Falcons Owner Arthur Blank Named Sports Philanthropist Of The Year
Falcons owner Arthur M. Blank was honored during the seventh annual Sports Humanitarian Awards Monday night in New York City.
The 90-minute televised special is "a celebration of the impact made by athletes, teams, and sports industry professionals who are using sports to make a difference in their communities and throughout the world."
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Blank was named for his work with the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation (AMBFF) and his Blank's Family of Businesses (BFOB) that includes the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, the nationwide PGA Tour Superstore, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and three ranches in Montana.
Blank was an early signer of The Giving Pledge and lives his "give back to others" core value, as he invests his resources, time, and energy to help people live healthier and more productive lives.
After 25 years and more than $800 million given, the Arthur M. Blank Foundation has committed to significantly accelerating the impact of its philanthropy over the next 10-plus years. The Foundation also evaluates opportunities to address the growing crisis of disconnect in America.
Over the last year, Blank and the Blank Family Foundation have committed more than $300 million in grants, including a $200 million grant to develop the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Arthur M. Blank Hospital, which represents the largest naming gift to a freestanding pediatric hospital.
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The grant also includes a $20 million legacy grant to establish the Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research at the University of Texas at Austin, a cause that is near and dear to Blank himself.
The Blank Foundation has also committed:
- A COVID-19 relief pledge of $5.4 million in Atlanta, Montana, and abroad
- A $50 million grant to Babson College, Blank's alma mater, to establish the Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership
- A five-year, $17 million grant to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in downtown Atlanta
- A $9.5 million grant from PGA Tour Superstore and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation to First Tee, an organization dedicated to helping youth stay active and build character through golf
Blank has also dedicated proceeds from his memoir, Good Company, to the National Center for Civil and Human rights in perpetuity.
MLB, MLS, NBA, WNBA, NFL, NHL, PGA Tour, UFC, USTA, and WWE were among the sports leagues and governing bodies included as sponsors of this year's Sports Humanitarian Awards. They nominated athletes, teams, and corporations who are transforming lives. The finalists and winners were selected by an independent committee.
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