Bauer Entertainment Marketing Named to the 2026 Inc. 5000 -- One of the Few Live-Event Companies on the List

Nashville marketing agency ranks No. 90 in Tennessee and No. 358 nationally among Advertising, Marketing & PR firms

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. announced today that Bauer Entertainment Marketing (BEM) has been named to the Inc. 5000, its annual ranking of America's fastest-growing private companies. BEM ranked No. 90 in the state of Tennessee, No. 358 in Advertising, Marketing, & PR, and No. 4,145 nationally, on three-year revenue growth of 55 percent.

The honor is rare in the live-event business. To qualify for the Inc. 5000, a company must be independent — not a subsidiary or division of another company. As the live industry has consolidated, many of its best-known ticketing, festival and touring brands have become part of larger parent companies, making them ineligible, no matter how fast they grow. The result is a list in which live-event companies appear as a small percentage.

BEM's growth traces back to one source: helping clients sell more tickets. The agency began in 2015 as a side hustle, became founder Brian Bauer's full-time role in 2018, and hired its first employees in 2020.

"We didn't grow because we got better at marketing ourselves," said Brian Bauer, President and Founder of Bauer Entertainment Marketing. "We grew because our clients sold more tickets. That's the only version of this business that works — their growth comes first, and ours is the byproduct."

BEM has worked with more than 500 music, sports, and entertainment organizations, including Opry Entertainment Group, X Games, NASCAR, Electric Forest, Regal Cinemas, AEG Presents, and the Music Business Association. The full-service agency's work includes paid advertising, social media, email, SMS, contests, analytics, and strategic consulting for festivals, fairs, venues, sports, immersive experiences, attractions, tours, promoters, casinos, conferences, and performing arts. So far in 2026, 94 percent of BEM clients have generated a positive return on their advertising, and one in four have returned 800 percent or more.

BEM joins past Inc. honorees from the entertainment world including Topgolf, Pandora, Sweetwater, Tixr, and Interactive Entertainment Group.

To mark its place among them, BEM is setting aside 5,000 minutes of Snapshot AmplifyAudits™ for a select group of event producers — a fast, outside read on where they're leaving money on the table: the fans they aren't reaching, the sales slipping away at checkout, and the missed opportunities capping their growth.

This year's Inc. 5000 honorees collectively created more than 627,208 jobs in the U.S. economy over the past three years. Nearly 250 team members — full-time staff, part-time crew, and interns — have been part of BEM since its inception.

"Every company on the Inc. 5000 has a story of perseverance, smart decision-making, and a refusal to sit still," says Mike Hofman, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Their growth reflects more than strong financial performance — it reflects creativity, resilience, and the customer focus required to build companies that make a lasting impact. We congratulate all honorees on this significant achievement."

For the full Inc. 5000 list, honoree company profiles, and a searchable database by industry and location, visit www.inc.com/inc5000.

Inc. 5000 List Methodology

Companies on the 2026 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2022 to 2025. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2022. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent — not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies — as of December 31, 2025. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2022 is $100,000; for 2025, it is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.

About Bauer Entertainment Marketing

Bauer Entertainment Marketing (BEM) shares extraordinary experiences and unforgettable memories with fans via data-driven marketing. A full-service marketing agency providing strategic consulting and hands-on campaign management, BEM has helped grow more than 500 music, sports, and entertainment companies, including Opry Entertainment Group, X Games, NASCAR, Electric Forest, Regal Cinemas, AEG Presents, and Music Business Association. As of August 2026, BEM holds more 5-star client reviews on Google than any other dedicated entertainment marketing agency. Founded in 2015, BEM is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Learn more at www.bauerem.com.

About Inc.

Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

SOURCE Bauer Entertainment Marketing