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The Engagement Academy
of Sports x Entertainment

Comprised of industry leaders, athletes, creators, and entertainers, the Engagement Academy plays a vital role in driving an engaging and inclusive future of sports content, experiences, and entertainment. EASE members select the winners and honorees of the Hashtag Sports Awards.

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Sports x Entertainment

About The Academy

A mission-based membership, EASE selects the Nominees and Winners for the Hashtag Sports Awards—the leading honors for sports entertainment and individual achievement in content, creativity, and storytelling.

Presented by the Engagement Academy, the HSAs recognize excellence in fan engagement, establishing the benchmark for effective engagement on an annual basis. A committee of EASE members also selects the annual honorees for Creators of Color, a unique recognition and career enablement program for minority creatives across the sports entertainment ecosystem.

Through year-round online and offline events and content series, we encourage people inside and outside the industry to share ideas and inspire others to challenge the status quo by building a more representative and inclusive industry.

Featured Members

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Lisa Murray

CMO
Octagon
Jen-Millet

Jen Millet

CMO
Golden State Warriors
Bill-Moseley

Bill Moseley

Sponsorships & Exp. Marketing
AT&T
Deandra-Duggans-1

Deandra Duggans

VP, Brand Marketing
Las Vegas Aces
dev-sethi

Dev Sethi

Head of Sports
Instagram
keisha-wright

Keisha Wright

SVP, Partnerships & Purpose
THINK450
selena-castillo

Selena Castillo

Creative Director
Duke WBB
Weseloh (1)

Marissa Weseloh

Director, Sponsorship
Verizon
sean-brown

Sean Brown

Head of Community
Autograph
sarah-crennan

Sara Crennan

VP, Head of Content, DTC
NBA
josh-hart

Josh Hart

NBA Athlete & Podcast Host
LightHarted
Arlesha-Amazan (1)

Arlesha Amazan

Strategic Partnerships
SC30 Inc.

MEMBERSHIP in the ENGAGEMENT Academy is by Invitation Only.

Academy Mission

To better serve fans in the digital age by recognizing excellence in engagement and inspiring creative talent of all ages while championing diversity, equity, inclusion, and new ideas that galvanize the sports and entertainment industries.

Creators of Color

  • A new program from EASE in partnership with Canva that spotlights and empowers sports creatives ages 21-33 who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.

Talent Pipeline

  • The Sports Entertainment Talent Pipeline (SETP) to help the sport, media, and entertainment industries discover and hire diverse creative talent.

Gender Equality

  • Each year, The Engagement Academy and Hashtag Sports recognize executives who are committed to empowering women in sports and entertainment.

Initiatives

Creators of Color

Spotlighting and empowering sports creatives ages 21-33 who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color

Talent Pipeline

Creative talent CRM and discovery platform

Gender Equality

Executive honor recognizing those who champion and empower women in sports and entertainment