Latest news with #DanFriedkin
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Friedkin Group Launches Pursuit Sports
Pursuit Sports amplifies The Friedkin Group's ambitions in professional sports Dave Beeston, experienced sports industry executive, named CEO of Pursuit Sports HOUSTON, July 16, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Friedkin Group, a privately held and diverse family of brands and investments in the automotive, luxury hospitality, and entertainment industries, today announced the introduction of Pursuit Sports, a company dedicated to overseeing and supporting The Friedkin Group's professional sports properties. Seasoned sports industry operator Dave Beeston now leads Pursuit Sports as Chief Executive Officer, having officially begun his tenure on February 3, 2025. Each of The Friedkin Group's owned sports properties, including A.S. Roma (Italian Serie A), A.S. Cannes (French Championnat National 2), and Everton F.C. (English Premier League) will become part of Pursuit Sports portfolio of properties. Beeston, who will also serve on the Board of Pursuit Sports and report to Dan Friedkin, Chairman of Pursuit Sports and Chairman and CEO of The Friedkin Group, will be responsible for facilitating operational excellence across the existing teams and evaluating opportunities to expand through the acquisition of other sports properties. "The launch of Pursuit Sports marks an exciting new chapter in The Friedkin Group's vision to elevate and empower world-class sports organizations. Through this platform, we can do more than support our teams at a high level—we are investing in their long-term success by bringing together the full strength of our global expertise, resources, and pursuit of excellence," said Dan Friedkin. "Dave Beeston is a proven, trusted leader who is steeped in wisdom and experience around how to build high-performance sports enterprises. Under his dynamic leadership, each of our clubs will be empowered to compete at the highest level while preserving the identity and passion that makes each of them unique." Prior to joining Pursuit Sports, Beeston was a managing director at Clearlake Capital Group. Before this, he served in several roles during 11 years with Fenway Sports Group, including Co-Head of Fenway Sports Management; EVP & Chief Strategy Officer of the Boston Red Sox; and Alternate Governor of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Across these positions, Beeston was responsible for setting and executing on the overall growth strategy of Fenway Sports Group, including the acquisition of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Strategic Sports Group's $1.5 billion investment into PGA Tour Enterprises. "I am delighted to join Pursuit Sports and am grateful to Dan and the entire Friedkin family for entrusting me with this incredible opportunity. Their vision, determination, and passion for building exceptional operations across their brands is inspiring." added Dave Beeston. "Our first responsibility at Pursuit Sports is to build an organization and culture that meets The Friedkin Group's standards. With a focus on people and data driven decision making, we will use our scale, insights, and expertise to unlock and empower the leadership at each of our clubs, which will allow them to realize their full potential and pursue championship success. We will utilize that same rigorous decision-making process to evaluate additional opportunities to expand our family of teams moving forward." About The Friedkin Group The Friedkin Group is a privately held family of global brands spanning automotive, entertainment, hospitality, investments, and sports. Founded in 1969, headquartered in Houston, Texas, and led by Chief Executive Dan Friedkin, The Friedkin Group is united by a mission to build breakthrough brands that redefine the status quo. The Friedkin Group portfolio includes Gulf States Toyota, 30West, Accelerated Solutions Group, AS Roma, Ascent Automotive Group, Auberge Resorts Collection, Congaree, Copilot Capital, Diamond Creek, Everton Football Club, GSFSGroup, Imperative Entertainment, Legendary Expeditions, NEON, Northside Lexus, The Friedkin Group International, USAL, and Westside Lexus. For more information, please visit View source version on Contacts Business InformationWebsite: Email: info@ Media media@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Friedkin Forms Pursuit Sports to House Soccer Clubs, Hunt Big 4 Team
