Spyre Sports Group Recognized as Innovator Recipient at Pinnacle Business Awards

The Knoxville Chamber is pleased to announce Spyre Sports Group as the recipient of the Pinnacle Business Award in the Innovator category. Spyre creates name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities for student-athletes, digital marketing strategies for brands, and memorable experiences for businesses. The Innovator Award, sponsored by Hitachi Zosen Inova, is given to an East Tennessee business that has developed a new technology, innovative product or service, or applied a business system or service in an innovative way. 

“As of just a few years ago, NIL wasn’t an option in college athletics. In a short time, we have built and operated a business in a constant state of uncertainty,” said Hunter Baddour, president of Spyre Sports Group. “Our staff has grown by over 300% during this timeframe and our revenues have increased by 500%. We credit our success with being nimble and willing to challenge ourselves constantly. We work fearlessly as a team, not worried about failure, but focused on making a long-lasting impact in a new era of college athletics.”

Spyre was founded in September of 2020 by Hunter Baddour and James Clawson as a marketing and athlete representation agency, but quickly transitioned over the following ten months to become one of the leading NIL agencies in the country. When the Supreme Court issued its decision in NCAA vs. Alston, the college athletics landscape changed to allow athletes to now profit from their NIL. Baddour and Clawson, having both attended the University of Tennessee, sought to make Tennessee the number one NIL destination in the country.

“The definition of innovation is the introduction of something new,” said Mike Odom, Knoxville Chamber president and CEO. “What better example can be found than with Spyre Sports Group who has built a powerhouse business in an industry that didn’t previously exist.”

The annual Pinnacle Business Awards, presented by Pinnacle Financial Partners, celebrate regional business excellence, honoring outstanding professionals in nine categories for their contributions to the greater Knoxville economy. Winners are selected by the Knoxville Chamber Board of Directors. Nearly 200 companies were nominated for 2024 recognition.

“Congratulations to all Pinnacle Business Award winners. Local businesses are essential to the communities they help grow,” said Mike DiStefano, Pinnacle’s Knoxville president. “Pinnacle Financial Partners is a founder led firm that was built as a small business bank, so we know how difficult it can be to run a successful business. More than two decades of growth have allowed us to serve clients of increasing size, but small businesses remain essential both to Pinnacle and the Knoxville communities they help grow. It’s an honor to be part of this program and help recognize the home-grown players in Knoxville’s economy.”  

For in-depth video interviews and more information on the 2024 Pinnacle Business Award recipients, visit www.knoxvillechamber.com/pinnacle.