SPORTS ILLUSTRATED ANNOUNCES ANNUAL SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR EVENT IN LAS VEGAS
NEW YORK (December 10, 2024) – Today Sports Illustrated®, the leader in sports journalism, announced it will hold its annual Sportsperson of the Year awards ceremony on Tuesday, January 7 in Las Vegas. The event will be hosted by award-winning actor, writer and producer, Keegan-Michael Key, at Wynn Las Vegas, the official home of Sportsperson 2024. Sports Illustrated is pleased to welcome AFEELA – a new EV brand developed by Sony Honda Mobility Inc. – as a presenting partner of Sportsperson.
In its 70th year, Sportsperson recognizes athletes and trailblazers who have redefined excellence in sport and culture. As one of the most prestigious honors in sports, the Sportsperson of the Year award celebrates the athlete or team that best represents, in character and performance, the ideals of sportsmanship. Previous Sportsperson of the Year winners include Billie Jean King, Wayne Gretzky, Serena Williams, Tom Brady, Derek Jeter, LeBron James and Megan Rapinoe, among others. The official 2024 Sportsperson of the Year honoree will be announced on Thursday, January 2.
As the world’s top leaders in innovation descend upon the desert for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Sports Illustrated will welcome athletes, entertainers and executives for a night honoring sports’ top pioneers and visionaries. Sports Illustrated is excited to bring the awards ceremony to Las Vegas, tapping into the growing cultural impact and transcendence of sports beyond the field of play.
“Bringing Sportsperson to Las Vegas this year signifies the growing confluence between sports, entertainment and innovation,” said Rich Routman, President of Minute Media, operator of Sports Illustrated’s media business. “We are committed to continuing to evolve Sportsperson, one of Sports Illustrated’s most time-honored traditions and one of sports’ most prestigious honors, to reflect the ever-changing sports landscape it celebrates.”
“We look forward to an evening of celebrating the very best in sports excellence, welcoming top athletes and brands from around the world,” said Brian Gullbrants, COO North America, Wynn Resorts. “We are proud to be the host location for Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year and are pleased to share in the moment of honoring these cultural icons.”
Among awards to be presented at the ceremony include:
- Sportsperson of the Year: Awarded since 1954, Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year is one of the most prestigious honors in all of sports, given to the athlete or team that best symbolizes in character and performance the ideals of sportsmanship.
- Muhammad Ali Legacy Award: The Muhammad Ali Legacy Award honors a sports figure who has used their platform to create lasting impact — someone who has turned the pursuit of victory into a passion for philanthropy and community service.
- Innovator of the Year: An all-new award, Innovator of the Year salutes a person or group that is shaping the future of sports with cutting-edge success in performance, business or technology.
Marketing partners for this year’s Sportsperson of the Year include Wynn, who will be the official home of Sportsperson of the Year, Verizon, keeping attendees powered and connected, and our presenting partner AFEELA, a mobility brand developed by Sony Honda Mobility Inc. The brand will showcase their AFEELA prototype vehicle, offering hands-on demos to attendees and providing a unique, up-close experience with the future of Mobility.
“As the presenting partner for this year’s Sportsperson of the Year award, we are honored to support the visionaries in the sports industry. Just as legendary athletes inspire with their passion and commitment, AFEELA strives to deliver an inspiring mobility experience to its customers through innovative technologies,” said Yasuhide Mizuno, Representative Director, Chairperson and CEO, Sony Honda Mobility Inc.
If you’re interested in requesting a press credential to cover the event, please submit a request HERE.
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About Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated (SI) is the trusted voice for a changing sports landscape. With 70 years of excellence in sports journalism under its belt, SI is the essential destination for fans looking for expert coverage of the games and athletes they love most. SI has evolved alongside the sports it covers, building on a legacy of unassailable content, while innovating to reflect what’s next in sports and culture. Through impactful digital coverage, an award-winning magazine and high-profile experiential activations, SI continues to provide fans the best in sports storytelling. For more information, visit SI.com.
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About Wynn
Wynn Resorts is the recipient of more Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Awards than any other independent hotel company in the world and in 2024 was once again honored on FORTUNE Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies list. Wynn and Encore Las Vegas consist of two luxury hotel towers with a total of 4,748 spacious hotel rooms, suites and villas. The resort features approximately 194,000 square feet of casino space, 20 signature dining experiences, 14 bars, two award-winning spas, approximately 513,000 rentable square feet of meeting and convention space, approximately 174,000 square feet of retail space as well as two showrooms, two nightclubs, a beach club, and recreation and leisure facilities, including Wynn Golf Club, an 18-hole championship golf course. For more information on Wynn and Encore Las Vegas, visit press.wynnlasvegas.com.
About AFEELA
AFEELA is a mobility brand developed by Sony Honda Mobility Inc. (SHM), a Japanese joint venture mobility tech company established by Sony Group Corporation and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in 2022. By combining Sony’s technological prowess and Honda’s automotive expertise, SHM aims to lead innovation in the industry through joint development and sales of high-value-added mobility and providing services for mobility. For more information, please visit us at https://www.shm-afeela.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
Press
Paige Graham
Sydney Northcutt