The United Football League (UFL) announced today that renowned entrepreneur and billion-dollar brand builder Mike Repole will be joining the league’s ownership group. Repole will become part of a powerhouse coalition that includes RedBird Capital Partners, FOX, ESPN, Dany Garcia, and Dwayne Johnson. The announcement was jointly made by UFL President & CEO Russ Brandon and Mike Repole.
As an owner, Repole—through his private equity firm, Impact Capital—will lead the league’s business operations. With a proven track record of disruptive innovation and brand building, Repole brings bold vision, strategic leadership, and entrepreneurial intensity to help shape the UFL’s next phase of growth.
“The UFL is thrilled to welcome a visionary like Mike Repole to our ownership group,” said Brandon. “Mike’s entrepreneurial accomplishments are extraordinary, and his dynamic leadership will immediately elevate the league’s business and brand trajectory.”
Repole is a serial entrepreneur best known for co-founding vitaminwater, smartwater, and BODYARMOR, which collectively sold to The Coca-Cola Company for more than $12 billion. He is currently the majority owner of NOBULL, the high-performance footwear and apparel company backed by Tom Brady; the owner of JUNKLESS, a better-for-you snacking brand; and founder of Repole Stable, one of the top horse racing stables in the world, home to six champions and multiple Breeders’ Cup and Belmont Stakes winners.
“Football has clearly established itself as America’s most popular sport, with tremendous momentum and demand,” said Repole. “There’s no better time than now to build a strong, sustainable spring league that unites players, teams, and fans. I’m honored to join the United Football League’s ownership group as we work to create something truly lasting and game-changing.”
4 Comments
by Gary Winter
My hope is that the league can now straighten itself up business wise and start promoting like it so obviously needs to do. A promotions and builder guy is exactly the type person this business has been screaming for the last two years.
Fingers crossed…
by 4th&long
WOW – this is a major POSITIVE bomb shell that looks to have caught everyone off guard.
Let’s stop talking The Rock/DG. DG is cringe and w/o the Rock superfluous.
MAJOR CHANGES ARE HERE – we now know why they are making make major changes like moving 2/4 teams. Likely required to get REPOLE to Invest.
Repole stated and quoted in SBJ:
>>“The bottom line is it was a big investment,” said Repole, later adding: “I would say the biggest investors [in the UFL] by far are Fox, RedBird Capital and Mike Repole.” With him in the UFL now, Repole said, “you have the capital, you have the ideas. This is a marathon. This is not a sprint. If we’re making money after Year One, then we’re not successful because we want to reinvest into players, coaches, cities, venues, marketing, sponsorships, tickets, merchandise, mascots, whatever it takes.” <<
Like that it looks like 2 cities/teams are moving for sure but that two are still in question. We can assume the questionable ones are Michigan and Birm but not 100%. Its up to those cities/mayor/fans and local groups to make their pitch.
Biggest best news coming out of UFL since the merger. The merger was needed to get outside investors… that now has bared fruit. Now let's step-it-up!!
BIG WIN FOR UFL!!!!!
by SHIMMY
For the new owner, being able to utilize the other business owners in the best possible way to bring their expertise to the table, a structured organizer it seems what he was brought in to do. Good move ( UFL ) not being afraid to seek help, positive sign of longevity for all involved, that includes the cities and communties in which they play
by Johnny the Angry Fuzzball
The good news, he isn’t Tom Dundon.
The bad news, he’s not the kind of guy who does long-term investments. He typically starts up, then sells quickly. This might not be the huge needle-mover being portrayed.
The guy strikes me as… well… weird. He seems to be an excellent marketer (what the UFL needs) but how much financial loss can he sustain? His pockets aren’t as deep as Murdoch or Cardinale (nor the middle eastern oil money funds lurking in the shadows).