Please select your home edition
Edition
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic Range

Minority share sale puts SailGP value at US$200million

by Sail-World.com/nz 6 Feb 2020 13:02 PST 7 February 2020
SailGP Season 1 concludes in Marseille, France © Sam Kurtul / www.worldofthelens.co.uk

After running for three years (12 months in build and now in its second year of competition), SailGP has announced the sale of a minority shareholding to US based Endeavor Group Holdings. SailGP's second year of sailing starts in Sydney at the end of February.

Sport Business reports that SailGP, the team sailing competition founded and financially backed by Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison, has announced it has sold a minority stake to the Endeavor sports and entertainment group in a deal that values the series at $200m (€182m).

SailGP chief executive Sir Russell Coutts said today (Thursday) that that the investment “represents a pivotal moment in our young and developing history”.

Coutts added that the deal “strengthens our position going into our second season and signals the projected long-term value of SailGP”.

A statement from the sailing series and Endeavor on the future rights distribution read: “As part of the investment, SailGP will benefit from access to the Endeavor network’s expertise across content production, media rights distribution, creative services, licensing, sponsorships and consumer marketing.”

Talisman Sport and Media, the boutique media-rights agency, has worked with SailGP on the distribution of its international broadcast rights and remains in place in that role.

The investment by Endeavor will, however, increase the likelihood that Endeavor’s IMG agency could take on the distribution of SailGP’s media and sponsorship rights in the future. SailGP told SportBusiness that Talisman would be “supported by Endeavor/IMG moving forward”.

For the full story in Sport Business www.sportbusiness.com/news/sailgp-valued-at-200m-as-endeavor-invests-in-minority-stake

An IPO filing last year revealed that Endeavor, then just a decade old, would have valued the company at US$7.6billion with US$3.61billion of 2018 revenue with net income of US$100million. Initially a fast growing Hollywood talent agency established in 1995, the Beverly Hills based agency announced in 2009 that it was combining with another talent agency William Morris Agency which had been in operation for 109 years to form William Morris Endeavor.

Known for its aggressive expansion WME acquired the leading sports management company IMG in 2013 for US$2.4billion.

After that acquisition WME-IMG reorganised and became known as Endeavor but continued to operate under its marque brands.

In 2016 the group became a part owner of the Ultimate Fight Championship for US$4billion, the largest-ever acquisition in the sports industry.

Although the IPO was withdrawn after six months, Endeavor has continued with aggressive partnerships and acquisitions, of which its minority shareholding in SailGP would appear to be the latest.

The announcement by SailGP can be read by clicking here

For a timeline tracing Endeavor's origin and significant growth milestones see the Endeavorco.com/story

Related Articles

Riviera racing: SailGP set for Saint-Tropez return
As league confirms 2026 expansion team plans The Rolex SailGP Championship returns tomorrow - and France's famous "Mistral [wind] has turned up just in time," according to league CEO Sir Russell Coutts. Twelve national teams will hit the startline for the sold-out event. Posted on 11 Sep
SailGP: Coutts updates on new teams
It has been a tumultuous year so far for SailGP. Russell Coutts outlines the plans for Season 6. Russell Coutts: Announcement on Team 13 for the SailGP League is pending. The second team will not start in Season 6, but will start in Season 7. A training facility will be set up for use of existing teams. Posted on 11 Sep
SailGP launches new rudders
And unveils further innovations ahead of Saint-Tropez event SailGP has today announced significant steps forward in technological innovation and fleet capability, with the launch of new rudders and plans for automated foil-protection software specifically for high speed, highly-loaded maneuvers. Posted on 10 Sep
SailGP Racing on the Edge Season 5 Episode 9
Germany find their spark in latest episode of Racing on the Edge After a disastrous start to their 2025 Season - seemingly-defined by an unprecedented 12-point penalty in Sydney - the Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank have been fighting to prove themselves. Posted on 8 Sep
SailGP: Brazil and USA head for France
The damage incurred in SailGP Germany has been fully repaired for next weekend's event A big effort by the team at SailGP Technologies' facility in Southampton has seen the damage incurred in SailGP Germany fully repaired for next weekend's event in Saint-Tropez, France. Posted on 7 Sep
SailGP: Auckland event set to top 30,000 fans
Auckland likely to set new record of 30,000 fans but stalemate set to hit all Major Events. An extension to the grandstand at SailGP Auckland will help set new records. But a policy stalement between Auckland Council and the NZ Govt hangs over the 2027 hosting negotiations, and future international sporting events that could be hosted in NZ. Posted on 28 Aug
SailGP: The sky is the limit for Auckland
Auckland to set world record venue spectator audience at Rolex SailGP with 30% stand expansion SailGP Auckland will take place on Valentine's Weekend 2026 with a 30 percent increase in grandstand size to accommodate more than 10,000 fans daily in the purpose-built Race Stadium at Wynyard Point, alongside hospitality and other ticketed products. Posted on 24 Aug
The carnage continues at SailGP
SailGP had two tough days with four teams suffering major damage - what is to blame? Four teams suffered significant damage - serious enough for two to miss some or all of the racing. Is the League getting on top of its boat reliability issues - what is being done behind the scenes? Is SailGP's record worse than F1? Posted on 19 Aug
SailGP: France win the Final on Day 2
France (Quentin Delapierre) won the three boat Final in SailGP Germay Sailing in much lighter breezes of 25km/h (13.5kts) France (Quentin Delapierre) won the three boat Final in SailGP Germay sailed in Sassnitz, on the Baltic Sea. Posted on 18 Aug
Fairytale win for France in SailGP Germany debut
Bouncing back from damage and injury in practice, Les Bleus win in Sassnitz In a stunning weekend comeback, the France SailGP Team claimed their first event win of the 2025 Season - bouncing back from near-disaster in practice to beat the BONDS Flying Roos and Emirates GBR in an action-packed winner-takes-all Final. Posted on 17 Aug
Vaikobi Custom TeamwearArmstrong 728x90 - Wing FG Board Range - BOTTOMRooster 2025