Arctos Sports Partners has announced the creation of the Arctos Sports Advisors, Fellows and Executive Council (SAFE). The company expects the group’s experience in the sports, media and entertainment landscape will enhance Arctos’s connectivity across the industry. The council will also collaborate on Arctos Insights proprietary knowledge development and assist in identifying and understanding industry trends.
The nine members—six men and three women—have held leadership positions at a wide variety of organizations, such as the National Basketball Association, Twitter, Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, Stubhub and Nielsen Sports. Notable members include Hockey Hall of Famer Angela Ruggiero, Twitter exec TJ Adeshola and esports leader Ari Segal.
Ruggiero, a four-time Olympian and gold medalist, is the CEO and Co-founder of Sports Innovation Lab, a technology powered research firm focused on emerging trends, products and services driving the future of sports. TJ Adeshola, whose background was in digital sales and marketing at ESPN, oversees Twitter’s partnerships with all U.S. sports teams and leagues. Ari Segal is the CEO of Immortals Gaming Club, one of the world’s leaders in esports with teams competing in games like League of Legends and Overwatch.
“We are thrilled to have such a wealth of experience in senior-level capacities at leading sporting ecosystem organizations as an extension of our team,” said Arctos managing partner Doc O’Connor.
Arctos Sports Partners is an investment firm focused on acquiring passive minority stakes in professional sports franchises. They are led by managing partners Ian Charles, a veteran private equity secondary markets investor, and O’Connor, former president of the Madison Square Garden Company. The firm’s goal is to raise $1.5 billion in debt funds. As of May, Arctos had raised $430.8 million.