The thriving sports marketing industry in North Carolina boasts a vibrant array of companies that offer diverse services. From NASCAR racing teams offering marketing and partnership opportunities to companies providing merchandise, apparel, and accessories, these enterprises cater to a wide array of needs within the sports industry. As the field continues to grow with advancements in technology and enhanced fan engagement strategies, companies are rising to the challenge, offering innovative solutions and placing North Carolina at the forefront of the sports marketing landscape.


Top 25 sports marketing companies in North Carolina

1. Team Penske

  • Website: teampenske.com
  • Headquarters: Mooresville, North Carolina, United States
  • Founded: 1966
  • Headcount: 501-1000
  • LinkedIn

Team Penske is a racing team that competes in various motorsports events including NASCAR, INDYCAR, and the FIA World Endurance Championship. They offer marketing and business opportunities for their NASCAR and INDYCAR SERIES teams. They are committed to positively influencing the community through charitable donations and supporting nonprofit organizations.


2. RFK Racing

  • Website: rfkracing.com
  • Headquarters: Concord, North Carolina, United States
  • Founded: 1988
  • Headcount: 201-500
  • LinkedIn

RFK Racing is a dominant force in NASCAR, with eight championships in the top three divisions. Founded by Jack Roush, the company has a rich history in drag racing, sports car, and stock car racing. They are committed to performance and have won over 400 races. RFK Racing offers partnership opportunities and is known for its award-winning marketing team.


3. Stewart-Haas Racing

Stewart-Haas Racing is a company involved in professional racing. They offer a range of products and services related to NASCAR racing, including merchandise, diecast cars, apparel, and accessories.


4. Chip Ganassi Racing Teams

Chip Ganassi Racing is a motorsports team that competes in various racing competitions such as INDYCAR, IMSA, WEC, and Extreme-E. They have a rich history and offer career opportunities in the racing industry. With a strong lineup of drivers, including Scott Dixon and Marcus Ericsson, they aim to achieve success in races and establish themselves as a leading racing team.


5. Bespoke Sports & Entertainment

Bespoke Sports & Entertainment is a sports and entertainment consulting and experiential marketing agency that helps brands choose the right partnerships and maximize their sponsorship investment.


6. AC&M Group

  • Website: acmconnect.com
  • Headquarters: Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
  • Founded: 2004
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

AC&M Group is a marketing agency specializing in digital sports marketing, multicultural marketing, and research/marketing intelligence. They provide turnkey solutions for on-site activations and create innovative customer activations during key soccer events. With their creativity and strategic insight, they help engage customers and track the success of activations. The team at AC&M has played an integral role in Hispanic marketing efforts for many companies, providing unique marketing and branding opportunities. They are known for their knowledge of Hispanic and soccer consumers and their ability to deliver culturally-relevant campaigns.


7. Sport Dimensions

  • Website: sd.team
  • Headquarters: Mooresville, North Carolina, United States
  • Founded: 1995
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

SD.team is a 360° sports marketing and creative agency, specializing in sponsorship strategy, VIP experiences, and content production. They provide integrated content solutions through video, graphics, social campaigns, articles, and custom-branded keepsakes. With a team of senior-level professionals, they offer tailored services to generate maximum value for brands through sponsorship and sports marketing.


8. Circle Sport with The Motorsports Group

The Motorsports Group is a company that specializes in offering services related to the motorsports industry, including event organization, sponsorship and marketing, team management, and driver representation.


9. The Surge Connection

The Surge Connection is a sports and entertainment marketing agency with over 50 years of collective experience in working with sponsors, agencies, leagues, and teams. They offer services that include sponsor consulting and strategy, sponsor activation planning, B2B connections, sponsorship evaluation, sales strategy and support, branding, and contract negotiations.


10. Vanguard Sports Group

Vanguard Sports Group is a company that empowers and protects its clients in the sports industry. They provide services to athletes in football, basketball, and baseball, helping them develop both on and off the field.


