Arctos Partners
American sports and venue management company

Arctos Partners
IndustrySports management
Founded2019; 7 years ago (2019)
FounderIan Charles
David "Doc" O'Connor
ParentKKR & Co. (signed purchasing agreement)
Websitewww.arctospartners.com

Arctos Partners is an American sports Management Group/Private equity fund founded in 2019 by Ian Charles and David "Doc" O'Connor, and primarily invests minority stakes in sports franchises.[1]

In 2020, Theo Epstein, the former general manager for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs, joined the company and served as a strategic advisor for the company's ventures into baseball and partnership with Fenway Sports Group.[2][3] In January 2026, KKR & Co. acquired the company in a deal which valued Arctos at $1 Billion.[4][5]

Brands and properties

Arctos owns majority stakes in a number of professional sports teams, including the following:

Team League Year Acquired Ownership Percentage Investment Amount Notes
Akron RubberDucks[6] Minor League Baseball (Eastern League (Double-A)) 2025 Through Prospector Baseball Group (PBG)
Atalanta BC[7] Serie A 2022 $36M[8]
Boston Red Sox Major League Baseball (MLB) Through investment in Fenway Sports Group
Buffalo Bills[9] National Football League (NFL) 2024 10% $560M
Chicago Cubs[10][11] Major League Baseball (MLB)
Golden State Warriors[12] National Basketball Association (NBA) 2021 8% originally, but increased to about 13%[13] $715M
Houston Astros[10][14] Major League Baseball (MLB)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp[15][6] Minor League Baseball (International League (Triple-A)) Through Prospector Baseball Group (PBG)
Joe Gibbs Racing[16] NASCAR Purchased minority stake along with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment[17]
Lancaster Stormers[6] Minor League Baseball (Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (Independent league)) Through Prospector Baseball Group (PBG)[18]
Liverpool F.C. Premier League Through investment in Fenway Sports Group
Los Angeles Chargers[19] National Football League (NFL) 2025 8%[20]
Los Angeles Dodgers[10][11] Major League Baseball (MLB)
Minnesota Wild National Hockey League (NHL) Through investment in Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
New Jersey Devils National Hockey League (NHL) Through investment in Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
Paris Saint-Germain FC Ligue 1 2023 12.5% €530M
Philadelphia 76ers Through investment in Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
Pittsburgh Penguins National Hockey League (NHL) Through investment in Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
Sacramento Kings[21] National Basketball Association (NBA) 2021 17% $306M Purchased some shares from Shaquille O'Neal in 2022 after he had a conflict of interest[22][23]
San Diego Padres[10] Major League Baseball (MLB)
San Francisco Giants[10][11] Major League Baseball (MLB)
Tampa Bay Lightning[24] National Hockey League (NHL) 2023 Sold in 2024[24]
Utah Jazz[25] National Basketball Association (NBA) Through Smith Entertainment Group (SEG)[26]
Utah Mammoth National Hockey League (NHL) Through investment in Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
Washington Capitals[27] National Hockey League (NHL) 2025 Through Monumental Sports & Entertainment
Washington Mystics[27] Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) 2025 Through Monumental Sports & Entertainment
Washington Wizards[27] National Basketball Association (NBA) 2025 Through Monumental Sports & Entertainment

Arctos also has investments outside of sports franchises, including investments in SeatGeek; DraftKings; and 359 Capital.[28] In addition, Arctos has shares in the Professional Lacrosse League and college sports firm, Elevate.[5]

References

  1. ^ Copied! (September 9, 2024). "Arctos co-founder Charles and the state of play in sports investing". Crain Currency. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  2. ^ Coffey, Brendan (February 1, 2021). "Theo Epstein Joins Sports Investment Fund Arctos Partners". Sportico.com. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  3. ^ Coffey, Brendan (February 2, 2024). "Theo Epstein Returns to Fenway Sports as Part Owner, Advisor". Sportico.com. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  4. ^ Smith, Chris (January 13, 2026). "Report: KKR acquiring sports private equity firm Arctos in $1B deal". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  5. ^ a b Horney, Ben (December 10, 2025). "How a Single Deal Could Turn KKR Into a Sports Powerhouse". Front Office Sports. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  6. ^ a b c Horney, Ben (December 17, 2025). "Asset Class: PE Minor League Push". Front Office Sports. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  7. ^ Novy-Williams, Eben; Coffey, Brendan (May 9, 2022). "Arctos Sports Buys $36 Million Stake in Italian Soccer Club Atalanta". Sportico.com. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  8. ^ Coffey, Brendan; Novy-Williams, Eben (May 9, 2022). "Arctos Sports Buys $36 Million Stake in Italian Soccer Club Atalanta". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  9. ^ Jackson, Eric (December 11, 2024). "NFL's First Private Equity Deals Approved for Bills, Dolphins". Sportico.com. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  10. ^ a b c d e Coffey, Brendan (July 3, 2024). "MLB Private Equity Ownership Rules: Can PE Have Stakes in Teams?". Sportico.com. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  11. ^ a b c Novy-Williams, Eben (March 15, 2022). "Arctos Owns 6 MLB Team Stakes, Including Dodgers, Cubs, Giants". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  12. ^ Williams, Randall (January 12, 2026). "Golden State Warriors' Parent Valued at $11 Billion in Stake Sale". Yahoo FInance/Bloomberg.
  13. ^ Soshnick, Scott Soshnick; Novy-Williams, Eben (December 23, 2021). "Arctos More Than Doubles Warriors Ownership Stake to 13%". Sportico.com. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  14. ^ Poindexter, Owen (March 16, 2022). "Arctos Sports Partners Grows MLB Portfolio to Six Teams". Front Office Sports. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  15. ^ "Perplexity". Perplexity AI. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  16. ^ "Joe Gibbs Racing Receives Significant Investment from Harris Blitzer…". Racing America. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  17. ^ Coffey, Brendan (June 20, 2023). "Harris Blitzer, Arctos Buying Into Joe Gibbs Racing". Sportico.com. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  18. ^ "Prospector Baseball Group Announces Strategic Investment from Arctos". LancasterOnline. December 16, 2025. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  19. ^ Sim, Josh (May 21, 2025). "Arctos acquires second NFL team stake with LA Chargers". SportsPro. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  20. ^ Popper, Daniel (May 20, 2025). "NFL approves Arctos' purchase of a minority stake in Los Angeles Chargers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  21. ^ Soshnick, Scott; Novy-Williams, Eben (September 10, 2021). "Arctos Buying 17% of Sacramento Kings at $1.8 Billion Valuation". Sportico.com. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  22. ^ Germano, Sara; Massoudi, Arash (January 7, 2022). "Client Challenge". www.ft.com. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  23. ^ "Shaq sells stake in Kings, may be 'back someday'". ESPN.com. January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  24. ^ a b Mayer, Rick (October 24, 2024). "Vinik completes sale of Lightning's majority ownership to Wall Street billionaires". WUSF. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  25. ^ Soshnick, Scott; Coffey, Brendon (August 19, 2022). "Arctos Buys Stake in NBA's Jazz, Priming Utah for More Sports". Sportico.com. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  26. ^ Lingeswaran, Susan (August 22, 2022). "Arctos secures minority stake in Utah Jazz parent company SEG". Sportcal. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  27. ^ a b c "Arctos takes stake in Monumental Sports as QIA ups investment". Markets Group. December 19, 2025. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  28. ^ Dixon, Ed (January 7, 2026). "KKR agrees deal to buy Arctos Partners at 'US$1bn' valuation". SportsPro. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
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