Mike Repole buys stake in United Football League
Entrepreneur and horse owner Mike Repole will join the United Football league’s ownership group. Repole will become part of a 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,” Brandon said. “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 Coca-Cola Co. for more than $12 billion. He is the majority owner of NoBull, the high-performance footwear and apparel company backed by Tom Brady; the owner of Junkless, a 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 winners.
“Football has clearly established itself as America’s most popular sport, with tremendous momentum and demand,” Repole said. “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.”