While artificial intelligence startups continue to dominate investment headlines, family offices are increasingly placing their bets on the sports industry, backing everything from professional leagues to cutting-edge sports technology.
In May, several family offices linked to ultra-wealthy investors expanded their presence in the sector through a series of high-profile deals. Among the largest was a $225 million investment in Pickleball Inc., the parent company of Major League Pickleball and the PPA Tour. The funding came through a partnership between billionaire Tom Dundon’s family office and Apollo’s recently launched sports-focused fund. Dundon already owns stakes in major sports franchises, including the Portland Trail Blazers and the Carolina Hurricanes.
Elsewhere, technology billionaire Michael Dell joined an investor group led by Silver Lake’s Egon Durban to acquire a 25% stake in the Las Vegas Raiders. Dell’s sports portfolio already includes investments in the San Antonio Spurs and the Austin Gamblers professional bull-riding team.
According to data from wealth intelligence platform Fintrx, family offices completed 51 direct investments in May, matching April’s total. The figures highlight continued appetite for private market opportunities despite broader economic uncertainty.
Sports assets have become increasingly attractive to wealthy investors. Research from Goldman Sachs found that one in four family offices already holds investments in sports-related businesses, teams, venues, or ticketing operations, while another 25% are considering entering the sector. Many investors view sports as a potential hedge against inflation, in addition to benefiting from the growing popularity of live entertainment.
Among the active investors is David Adelman, whose family office has built a diverse sports portfolio that includes ownership stakes in the Philadelphia 76ers, Crystal Palace Football Club, the New Jersey Devils, and sports merchandise giant Fanatics.
In May, Adelman’s investment firm, Darco Capital, helped lead a $12 million Series A funding round for UK-based PlayerData alongside Bolt Ventures, the family office of David Blitzer, and Pentland Ventures. The company develops GPS-enabled training vests and smart soccer balls that provide athletes with detailed performance data.
Adelman noted that several teams within his portfolio already use PlayerData’s technology. Crystal Palace, for example, incorporates the smart equipment into training programmes for academy players. He said the company’s ability to make sophisticated performance-tracking tools accessible to athletes at every level, including youth sports, was a key factor behind the investment.
As family offices continue to diversify beyond traditional asset classes, sports teams, leagues, and technology providers are emerging as increasingly attractive opportunities for long-term capital deployment.
