BEN STURNER
Leverage Agency
CEO & Founder
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Ben Sturner is the CEO and Founder of Leverage Agency. In 2005, Ben started Leverage in his New York City apartment and immediately brokered a 5-year, multi-million deal with Reebok that kick-started the sponsorship growth of the National Lacrosse League. 18 years later, Ben’s entrepreneurial spirit and passion have propelled Leverage to leadership status in sports and entertainment with global initiatives, owned-and-operated events, world-class clients and a one-of-a-kind mentorship program.
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Ben and Leverage have been at the forefront of sports and pop culture through strategic and opportunistic endeavors. Among his many achievements over the last decade, Ben brought cricket to America through the Cricket All-Stars series, secured primary sponsors for American Pharoah’s electrifying Triple Crown run and Rich Strike’s 80-1 Kentucky Derby win, and own and produce the annual hockey game at Madison Square Garden between college’s most famous rivals – Harvard and Yale.
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Ben elevated his passion for mentorship by creating the Manhattan Sports Business Academy in 2014, which brings students to NYC for internships with premium sports organizations and immersion into the sports business world. He secured partners such as Gatorade, Fila, MLB, NBA, MLS and NFL. The inaugural class featured 25 students and applications are in the hundreds for this year’s class.
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Ben and the Leverage team were featured in this 2017 issue of AdWeek with the headline: “Leveraging the Moment: From the Super Bowl to the Celebrity Apprentice, Leverage Agency has become a Major Player in Sports and Entertainment.” He has made television appearances on ESPN, NBC, CBS and CNBC, and has been quoted in top newspapers and trades including USA TODAY, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, AdWeek and Sports Business Journal.
Prior to starting Leverage, Ben was the Director of Marketing for Bennett Global Marketing Group where he worked on sponsorship deals for clients such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Reebok, Manchester United and Level Vodka.
Ben sits on the board of advisors for a variety of organizations including Boston University Athletics, Brooklyn’s High School of Sports Management, Ivy Sports Symposium and the Sports Executive Association. Ben earned his bachelor’s degree with cum laude honors from Boston University where he played on the tennis team. He resides in Orlando, FL, with his wife Kimberly and two young sons, William and Cameron.