11. Joe Gibbs Racing

Joe Gibbs Racing is a premier NASCAR race team that has won multiple championships in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series. With a strong leadership team and skilled drivers, the company strives to excel in the world of professional racing.


12. Sumner Group

The Sumner Group is an independent marketing, advertising, and branding agency that offers a range of solutions to help businesses succeed.


13. Intrepid Marketing Group

  • Website: intrepidmg.com
  • Headquarters: Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
  • Founded: 2010
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

Intrepid Marketing Group is a full-service marketing, advertising and public relations agency with expertise in traditional, digital, and social media. They provide quality service to their clients, leveraging brand messages to reach consumers in an ever-changing marketplace.


14. Morris International

Morris International is a company that specializes in managing unique resort properties, offering marketing services, and organizing special events in the sports and restaurant industries.


15. Luquire

  • Website: luquire.com
  • Headquarters: Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
  • Founded: 1984
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • LinkedIn

Luquire is a full-service marketing agency that focuses on taking bottom lines to the top with unconventional thinking. They offer a range of services including advertising, branding, data science & analytics, media & engagement, and public relations.


16. Wildfire

Wildfire Ideas is a marketing agency based in Winston-Salem, NC and Richmond, VA. They are driven by boundless curiosity, compelling stories, and a commitment to craft.


17. Revered

REVERED is a challenger agency focused on branding and activation, offering services in Higher Education, Technology, Life Sciences, and Outdoor Sports + Lifestyle.


18. Spire Motorsports

Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series team specializing in race-winning performance. As a part of the NASCAR Digital Media Network, it offers sponsorships and partnership opportunities for businesses looking to connect with passionate fans.


19. Activent Marketing

Activent Marketing is a world-class experiential marketing agency that specializes in creating engaging and memorable brand experiences. They offer a wide range of services, including sponsorship marketing, publicity stunts, corporate events, and hospitality. Their innovative approach aims to inspire consumers to make better choices while generating trial for their clients.


20. The Littlefield Company

The Littlefield Company is a global moving-media agency and video production company, specializing in creating deep and impactful stories. They help businesses generate buzz, build customer trust, and increase ROI through their creative storytelling approach.


21. Richard Childress Racing

  • Website: rcrracing.com
  • Headquarters: Welcome, North Carolina, United States
  • Founded: 1969
  • Headcount: 201-500
  • Latest funding type: Private Equity
  • LinkedIn

RCRRACING.COM is a part of the NASCAR Digital Media Network and offers news, videos, photos, and schedules related to the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series.


22. Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing is a NASCAR racing team that competes in the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. They offer high-performance race cars, gear, and accessories for race day. The team is led by owner Matt Kaulig and crew chief Chris Rice.


23. JTG Daugherty Racing

JTG Daugherty Racing is a NASCAR Cup Series team featuring 2023 DAYTONA 500 Winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The team competes with the No. 47 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and is known for its partnership with Kroger and bluebuffalo. They recently showcased a new design inspired by Kraft Mac & Cheese, featuring the brand's iconic noodle smile and branding.


24. French/West/Vaughan

  • Website: fwv-us.com
  • Headquarters: Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
  • Founded: 1997
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • LinkedIn

FWV is a communications firm that empowers emerging brands to become leaders in their industries. Through smart, bold communications, strategic storytelling, and industry-leading counsel, FWV helps its clients change minds, win the day, and stand out from the competition.


25. BlueCap Marketing

BlueCap Marketing is an ambitious majority women-owned alliance of experienced marketing professionals who have joined forces and work with forward-leaning passion. We are a brand marketing firm that focuses strategically on sports, entertainment and event-based activation. How are we different? BlueCap Marketing crafts provocative, highly-effective, sports and entertainment marketing platforms that generate new revenue and build lasting consumer bonds for our brand partners. We are ready to break through the noise and do great things. Are you?


Want to find more sports marketing companies?


If you want to find more companies that offer diverse services ranging from marketing opportunities to merchandise you can do so with Inven. This list was built with Inven and there are hundreds of companies like these globally.


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  • Ownership: Which of these are private equity backed? Which are family-owned?
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