US entrepeneur (and billionaire) Mike Repole has made an investment into the United Football League (UFL) American football property.
Repole, 56, was unveiled as a new UFL investor yesterday (July 31), with the eight-team UFL – which got underway early last year – also announcing that he will head up the league's business operations.
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Russ Brandon, president and chief executive at UFL, said: "The UFL is thrilled to welcome a visionary like Mike Repole to our ownership group. Mike’s entrepreneurial accomplishments are extraordinary, and his dynamic leadership will immediately elevate the league’s business and brand trajectory."
Repole added: "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.”
Repole is best known for founding the Glaceau and Bodyarmor sports drinks firms, which he then sold to the Coca-Cola corporation for over $12 billion combined.
Currently, he owns the Nobull sportswear and apparel firm, backed by former NFL superstar Tom Brady, as well as the Repole Stable horse racing property.
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By GlobalDataAt last estimate, Forbes calculated his net worth to be $1.6 billion.
He has now been added to a UFL ownership group that includes the RedBird Capital Partners firm, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, as well as broadcast heavyweights Fox and ESPN.
The league was formed out of a merger between the XFL and the US Football League (USFL), with the first games of the new combined entity played in March 2024.
Earlier this year, the UFL struck a global media rights deal with international sports platform DAZN for the 2025 season (of which DAZN is now airing every game in a wide range of markets).
Its list of commercial partners, meanwhile, features brands such as New Era, Under Armour, FedEx, Gatorade, and Pizza Hut.
This year's campaign kicked off on March 28 and features eight teams contesting a 10-game regular season, followed by post-season playoffs and a championship game on June 14.
The eight sides are made up of four former XFL and four former USFL teams, with the league playing across the National Football League’s off-season to avoid a clash.
Following his confirmation as a new investor, Repole said – in an interview with ESPN – that the league will move at least two of its teams, potentially up to four, in time for next year's season. One of the new markets will be Colombus, Ohio.
He has also stated his ambition for the UFL to be a 16-team property within the next decade, which would represent the league doubling in size from its current position.
ESPN has quoted Repole as saying: "We're going to be aggressive as far as being nimble and scrappy and gritty and making aggressive moves.
"If by 2035, we can't have 16 teams, I'm going to consider it a personal failure. Other leagues didn't have the capital, media giants, and entrepreneurs that this team has."
