CLIO SPORTS AND BLEACHER REPORT TO CO-PRODUCE A VIRTUAL EVENT FOR LEADERS IN SPORTS BUSINESS AND CULTURE, ‘THE NEW SPORTS MARKETING PLAYBOOK,’ ON OCTOBER 28 AND 29

Soccer Legend Pelé to be Honored with the Clio Sports Lifetime Achievement Award

Gary Vaynerchuk, Taylor Rooks, Kate Jhaveri and Others to Lead Discussions on the Future of Sports Marketing

2020 Clio Sports Award Winners to be Announced on October 28 at Clios.com/sports

New York, NY—August 4, 2020 —Clio Sports, the awards competition honoring creative excellence in sports marketing and advertising on a global scale, and Bleacher Report the number one sports media company for young sports fans, today announced a two-day virtual event for sports business fans and industry leaders. Clio Sports & B/R: The New Sports Marketing Playbook will feature provocative and insightful panel discussions, fireside chats and specialty awards presentations aimed at rallying the community around best practices and celebrating new opportunities for creativity emerging from an unprecedented time of upheaval in the industry.

The free event will feature panels on fan engagement, immersive brand experiences, storytelling, gender pay equity and racial accountability across the industry. Speakers will include Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO, VaynerMedia; Kate Jhaveri, Chief Marketing Officer, NBA; John Shea, President, Marketing & Events, Octagon; Jessica Wong, Director of Strategic Partnerships, TikTok; Taylor Rooks, On-Air Personality, B/R; and many more.

“Advertising is such a critical part of the sports landscape and Clio Sports has a robust history as a platform to celebrate and amplify the great creative work that is executed alongside the games and culture of sport,” said Bleacher Report CMO Ed Romaine. “We’re excited to partner on a community forum for our best-in-class partners to celebrate their accomplishments and continue to push the industry forward.”  

Soccer Legend Pelé will accept the Clio Sports Lifetime Achievement Award to close out day one of the event. He will be honored as part of the 2020 Clio Sports program for his outstanding contributions to “the beautiful game.” Widely regarded as the greatest soccer player of all time, Pelé’s career on and off the field has been the blueprint for many players that have come after him.  His ability to create a legacy based on awe-inspiring talent paired with a pioneering spirit towards enterprise and philanthropic endeavors has permanently shaped sports culture and paved the way for new talent in the industry. The full list of 2020 Clio Sports Awards winners will be announced simultaneous to his acceptance speech at www.clios.com/sports.

Plus, fans will get a chance to pick a Clio Sports honoree by voting for their favorite spot of the year from a list of Clio Sports Film and Film Technique finalists chosen by the Bleacher Report editorial staff. Sports enthusiasts who visit Bleacher Report on Instagram in the weeks leading up to the event can cast their vote for the Clio Sports & B/R Fan Favorite Award and tune in to see the winner announced live as part of the virtual programming on October 29.

“The business of sports was hit hard this year, but we often see that in tough times, creativity is the key to building something bigger and better than what we were used to,” said Nicole Purcell, President, Clio. “We hope that by bringing the sports marketing community together to share ideas and experiences, we can inspire each other to chart a path forward that enhances the fan experience and fosters a new era of outstanding work.”

To RSVP, view panel topics and check out the list of confirmed speakers for the event, visit https://sports.clioevents.com/.

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About Clio

Clio is the premier international awards competition for the creative business. Founded in 1959 to celebrate creative excellence in advertising, Clio today honors the work and talent at the forefront of the industry in a variety of specialized fields, including: sports, fashion, music, entertainment, cannabis and health. As a leading authority on the diverse and ever-changing creative landscape, Clio celebrates creativity 365-days-a-year via its global ad database Ads of The World and its content platform Muse by Clio.

About Clio Sports

Clio Sports, founded in 2014, honors the best in sports advertising and marketing around the world. Annually, the foremost sports business influencers— marketing executives, commissioners, broadcasters and athletes alike— select and celebrate the breakthrough communications that propel the industry forward, inspire a competitive marketplace of ideas and foster meaningful connections within the creative community.

About Bleacher Report

Bleacher Report is a leading sports media brand reaching more than 200 million hyper-connected millennial and Gen Z sports fans each month through distribution of premium content. It is the No. 1 sports brand driving engagement and video views across all social platforms and the Bleacher Report app while fueling offline engagement through unparalleled experiences that blend sports with culture. Bleacher Report has a portfolio of brands that includes House of Highlights, B/R Football, B/R Gridiron, B/R Kicks and B/R Betting, delivering customized content that caters to the unique passions of its fans across its owned and operated channels and world-leading social platforms. Bleacher Report is a division of Turner Sports, which provides it access to premium live content from the NBA, Major League Baseball, and NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. Find Bleacher Report on the industry-leading Bleacher Report app, www.bleacherreport.com and on Instagram @BleacherReport.