Private Equity Investments in Sports

On December 9, 2025, after receiving clearance from the NCAA, the University of Utah announced it was partnering with New York-based private equity fund Otro Capital to help raise what is estimated to be around $500 million. Out of this agreement comes the creation of Utah Brands & Entertainment LLC, which will be co-owned by the university and equity fund and act as an independent offshoot of the university athletic department. This groundbreaking deal is the first of its kind in collegiate athletics, with many universities now expected to follow suit and form similar private equity partnerships.

Jeremy Levine, teaching assistant at Stony Brook University, will provide an engaging session about this new trend in collegiate athletics and address questions like what private equity funds are and how they operate, why collegiate athletics are being looked at as a valuable investment opportunity, and what will this mean moving forward for the ever evolving and changing landscape of college sports when it comes to athletes, coaches, athletic departments, and universities as a whole.