improve logistical processes, enhance fan experiences, and optimize resource allocation.

Marketing

Insight: Focused on driving fan engagement, brand partnerships, and sponsorships. They prioritize tools that offer measurable impact on audience growth, content delivery, and brand visibility across various platforms.

Sponsorship & Partnerships

Insight: Manages corporate relationships and ensures that sponsorship deals offer value to both parties. They look for innovative solutions to deliver on partnership promises, increase brand exposure, and track sponsorship ROI.

Technology & Innovation

Insight: This department focuses on the development and integration of digital tools, analytics, and tech-driven fan experiences. They evaluate new technology based on its ability to drive engagement, streamline operations, or offer competitive advantages.

Media & Broadcasting

Insight: Oversees content distribution through broadcasting, streaming, and digital channels. Their purchase decisions focus on technologies that improve content production, reach, and viewer engagement, especially in real-time settings.

Customer Experience

Insight: Responsible for managing fan satisfaction and engagement across all touchpoints. They are looking for tools that provide better insights into customer behavior, improve service delivery, and enhance the fan experience during events.

Legal & Compliance

Insight: Handles regulatory issues, contracts, and intellectual property. This department seeks solutions that ensure compliance with industry standards, streamline contract management, and safeguard intellectual property.

Accounting & Finance

Insight: Ensures the financial health of the organization, focusing on budgeting, cost control, and return on investment. Finance executives are key decision-makers when considering significant investments.

Seniority Level

C-level Executives (e.g., CEO, CTO, CFO)

Insight: Responsible for overall strategy and long-term growth. They prioritize innovations that align with the organization’s vision, provide a competitive edge, and offer significant ROI.

Vice Presidents (VP)

Insight: Oversee key departments such as marketing, operations, or technology. Their focus is on aligning new solutions with department goals while ensuring efficient use of resources and time.

Directors

Insight: Responsible for executing strategies and managing teams. They are deeply involved in evaluating solutions that directly impact departmental performance, ensuring smooth implementation.

Managers

Insight: Manage day-to-day operations and report on challenges within their teams. They often initiate purchasing decisions based on immediate needs and are key influencers in the buying process.

Founders/Owners

Insight: In smaller or privately owned organizations, founders or owners make critical decisions with a focus on long-term stability, brand legacy, and revenue generation. They prioritize sustainable growth and strategic partnerships.

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Buying Processes and Behaviors in Sports

Performance and ROI-Driven Decisions

Sports businesses are highly focused on improving performance—whether for athletes, customers, or fans—and ensuring their investments provide measurable returns.

Purchases are often evaluated based on their ability to enhance performance or efficiency.
Decision-makers need clear ROI projections and data to justify purchases, especially for new technology or services.

How to leverage: Provide case studies or statistics that showcase how your solution improves performance and increases efficiency. Tailor your pitch to highlight tangible outcomes and measurable returns that align with their goals.

Long-Term Supplier Relationships

Many sports organizations prefer long-term, trusted partnerships with suppliers, particularly when it comes to high-value equipment or software.

Trust is built on reliability, consistency, and post-sale support.
Switching suppliers can be seen as a risk, as downtime or performance drops can be costly.

How to leverage: Emphasize your track record and customer satisfaction. Offer demonstrations or trial periods to build trust and highlight your long-term value. Keep communication open, showing that your support doesn’t end after the sale.

Budget Cycles and Seasonality

Sports businesses operate on strict budget cycles and are affected by seasonal demand, especially those linked to professional teams or sports events.

Purchases are often planned around specific budget allocations that are tied to annual or seasonal cycles.
There may be peaks in buying activity tied to events like tournaments, the start of seasons, or training periods.

How to leverage: Understand the timing of their budget cycles and sales peaks. Tailor your outreach to match their purchasing windows, offering flexible pricing or packages to accommodate their seasonal needs.

Focus on Fan and Customer Engagement

Engaging fans and customers is a top priority for sports businesses, particularly for those in sports media, venues, or fitness sectors.

Purchases are often geared toward enhancing fan experience, whether in-person or digital.
Investments in technology (like CRM or fan engagement platforms) are aimed at improving customer loyalty and retention.

How to leverage: Position your solution as a way to enhance the customer experience. Demonstrate how your product or service helps drive fan engagement or member retention with real-world examples and results.

Compliance and Safety Requirements

Sports businesses, particularly facilities and teams, have strict safety and compliance requirements, whether related to athlete welfare or customer safety in venues.

Compliance with regulatory bodies or sports organizations is often a critical factor in purchasing decisions.
Solutions must meet or exceed safety standards and be adaptable to changes in regulations.

