On Monday, Sports Business Journal (SBJ) announced the nominees for their 17th annual Sports Business Awards and the Kansas City Chiefs were one of five finalists for the publication's "Sports Team of the Year" award. The Chiefs were joined by Inter Miami CF, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Texas Rangers and the Vegas Golden Knights.
"It is an incredible honor for our entire organization to be nominated for the Sports Business Awards' 'Team of the Year' because it represents so much hard work and dedication from throughout the organization," Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. "Sports Business Journal has long been the industry standard for what is happening in the world of sports business. Similarly, the Sports Business Awards have become the ultimate recognition for the tireless work that goes into creating, innovating and pushing the envelope in this space. We extend our congratulations to the other nominees for 'Team of the Year' as well as all the groups and individuals that have been nominated across the other categories."
The Chiefs application highlighted several team initiatives and successes from the qualifying period, including:
- The club's aggressive approach around its 2023 regular season game in Germany against the Dolphins with the custom-wrapped ChampionShip serving as the central entertainment and activity hub for fans, partners and VIPs on the Main River throughout the club's stay in Frankfurt.
- The team's role in helping the NFL welcome more than 312,000 people to Kansas City for the 2023 NFL Draft – the second-highest NFL Draft attendance in event history – while incorporating the largest on-site, club-sponsored Draft activation in NFL history, the Chiefs Kingdom Experience.
- The prioritization of non-game events to ensure GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium maintains its place as an iconic sports and entertainment destination for fans of all age and walks of life. Arrowhead Events – the club's special events arm – delivered a record-breaking events season with nearly 500,000 attendees across the special events season.
- Hosting the 2023 NFL Kickoff Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, the club welcomed all fans back to football with the World's Largest Tailgate presented by Bud Light, a virtual tailgate and concert experience hosted live from the Ford Tailgate District outside the stadium and broadcast globally through the club's "virtual stadium" on ChiefsLive.com.
- The club's social media footprint grew 20.9% during the application period, elevating the Chiefs to the fifth-most followed team in the NFL.
- On the field, the club qualified for a sixth-straight AFC Championship Game in January 2024, marking the second-longest conference championship streak in NFL history. The team went on to overcome a 10-point deficit against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII to secure the club's fourth Lombardi Trophy and mark the club's third championship in the past five seasons.
Applications were considered based on the time period from March 1, 2023 to February 29, 2024. Nominees in each category will be recognized and the winners will be announced at a live dinner and awards ceremony at the New York Marriott Marquis Times Square in New York City on Wednesday, May 22.
Launched in 2008, the Sports Business Awards were established by Sports Business Journal to celebrate excellence in the business of sports. For more information, please visit www.sports-business-awards.com.
