Sports and entertainment leader Andy Campion named Chairman of the Board of Unrivaled Sports - the Parent Company of Growing Portfolio of Youth Sports Properties
(PRUnderground) March 27th, 2024
Josh Harris and David Blitzer announced today the formation of Unrivaled Sports, the new parent company for their growing portfolio of youth sports properties. As part of the announcement, The Chernin Group (“TCG”), a multi-stage investment firm dedicated to building consumer businesses, completed a significant strategic investment in Unrivaled Sports. Andy Campion, former Chief Operating Officer of Nike, Inc. and long-time Disney executive, has been named Unrivaled Sports’ Chairman of the Board. Through its 12 owned and operated facilities, Unrivaled Sports welcomes more than 550,000 athletes and 1.1 million attendees annually.
“Through Unrivaled Sports, we’re not just investing in sports; we’re investing in future generations by making sports more inclusive and accessible in communities across the nation,” Harris said. “Our commitment is to provide unparalleled experiences and opportunities that inspire, educate, and uplift youth.”
“TCG shares our mission of delivering best-in-class youth sports experiences and making a positive impact in the communities we serve,” added Blitzer. “Today’s announcement of our partnership with TCG, and the arrival of Andy Campion as Chairman, allows us to expand our infrastructure and maximize the opportunities we have to create unforgettable sports memories for kids across the country.”
In addition to his executive leadership roles and nearly 30 years at Nike and Disney, Campion brings broad, diverse leadership experiences across sports, entertainment, consumer-focused businesses, and academia. He is a minority owner of the Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals professional soccer enterprises and serves on the boards of directors of Starbucks, the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games, and The Springhill Company. He is also currently the Director of UCLA’s Sports Leadership and Management Program. Campion’s experiences make him uniquely positioned to lead Unrivaled Sports’ growth and innovation in the youth sports arena.
Unrivaled Sports’ baseball division, led by its CEO Wade Martin, consists of Ripken Baseball®, Cooperstown All Star Village, Sports Force Parks
, Baseball Factory, and Softball Factory. Unrivaled Sports’ action sports division, led by its CEO Kevin English, includes We Are Camp, an action sports brand that Harris and Blitzer acquired in partnership with three-time Olympic Gold medalist Shaun White. Earlier this year, Unrivaled Sports made a strategic investment in the ForeverLawn Sports Complex at the Hall of Fame Village in Canton, Ohio, representing the first investment as part of a broader strategy for developing youth football programming.
“With the support of Josh Harris, David Blitzer, TCG, and existing partners like Cal Ripken, Jr., Bill Ripken, and Shaun White, among others, I am thrilled to help lead Unrivaled Sports’ elevation of the youth sports experience,” said Campion. “We are on a mission to provide innovative, inspiring, and inclusive programs to young athletes on a broad scale across multiple sports, beginning with baseball, softball, flag football, and action sports. Unrivaled Sports’ growth will give more young athletes the learning, engagement in sport, and connection to community that they need and deserve to live their best possible lives. Through our experiences, family and friends will also make awesome memories together.”
The continued roll-out of Unrivaled Sports will be announced throughout 2024, including investments in other exciting youth sports properties.
“Our investment strategy is focused on partnering with leading companies that drive positive impact for dedicated and passionate communities, and we are excited to partner with Josh, David, and the entire Unrivaled Sports team,” said Peter Chernin, Co-founder and Partner at TCG.
“With Unrivaled Sports, we find an extraordinary creator of unparalleled youth sports experiences and lasting memories for athletes and their families,” said Greg Bettinelli, Partner at TCG. “This opportunity aligns perfectly with our philosophy of supporting businesses to redefine the consumer experience.”
Debt financing for the transaction was led by BDT & MSD Partners’ affiliated funds, with incremental committed capital earmarked for future Unrivaled Sports investments.
About Unrivaled Sports
Founded by Josh Harris and David Blitzer, with a significant strategic investment by The Chernin Group (TCG), Unrivaled Sports oversees a diverse portfolio of youth sports properties across Baseball, Softball, Football, and Action Sports. Unrivaled Sports’ portfolio includes Ripken Baseball®, Cooperstown All Star Village, Sports Force Parks, Baseball Factory, Softball Factory, We Are Camp, and the ForeverLawn Sports Complex at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Village. Unrivaled Sports has partnerships in Baseball with Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., and in Action Sports with 5-time Olympian Shaun White. All its properties are committed to providing young athletes with world-class experiences, development opportunities, and platforms to excel. Learn more at playunrivaled.com.
About TCG
Founded by Peter Chernin, Jesse Jacobs, and Mike Kerns, The Chernin Group (TCG) is a multi-stage investment firm dedicated to building enduring consumer businesses. TCG partners with exceptional management teams to grow market-leading businesses in categories of consumer passion such as sports, commerce, gaming, and health and wellness. The firm leverages decades of operating experience and deep connectivity to the media and technology ecosystem in service of its portfolio companies. Investments have included Action Network, Barstool Sports, Cars & Bids, Collectors, Crunchyroll, Epic Gardening, Meateater, Oura, Premier Lacrosse League and Scopely. Learn more at https://tcg.co/.
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Original Press Release.
