Fenway Sports Management
A Fenway Sports Group company that develops sports sponsorship, commercial partnerships, and marketing programs.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Fenway Sports Management (FSM) is a sports marketing and commercial-rights agency established in 2004 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with an office in New York City. It operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the ownership and investment group associated with the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool Football Club, and other sports properties. FSM was created to commercialize the assets, audiences, venues, media relationships, and partnership opportunities connected with FSG and with external clients. The agency’s work spans sponsorship sales, brand integration, partnership strategy, consulting, promotional activation, and the marketing of sports and entertainment rights. In its first year, FSM signed an exclusive sponsorship-sales agreement with MLB Advanced Media and worked with Boston College’s major intercollegiate sports properties. These early arrangements established the company’s dual role: it could represent rights holders seeking commercial partners while also advising brands on how to use sports platforms for marketing. Over time, FSM built a portfolio extending across baseball, football, basketball, motorsport, golf, sports media, and individual athletes. Publicly identified clients and properties have included the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool F.C., LeBron James, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, MLB.com, the PGA Tour event THE NORTHERN TRUST, NESN, and the Salem Red Sox. Its consulting work has included brands such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Gulf Oil, JetBlue, and Santander. The mix of owned or affiliated properties and independent consulting clients has allowed FSM to package sports inventory, develop sponsorship programs, and connect corporate brands with teams, leagues, athletes, events, and media audiences. FSM has also participated in sports ownership and investment initiatives. In December 2007, it purchased the Salem Avalanche, a minor-league baseball franchise in the High-A Carolina League. The club was subsequently renamed the Salem Red Sox and became Boston’s High-A affiliate in 2009. In 2015, FSM became an investor in the Pawtucket Red Sox ownership group; that franchise later relocated to Worcester in 2021 and became the Worcester Red Sox. The company’s international business expanded through football and athlete-marketing agreements. In 2009, FSG announced a partnership involving Fulham, with shirt sponsorship scheduled to begin in 2011. In 2011, FSM entered a management partnership with LeBron James and Maverick Carter to market James’s global commercial rights. The arrangement also connected James and Carter to FSG through minority stakes in Liverpool F.C. In 2012, FSM negotiated Liverpool’s major kit-supply agreement with Warrior Sports, reported at the time as surpassing the English club sponsorship record then associated with Manchester United. FSM’s leadership has been closely linked with senior commercial and operating executives at FSG and the Red Sox. Sam Kennedy became president of Fenway Sports Management in 2009 after Mike Dee moved to the Miami Dolphins, and Kennedy later became president and chief executive officer of the Boston Red Sox while retaining responsibility for FSM. Mark Lev, previously a managing director, was promoted to president of FSM in December 2018. Publicly available reference material does not establish a complete current executive roster or a current standalone financial profile. FSM is best understood as a business-to-business sports-marketing and rights-commercialization platform within the broader Fenway Sports Group portfolio.
History
Fenway Sports Management was founded in 2004 as the sports-marketing arm of Fenway Sports Group. Its initial business focused on sponsorship sales and commercial representation. During its first year, the agency secured an exclusive sponsorship-sales relationship with MLB Advanced Media and worked with Boston College’s major intercollegiate sports. These early engagements gave FSM experience in selling and packaging inventory for established sports organizations while developing a broader consulting capability for corporate marketers. The agency subsequently expanded across FSG’s sports portfolio and into third-party representation. By 2014, publicly identified clients and properties included the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool Football Club, LeBron James, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, MLB.com, the PGA Tour’s THE NORTHERN TRUST, NESN, and the Salem Red Sox. Consulting clients included Dunkin’ Donuts, Gulf Oil, JetBlue, and Santander. This portfolio illustrates FSM’s model of combining sponsorship sales with brand strategy and activation across multiple sports and media categories. FSM also took direct positions in baseball properties. In December 2007, it purchased the Salem Avalanche of the High-A Carolina League. In 2008, the company announced that the club would become Boston’s High-A affiliate in 2009; the franchise was renamed the Salem Red Sox. In February 2015, FSM joined a new ownership group that acquired the Pawtucket Red Sox from the heirs of former owner Ben Mondor. The franchise moved to Worcester in 2021 and is now known as the Worcester Red Sox. Internationally, FSM supported FSG’s expansion in football and athlete commercialization. In October 2009, FSG announced a partnership involving Fulham, with shirt sponsorship expected to begin in 2011. In April 2011, FSM became the sole marketer of LeBron James’s global commercial rights through a partnership with James and Maverick Carter. James and Carter also became minority stakeholders in Liverpool Football Club through the arrangement. In January 2012, FSM negotiated Liverpool’s kit partnership with Warrior Sports, a deal reported at the time as exceeding the previous English club kit-sponsorship record. In January 2014, FSM formed a partnership with LRMR Management to market Johnny Manziel’s global rights. Leadership changes have tracked the close relationship between FSM and the Boston Red Sox. Sam Kennedy succeeded Mike Dee as president of FSM in October 2009 while also taking on senior operating responsibilities with the Red Sox. Kennedy later became president of the baseball club and was appointed president and chief executive officer of both the Red Sox and FSM under a new contract in 2017. Mark Lev, who had served as a managing director, was promoted to president of FSM in December 2018. The available reference material provides limited information about later organizational changes, standalone finances, and the agency’s complete present-day client roster.
