Advertising Week today announced the debut of the AW Playmaker Awards, a bold new celebration spotlighting the innovators redefining the intersection of sports, culture, brands, and technology.
Created in partnership with Fanatics Advertising and hosted at the iconic New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the Playmaker Awards extend the momentum of Advertising Week’s New Sports Economy programming track. With additional support from Basis, the evening will bring together athletes, creators, and marketers to honor their combined influence in shaping fandom, fueling business growth, and driving cultural change.
“While athletes, creators, and marketers have long been recognized individually, this award is the first of its kind to celebrate their collective power,” said an Advertising Week spokesperson. “From breakthrough brand campaigns and creator-led storytelling to game-changing applications of technology, the Playmaker Awards spotlight the ideas rewriting the rules of engagement in real time.”
The event, set for Wednesday, October 8 from 6:15–8:15 p.m., marks a milestone for Advertising Week. By choosing the NYSE—an enduring symbol of global business and innovation—as its stage, the Playmaker Awards underscore the growing impact of sports and marketing as engines of both culture and commerce.
This new platform not only celebrates creative excellence but also establishes a benchmark for how the business of sports and culture is honored moving forward.