How to leverage: Highlight how your solution complies with industry standards or can help meet evolving safety regulations. Offering built-in compliance features or ease of documentation can set you apart from competitors.

Technology Adoption and Innovation

The sports industry, especially in high-performance or media sectors, is increasingly embracing innovation to gain a competitive edge.

Teams and organizations are constantly seeking new technologies to enhance training, data analysis, fan engagement, or operational efficiency.
However, there is often caution in adopting untested technologies due to the high stakes involved.

How to leverage: Showcase your product as cutting-edge but reliable. Use endorsements from other industry players or pilot programs to reduce perceived risk. Offer data or examples that illustrate how similar businesses have successfully implemented your solution.

Multi-Stakeholder Decision Process

Purchases in the sports industry often involve multiple decision-makers, from executives to operational managers, especially for high-value or strategic investments.

The buying process can be lengthy, involving input from finance, legal, operations, and other departments.
Each stakeholder may have different priorities, from performance metrics to cost-efficiency.

How to leverage: Build relationships across different departments and address each stakeholder’s specific concerns. Tailor your messaging to reflect their priorities, providing personalized data and insights to appeal to each decision-maker.

Sustainability and Environmental Impact

Sustainability is becoming a key focus for many sports organizations, driven by public expectations and regulatory pressures.

Many businesses are looking for products and services that reduce environmental impact, particularly in the areas of energy use, waste, and resource efficiency.
Investing in sustainable solutions also enhances their brand image and can attract more sponsors or partners.

How to leverage: Highlight the sustainability aspects of your product or service. Provide clear data on how your offering reduces environmental impact, and emphasize long-term savings or branding benefits for the sports business.

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Prospecting Tips for Selling to Sports Companies

Speak to Performance and Efficiency

In sports, whether it’s on the field or behind the scenes, performance and efficiency are always key. Businesses want to improve their operational processes, enhance customer experiences, and maximize revenue streams. Show how your solution supports these goals by improving workflows, boosting sales, or optimizing resources.

Tip: Use examples of how your product or service has helped other businesses increase efficiency, from faster turnaround times to improved decision-making.

Align with Fan Engagement and Experience

Fan engagement is a huge focus for many sports organizations, from live events to digital platforms. Businesses are always looking for ways to keep fans excited and loyal, whether through new technologies, immersive experiences, or personalized content.

Tip: Share insights or features about how your solution enhances fan engagement, such as boosting interaction during games, offering personalization, or improving access to content.

Emphasize Data and Analytics

Data-driven decisions are a growing trend across the sports industry, from athlete performance tracking to ticket sales analysis. Many businesses rely on advanced data analytics to gain a competitive edge, whether they’re improving team performance or refining their marketing efforts.

Tip: Highlight how your product uses data to offer actionable insights and support smarter decisions. Focus on the tangible results these insights can drive in areas like player performance, business growth, or fan targeting.

Appeal to Sustainability Initiatives

Sustainability is becoming a major concern across all industries, including sports. Whether it’s about reducing carbon footprints, minimizing waste, or creating more eco-friendly events, businesses in the sports world are embracing sustainability.

Tip: If your product supports sustainable practices—like lowering energy usage or reducing waste—make sure to highlight this. It can be a great differentiator, especially for organizations looking to enhance their eco-friendly initiatives.

Leverage Brand and Sponsorship Synergies

Branding and sponsorships are major revenue drivers for sports organizations, but they also involve complex partnerships and agreements. Offering solutions that help streamline these relationships, enhance visibility, or create more valuable sponsorship opportunities can resonate well.

Tip: Show how your product can help sports businesses build stronger brand partnerships or offer more valuable sponsorship opportunities. Share examples from similar industries or highlight unique features that add value to brand activations.

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Want to see more sports companies?

Things to Consider When Prospecting into Sports Companies

Common Pain Points and Challenges for Companies in Sports

Start finding new prospects that match your ICP

Key Decision-Makers and Influencers in Sports

Key Departments

Seniority Level

Not joined Surfe yet? Sign up to Surfe today

Buying Processes and Behaviors in Sports

Not joined Surfe yet? Get 20 free credits

Prospecting Tips for Selling to Sports Companies

Need prospects?

Top 10 Sports Companies — a guide for sales

Want to see more sports companies?

Things to Consider When Prospecting into Sports Companies

Common Pain Points and Challenges for Companies in Sports

Start finding new prospects that match your ICP

Key Decision-Makers and Influencers in Sports

Key Departments

Seniority Level

Not joined Surfe yet? Sign up to Surfe today

Buying Processes and Behaviors in Sports

Not joined Surfe yet? Get 20 free credits

Prospecting Tips for Selling to Sports Companies