Overview
- Reuters, CityAM and Sportico reported Tuesday that the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee is in advanced stages of creating United States Olympic and Paralympic Ventures, and it has hired Raine Group to advise on raising capital and structuring a possible stake sale.
- USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland told Sportico the venture would bundle sponsorships, licensing, content distribution and direct-to-consumer offerings as part of a broader commercial strategy to better monetize Team USA.
- The USOPC says it has been consulting athlete leaders and national governing bodies during the process and that no transaction has been finalized as it evaluates multiple commercial models.
- Selling a stake would mark an unusual shift for the non-profit USOPC, which mostly funds itself through sponsorships and licensing, and the idea echoes recent high-profile investor pitches in global soccer that provoked strong pushback.
- Next steps to watch include formal board approvals, the specific deal structure and investor types sought such as private equity or institutional funds, all of which will determine how much new revenue flows to athletes and federations.