- 2018
Mark Lev becomes president
[1]Mark Lev is promoted from managing director to president of FSM.
- 2015
Pawtucket Red Sox investment
[1]FSM invests in the ownership group that acquires the Pawtucket Red Sox.
- 2014
Johnny Manziel rights partnership
[1]FSM partners with LRMR Management to market Johnny Manziel’s global commercial rights.
- 2012
Liverpool–Warrior Sports agreement
[1]FSM negotiates Liverpool’s kit-supply partnership with Warrior Sports.
- 2011
LeBron James rights partnership
[1]FSM becomes the global commercial-rights marketer for LeBron James through a partnership with James and Maverick Carter.
- 2009
Fulham partnership announced
[1]FSG announces a new partnership involving Fulham, with shirt sponsorship planned for 2011.
- 2008
Salem affiliation announcement
[1]FSM announces that the Salem franchise will become Boston’s High-A affiliate in 2009 and later operate as the Salem Red Sox.
- 2007
Acquisition of Salem Avalanche
[1]FSM purchases the Salem Avalanche minor-league baseball franchise.
- 2004
Fenway Sports Management is founded
[1]FSM is established as a sports marketing firm and subsidiary of Fenway Sports Group.
Products and positioning
A premium, rights-holder-connected sports marketing and commercial partnerships agency combining team, league, venue, media, event, and athlete assets.
Sports marketing service · 2004
Sponsorship sales and rights representation
FSM sells and manages commercial rights for sports teams, leagues, events, media properties, and affiliated organizations. Its work can include identifying sponsors, structuring partnership packages, negotiating agreements, and matching brand objectives with sports audiences and inventory.
Marketing consulting
Brand partnership consulting
The agency advises corporate clients on sports-based marketing, including partnership strategy, property selection, activation planning, and promotional integration. Publicly identified consulting clients have included Dunkin’ Donuts, Gulf Oil, JetBlue, and Santander.
Talent marketing · 2011
Athlete commercial-rights marketing
FSM has marketed global commercial rights for prominent athletes through management partnerships. Identified examples include LeBron James, whose rights FSM handled in partnership with James and Maverick Carter, and Johnny Manziel, whose rights were marketed through a partnership with LRMR Management.
Sports investment · 2007
Sports property ownership and investment
Beyond agency services, FSM has participated in ownership and investment transactions involving baseball properties. It purchased the Salem Avalanche in 2007 and later invested in the Pawtucket Red Sox ownership group. These activities connected commercial marketing expertise with direct participation in sports franchises.
Marketing campaigns
- 2012Liverpool Football Club–Warrior Sports partnership
United Kingdom · International markets
FSM negotiated a kit-supply and commercial partnership between Liverpool Football Club and Warrior Sports. The agreement was reported as exceeding the then-record English club kit deal.
Outcome. The agreement positioned Liverpool among the leading English clubs for reported kit-supply sponsorship value at the time.
- 2011LeBron James global commercial-rights program
United States · International markets
FSM partnered with LeBron James and Maverick Carter to market James’s global commercial rights.
Outcome. The arrangement expanded FSM’s athlete-marketing activities and linked James and Carter with FSG through minority interests in Liverpool Football Club.
- 2009Fulham partnership
United Kingdom
FSG announced a partnership involving Fulham, with shirt sponsorship scheduled to commence in 2011.
Brand decisions
2015
Invest in Pawtucket Red Sox ownership groupM&ABackground
A new ownership group sought to acquire the Pawtucket Red Sox from the heirs of former owner Ben Mondor.
Action taken
FSM became an investor in the acquiring ownership group.
Aftermath
The franchise relocated to Worcester in 2021 and became the Worcester Red Sox.
2012
Negotiate Liverpool’s Warrior Sports kit dealProduct launchBackground
Liverpool required a new kit-supply and commercial partnership as part of its wider commercial program.
Action taken
FSM negotiated an agreement with Warrior Sports beginning with the 2012–13 season.
Aftermath
The deal was reported as exceeding the then-English club record associated with Manchester United’s Nike agreement.
Reported annual sponsorship value. £25 million per season (From the 2012–13 season)
2011
Enter athlete-rights partnership with LeBron JamesStrategyBackground
FSM sought to broaden its sports-marketing platform beyond team and event sponsorship into global athlete representation.
Action taken
FSM became the sole marketer of LeBron James’s global commercial rights in partnership with James and Maverick Carter.
Aftermath
James and Carter also became minority stakeholders in Liverpool Football Club through the broader relationship with Fenway Sports Group.
2007
Acquire the Salem AvalancheM&ABackground
FSM expanded beyond marketing services by acquiring a minor-league baseball franchise in the High-A Carolina League.
Action taken
The company purchased the Salem Avalanche in December 2007.
Aftermath
The franchise was renamed the Salem Red Sox and became Boston’s High-A affiliate in 2009.
Sources1 sources
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