The 2026 Clio Sports Awards Announces Host and Honorees

Each year, the program pays special honors to athletes and public figures who have significantly impacted the world of sports

by Muse

October 21, 2026

12:51 pm

5 min read

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New York, NY—October 21, 2026 — Clio Sports, the competition that honors creative excellence in sports marketing and advertising on a global scale, today announced that Michael Strahan, Flavor Flav and Kelley O’Hara will be honored at the 2026 Clio Sports Awards Show on Dec. 8. Spanning professional sports, entertainment, media and advocacy, this year’s honorees have each used their platforms to push boundaries, champion athletes and shape the culture surrounding and beyond sports.

Bringing these honorees and 400-plus sports and brand marketers from around the world together is journalist, podcaster and television host Pablo Torre, who will front the 2026 Clio Sports Awards Show, taking place at The Edison Ballroom in New York City. Torre is best known as an investigative journalist, whose work has appeared on ESPN, MS Now, Sports Illustrated and more. His podcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting.

Clio Sports was launched in 2014 to celebrate excellence in sports advertising and marketing. Each year, the program pays special honors to athletes and public figures who have significantly impacted the world of sports by channeling their creativity in new ways that simultaneously move their industry forward and shape popular culture.

A Super Bowl champion and Pro Football Hall of Famer who spent 15 seasons with the New York Giants, Strahan has become one of the most recognizable personalities in broadcasting through his roles on Good Morning America and Fox NFL Sunday. Beyond the screen, he has helped shape how sports stories are told through his work with SMAC Entertainment and Religion of Sports, expanding opportunities for athletes and creators to connect with audiences beyond the game. He will receive the Honorary Clio Sports Award in recognition of his influence across sports, media and popular culture.

Hip-hop icon Flavor Flav has emerged as one of women’s sports’ most passionate and unexpected champions, using his platform to spotlight athletes and create opportunities beyond the podium. A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Flav has championed Team USA’s female athletes at the 2024 Paris and 2026 Winter Olympics, supporting U.S. Water Polo, Bobsled and Skeleton. Through financial support, sponsorships and his SHE Weekend initiative connecting female Olympians and Paralympians with fans and potential sponsors, he has turned his passion into meaningful advocacy. Flav will receive The Clio Sports Impact Award in recognition of his commitment to increasing visibility and investment in the success of women’s teams.

Two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist Kelley O’Hara has made an impact far beyond the soccer field. Throughout her career she has used her platform as an athlete, media personality and producer to elevate women’s voices, and address the challenges women face in professional sports. Through storytelling, media and brand partnerships, O’Hara continues to champion the next generation of female athletes and expand what’s possible for women in sports. She will receive The Clio Sports Impact Award, presented by AT&T, which recognizes athletes who embody the brand’s “She’s Connected” platform highlighting women athletes that are making an impact in business, entrepreneurship and community both on and off the field of play.

“As we celebrate another incredible year in sports, we’re reminded of what a unifier the love of the game can be. Whether that’s on a global stage as we saw with this summer’s World Cup, or on the streets of New York, where the Knicks took home a championship trophy, we saw the power that sports has to bring people together,” said Maher Labban, Executive Director, Clio Sports. “At this year’s Clio Sports Awards Show, we’re looking forward to bringing our community together for another opportunity to champion creativity in sports and to pay a special tribute to the people at the forefront of driving sports culture at home and abroad.”

As previously announced, this year’s jury chairs include:

Branded Entertainment/Content: Dayo Harewood, SVP, Creative, Paramount Media Lab

Design and Out of Home: David Hernandez, Chief Creative Officer, Allstate
Experiential/Activation, Esports, and Sports Betting: Nuvia Guzman, SVP, Experiential, Octagon
Fan Engagement: Lara Krug, Chief Marketing and Media Officer, Kansas City Chiefs
Film: Rayyan Aoun, Chief Creative Officer, BigTime Creative Shop
Film Craft: Mindy Benner, Executive Creative Director, Invisible North
Gameday Fan Experience: Allan Wertheimer, Senior Director, Production Operations & Game Presentation, Minnesota Vikings
Integrated, Innovation, Creative Effectiveness, and Creative Use of Data: Muhammad Ali, Executive Creative Director, Leo UAE
Linear and Streaming Broadcast Coverage: Lauren Hartstone, Partner, Executive Creative Director, Sibling Rivalry
Partnerships & Sponsorships: Dhaval Bhatt, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Courage
Public Relations and Social Good: Xavier Blais, Partner, Executive Creative Director, Rethink
Social Media, Digital/Mobile, and Direct: Kasidee Karsten, AVP, Integrated Marketing, NFLPA

Gold, Silver, Bronze and Shortlist winners will be announced in mid-November. The Grand Clio and Of the Year Award winners—for Agency, League, Team, Brand and Media Brand—will be revealed at the Clio Sports Awards Show in December, along with recognizing the special Honorary Award winners.

The presenting sponsor of the 2026 Clio Sports Awards is NASCAR. AT&T is the official sponsor, with Massive Music, MSQ Sports and Entertainment and Navigate as supporting sponsors. Burn & Broad and Ryval Studios are Clio Sports creative partners.

Luz Corona

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