Recognition includes prestigious “Agency of the Year” award
Elevate, the full-service global sports and entertainment agency, has been awarded two wins and a highly commended accolade at the prestigious Sports Industry Awards (SPIA) 2026, reinforcing its position as the Middle East’s premier sports and entertainment consultancy.
The SPIA 2026 winners were announced at the Awards Gala Dinner on Wednesday, 13th May at Space42 Arena in Abu Dhabi. These successes highlight Elevate’s global expansion and excellence across community engagement, digital innovation, and overall agency performance.
Agency of the Year – (Winner) – Awarded to recognise the best performing agency in the region, Elevate has established itself as the Middle East’s most formidable force in sports and entertainment consultancy, following its acquisition of RISE in 2025.
Community Sport Impact Initiative of the Year: NEOM x Rajasthan Royals Community Cricket Programme – (Winner) – Recognised for setting the standard for community initiatives in the region. The programme scaled 250% year-on-year, reaching nearly 2,000 playing participants from 20 nationalities in 2025, hosting 250+ cricket matches across nine venues in NEOM, training 60 new leaders and 20 coaches for long-term sustainability, and engaging over 10,000 people. Social content reached 39 million views globally, spearheaded by a visit from Kumar Sangakkara.
Best Use of Social Media in Sport: San Francisco 49ers Arabic – (Highly Commended) – Celebrated for breaking records as the most-followed Arabic account in North American sports. Instagram (@49ersAR) reached 67.1k followers in just nine months, surpassing the previous record held by the LA Lakers Arabic account. Across platforms in 2025, it achieved 82 million views through authentic, localised storytelling.
“This is a proud moment for the entire Elevate team."
Seth Holmes
Executive Director, Elevate MENA
“Winning multiple awards reflects our relentless focus on delivering genuine impact - whether through transformative community programmes, record-breaking digital campaigns, or driving outstanding commercial results for our clients. These wins belong to our incredible team, our partners, and the visionary organisations we work with across the region.”
Elevate continues to empower sports properties and brands with cutting-edge, data-driven strategies powered by its proprietary intelligence platform, EPIC. The agency delivers high-impact solutions in community engagement, fan experience, sponsorship, social media, and talent development across the Middle East and globally.
For more information about Elevate’s award-winning work, visit www.oneelevate.com.
Elevate is a global, integrated agency network committed to helping properties, brands, and universities forge deeper connections with their audiences to unlock growth. Serving more than 1,000 clients across sports, entertainment, consumer products, retail, and more, Elevate transforms followers into devoted fans.
An agency rooted in innovation, Elevate leverages EPIC, its proprietary intelligence platform powered by advanced data and AI technology. EPIC integrates tools for consumer insights, ticketing, property analytics, and more, empowering clients to maximize ROI, enhance fan engagement, and craft campaigns that foster lasting loyalty. Founded in 2018, Elevate partners with clients worldwide from offices across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. For more information, visit us at www.oneelevate.com.
