SAN FRANCISCO & FORT WORTH, Texas – TPG, a leading global alternative asset management firm, announced the launch of TPG Sports, a dedicated investing business focused on partnering with companies, teams, and leagues shaping the future of sports. The strategy is being launched in partnership with career Grand Slam golfer Rory McIlroy, his business partner Sean O’Flaherty, and their firm Symphony Ventures. Both McIlroy and O’Flaherty will serve as Operating Partners, helping to source investments and drive value across the portfolio.
Strategy Anchored by Abu Dhabi-Based Lunate
TPG Sports has secured a significant anchor commitment from an investment vehicle managed by Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based alternative investment manager with over $110 billion in assets under management.
“The continued global rise in sports viewership and fandom is creating new opportunities that demand creative, growth capital,” said Todd Sisitsky, President of TPG.
He added that TPG Sports combines “deep operating and business-building capabilities” with a long-term partnership approach to support businesses redefining sports.
Private Equity Approach to Sports Investing
TPG Sports will bring a private equity mindset to the sports ecosystem, offering strategic capital and business-building support to help sports IP and operations scale. Backed by TPG’s industry reach, the new platform aims to tap into the growing momentum across media, technology, and fan engagement within sports.
“Partnering with TPG enables us to capitalize on these trends by leveraging TPG’s expertise,” said Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Managing Partner at Lunate. “The sports industry is on the cusp of a revolution.”
McIlroy: “The Sports Landscape is Evolving in Real Time”
McIlroy emphasized the transformative shifts happening in how fans play, watch, and interact with sports.
“With TPG Sports, we have the capabilities, capital, and insights to invest behind and grow the businesses that are enabling this transformation,” said McIlroy.
He and O’Flaherty have co-founded major initiatives like Golf Pass with NBC Sports and the TMRW Golf League (TGL), and have been active investors for nearly a decade through Symphony Ventures.
Track Record of Entertainment & Media Investments
TPG is a seasoned private equity investor in media and entertainment, with past investments in:
- Creative Artists Agency
- Entertainment Partners
- DIRECTV
- Dream11
- Fandom
- Musixmatch
- Spotify
- Troon Golf
About TPG
Founded in 1992 in San Francisco, TPG is a global alternative asset management firm with $246 billion in assets under management. The firm invests across private equity, impact, credit, real estate, and market solutions with a strategy driven by collaboration, innovation, and inclusion.
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