🔊 This Wall Street Firm Just Bought One Of The Biggest Names In Sports

One of the biggest global investment banks is getting into the talent agency business.

This week, Goldman Sachs announced a deal to acquire a majority stake in Excel Sports Management, a full-service sports and talent agency that represents clients such as Tiger Woods, Caitlin Clark, Derek Jeter, and Nikola Jokic.

The acquisition was led by Private Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, the bank’s in-house private equity arm.

Excel’s business extends far beyond athlete representation, spanning brand marketing, sponsorship advisory, speaker bureau management, and event production.

Founded in 2002 by Jeff Schwartz, who will remain CEO, Excel has grown into one of the most influential agencies in sports and entertainment.

According to Front Office Sports, the deal values the firm at nearly $1 billion.

As part of the transaction, Shamrock Capital will fully exit its Excel position, following its 2020 investment in the agency.

Why Does This Matter?

Most M&A deals in sports focus on Saas startups, betting platforms, or even consumer brands.

Rarely are talent agencies involved in this mix.

And that’s exactly why this is significant.

Goldman Sachs’ strategy isn’t just gaining access to some of the world’s greatest athletes.

It’s also buying brand, distribution, and influence.

Excel sits at the center of the sports value chain:

And Goldman Sachs’ Alternatives division, which manages more than $500 billion, has been adamant about expanding its sports investment portfolio.

This provides Goldman with a powerful, diversified foothold in this emerging global asset class.

On the other hand, it gives Excel access to more strategic partnerships, deeper resources, and further technological capability.

All in all, this investment signals more positive momentum for the multi-trillion-dollar sports investment economy.

Whether it’s technology, emerging leagues, or agencies, Wall Street is paying attention to the upside and opportunity in sports.

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This week’s guest on the Vetted Sports podcast is Andy Marston.

Andy Marston is Head of Corporate Venture at The Players Fund. He oversees the firm's corporate venture efforts, working with clubs, leagues, and entertainment brands to shape venture strategies, unlock access for startups, and build new models of innovation.

The Players Fund is pioneering a new frontier in venture capital as the UK's first athlete-led firm, founded by athletes, to empower the athlete community as investors.

In this episode, we discuss:
‣ The inception and thesis behind The Players Fund
‣ The Players Fund's recent partnership with Como 1907
‣ Thoughts on the growth of European athletes in venture

Check out the full episode here: Apple | Spotify | YouTube