Yimer brings extensive expertise across the sports ecosystem to the Collective’s expanding sports business.
Czarnowski Collective has appointed Sampson Yimer as Executive Vice President and Global Head of Sports & Entertainment, adding an accomplished sports business executive to the organization as it continues to expand its work with teams, venues, rights holders and brand partners.
The appointment builds on Czarnowski Collective’s global presence in sports, delivering premium hospitality, retail environments and fan experiences for teams, venues and events around the world, including projects like Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Beyond execution, the agency works as a strategic partner, developing branded IP for its clients that solves business challenges and drives results.
For Jim Milanowski, CEO of Czarnowski Collective, the addition reflects the company’s ambitions for continued growth:
“Sports has become one of the few places where brands can still count on a captive, passionate audience, and the stakes for getting it right keep rising. Sampson understands sponsorship and partnership from every seat in the house, from media to the team side to the investor’s chair. Combining that perspective with our capabilities gives our clients a partner who can shape the strategy and then deliver it on game day.”
Yimer has more than 15 years of experience spanning sports marketing, sports media, strategic partnerships, sponsorship & partnership consulting and business development. He joins from Momentum Worldwide, where he served as Executive Vice President and Head of Partnerships & Sponsorships, advising major brands on partnership strategy, negotiation, activation and portfolio optimization.
Throughout his career, Yimer has worked with leading brands and properties across the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS and international soccer. His background also includes leadership roles at Nielsen and Phoenix Capital Ventures, as well as experience with the Atlanta Hawks and Endeavor. In 2025, he was named to Sports Business Journal’s prestigious Forty Under 40 class, recognizing his contributions to the business of sports.
At Czarnowski Collective, Yimer will pair that expertise with the company’s proven ability to create and deliver live sports experiences at scale.
Speaking to what attracted him to the role and his vision for the business, Yimer said:
“It’s the chance to build something within an organization that already knows how to drive cultural relevance at scale. The sports landscape has continued to grow and evolve, and the opportunity to pair Czarnowski Collective’s world-class experiential work with executional excellence is an exciting proposition for the marketplace as we think about what’s next. I’m excited to build this practice with the incredible existing team and entrench us further in sports and entertainment.”
As Executive Vice President and Global Head of Sports & Entertainment, Yimer will help drive Czarnowski Collective’s continued growth in the sector, strengthening its ability to help brands, teams and rights holders create meaningful connections with fans on and beyond the field.
