Martin joined Elevate from the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers in 2019. (Elevate)

Elevate Sports Ventures, the sports and entertainment agency, has promoted Craig Martin to the newly created role of chief partnerships officer.

In the new position, he will be responsible for “leading Elevate’s global partnerships sales and solutions; driving partnership strategy, asset valuation, sales, and negotiations for Elevate’s international client roster; and utilizing bespoke data and storytelling to connect brands with sports and entertainment’s marquee teams, leagues, and events through partnerships and activations.”

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Martin will report to Elevate chief executive and chairman Al Guido.

Elevate has credited Martin with playing a significant role in its partnership sales and solutions for the past five years, during which time the agency has closed and supported major partnerships with professional sports teams in soccer’s English Premier League, MLS, and NWSL, American football’s NFL, NBA (basketball), MLB (baseball), and NHL (ice hockey).

Martin first joined Elevate in 2019 as vice president of partnerships before being promoted to executive vice president of global partnerships in 2021.

He joined Elevate from the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and 49ers Enterprises – for whom Guido is the president – where he spent almost five years in senior partnership roles.

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In a career spanning almost two decades, Martin has represented several sports teams and organizations, including the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, the College Football Playoff National Championships, Palace Sports & Entertainment, and the NBA’s Detroit Pistons.

Guido said: “Craig’s experience and record-breaking success in, notably, the NFL and NBA, equipped him with the appropriate perspective and pace to drive effective brand-to-property partnerships across our international client roster; his transition five years ago from the NFL to our agency was extremely natural, as is his appointment now.

“His effective adoption and integration of Elevate’s bespoke, original data to generate dynamic valuations across a diverse array of teams, properties, and assets is unparalleled, and a major differentiator in the Elevate Partnerships process.”

Martin added: “Our globally expanding executive team remains dedicated to creatively collaborating with our clients and brand partners, driving meaningful causes and authentic fan connection, and educating through bespoke, industry-leading data.”

Last month, Elevate launched a new executive search and global talent advisory firm after acquiring executive search company SRI.