Professional sports franchises have evolved from trophy assets into a recognized alternative investment category. Over the past six decades, North American professional sports franchises tracked by the Ross-Arctos Sports Franchise Index have generated approximately 13% annualized appreciation, outperforming broad public equities over the same period.
The investment case is driven by a combination of scarce franchise supply, growing media and sponsorship revenues, durable fan demand, and increasingly institutional ownership. Private equity and other institutional investors now hold stakes in dozens of professional sports franchises, while capital is also expanding into sports media, technology, services, venues and emerging leagues.
Sports therefore increasingly sits alongside private equity, real estate, infrastructure and other alternatives as a distinct investment category, with its own return drivers and risks.
Over long periods, third-party research shows sports franchises delivering strong returns with low correlation to traditional markets.
U.S. sports franchises, 20 years to June 30, 2026, vs. 11.4% for the S&P 500. Source: RASFI Q2 2026 Report, Michigan Ross and Arctos. Index data, not DCB Sports performance; past performance does not predict future results.
Global sports market in 2026, projected to reach $654B by 2030. Source: The Business Research Company, 2026.
Private equity invested in sports-related assets, 2019 to 2024 (CFA Institute). Sports M&A hit a record 410 deals in 2024, up 44%, with private equity deals nearly doubling to 190 (Oaklins).
A specialized principal investor founded in Los Angeles. DCB pairs 20+ years of investment expertise with an operator's mindset and a global network across sports, media, and entertainment. The firm partners with founders, leagues, and franchises to build enduring value.
Equity stakes in teams, leagues, and emerging sports platforms.
Valuation and negotiation of media deals, spanning more than 100 transactions.
Connecting rights holders and brands; RFPs, contracts, activation.
Naming rights, mixed-use district financing, and venue strategy.
Principal investments spanning golf, football, women's football, basketball, esports, racing, and the technology reshaping how fans engage.
Tech-driven indoor golf league (Tiger Woods / Rory McIlroy). Co-owners incl. Steph Curry & Marc Lasry, Chairman & CEO of Avenue Sports Fund.
→Italian top-flight club, investing alongside Drake and Nike CEO Elliott Hill.
→A transformative investment in women's football; board incl. HSH Princess Stéphanie of Monaco.
→A multi-club organization dedicated exclusively to women's football, anchored by AS Monaco Football Féminine.
→First home-market franchise (Los Angeles) in Ice Cube's 3-on-3 league.
→The David Beckham-backed esports team, taken private by DCB Sports.
→Franchise in the National Thoroughbred League, reinventing horse racing.
→Tech-forward sports & Entertainment venture, operator of the NFL professional flag football league (Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy).
→Creator-led golf brand and media company.
→Private effort to bring a Major League Baseball expansion franchise to Austin, Texas.
→An invitation-only community connecting current and former athletes with the business of sports, media, and entertainment. We share how the industry is built, financed, and run, and help athletes think about life and wealth beyond the playing career.
Private events, founder conversations, and a network built for athletes from football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, tennis, racing and beyond.
Membership is limited and granted by invitation.
Tell us about yourself. Every request is reviewed personally and in confidence.
Featured across leading business and sports media. A selection of recent coverage follows.
Gary LaDrido is an American entrepreneur, investor, board member, and sports-team owner with a track record of capital deployment spanning sports, renewable energy, technology, and entertainment. He founded DCB Sports to invest in the fastest-growing alternative asset class in the world.
Through DCB Sports, Gary has built a portfolio that spans golf, with The Bay Golf Club (TGL), Good Good Golf, and TMRW Sports; esports, with Guild Esports; and football, with Venezia FC and AS Monaco. That portfolio also includes BIG3 Basketball, the National Thoroughbred League and the Austin Baseball Commission, the private effort to bring a Major League Baseball expansion franchise to Austin, Texas.
Prior to his sports career, Gary spent two decades in impact investment banking, specializing in energy transition and climate technology. During that period he co-founded Renewable Advisors and Sustainable Capital Markets; previously he was a member of the Morgan Stanley Clean Energy Team.
Beyond sports, he is Founder of Redrock Ventures (a specialist investor in frontier technology) and sits on the Advisory Board of Fenix Space. He recently joined the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Sports Council ahead of the LA28 Olympics.
He is also Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of Rialto Elysium Digital Assets, which invests in entertainment, media, and lifestyle. Its focus spans music, film, fashion, and celebrity NIL (name, image, and likeness) rights, as well as high-value, IP-heavy, brand-driven sectors.
DCB Sports