Billionaire Everton FC and AS Roma owner Dan Friedkin has formed a new sports-team group, Pursuit Sports, to manage his soccer teams while actively hunting for a franchise in one of the big four North American leagues. Friedkin, who also owns AS Cannes of France, will announce the formation of Pursuit Sports later Wednesday, naming former Clearlake and Fenway Sports Group executive Dave Beeston as Pursuit's CEO. Advertisement More from 'The intention has been to form a parent company that would do two things: provide operational excellence—amplify our operations for the clubs we own now—and evaluate opportunities to grow,' Beeston said on a video call. 'When I wake up I am thinking about how I am helping Roma, Everton, Cannes get to where they want to get to … and at the same time thinking about growing the company through acquisition.' Growth seems to be top of mind for Friedkin. The billionaire was one of four finalists to buy the Boston Celtics this year and has held discussions with the NHL about bringing an expansion team to Houston. 'Truthfully, there's a focus on the next thing we do—in North America and not soccer would be my guess,' Beeston said. 'We are actively evaluating a few opportunities right now across the sports that you would think. Our focus in the short term and medium term is teams. Sports is the last must-see viewing opportunity. We want to be where the eyeballs are.' The creation of Pursuit Sports formalizes the big-game hunting instincts of Friedkin. The 60-year-old businessman made his now $8.2 billion fortune on the strength of his family's Toyota dealership network, which he took over in 1995. Over time, Friedkin expanded into luxury resorts and golf courses, and got exposure to team sports though naming right deals that slapped the Toyota brand on the Houston Rockets arena and FC Dallas and San Antonio FC stadiums. Advertisement The leap into team ownership came in 2020, when Friedkin, with children Ryan, Danny and Corbin, bought AS Roma for €591 million, or $701 million at the time. In 2023 they bought AS Cannes, once one of France's top clubs but long stuck in the country's fourth tier, for an undisclosed amount. Last year the family swooped in to buy Premier League club Everton for a reported price greater than $500 million after that club's failure to close a buyout by Miami's 777 Partners. Friedkin hired Beeston in February to head what has now become Pursuit Sports. Beeston is best known for a 12-year run at Fenway Sports Group, where he rose to chief strategy officer, overseeing FSG's mergers & acquisitions efforts, including the purchase of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He left FSG to join Chelsea FC owner and private equity giant Clearlake Capital in August last year, but Boston-based Beeston missed operations work—and the commute to LA didn't help. A December meeting that ran to more than five hours of conversation with the Friedkin family led to the switch. Beeston is quick to note that the formation of Pursuit Sports isn't to create a multi-club hierarchy where lower clubs feed players up to higher clubs. Club management and player decisions will remain separate from each other and led by the local executive slates. 'We're focusing on ways we can scale where appropriate,' Beeson said. What might that look like? Beeston suggests the success of FSG could be a road map. 'One of the companies I oversaw by the end of my tenure was Fenway Sports Management, which was selling sponsorships for the Red Sox, NESN, Liverpool, Penguins, PGA Tour, Boston Common Golf. The more you can scale that, it doesn't sacrifice anything, because it drives incremental revenue.' Advertisement One example: Submarine advocacy group expanded a high-profile Red Sox sponsorship across more FSG properties, looping in RFK Racing to brand a car for NASCAR's New Hampshire race last year, for instance. Another operational benefit can come from sharing technical and strategic resources among clubs. Friedkin recently bought Insight Sport, a London soccer sports tech business that is the first non-team asset housed in Pursuit Sports. While Insight's purchase price isn't publicly disclosed, the business is very profitable, pulling in revenue of £332,500 ($445,000) last year, about half of which was net profit, according to a financial disclosure filed in the U.K. Beeston declined to discuss potential purchases in NHL, NBA, NFL or MLB, other than to note the family probably prefers control stakes compared to limited partner interests. 'It would be silly to rule anything out, but our focus is more on areas we can control, because we intend to be the best operators,' he said, adding, 'We got to prove it still.' Of course, it's not always simple: AS Roma fans protested the American ownership this past season after the club won just three of its first 14 matches, falling to 15th in the Serie A table before recovering to close the season in fifth place. Similarly, Everton seemed destined for relegation after a poor start to the Premier League before finishing 13th, two slots better than the season before Friedkin bought the club. Advertisement 'I don't know if I've ever seen fan bases pop champagne bottles for ownership groups, but if they begrudgingly say, 'These guys have been good for our club, they've backed up what they said they were going to do,' then that's a massive win for us,' Beeston said. 'These sports teams have souls you really need to nurture.' Best of Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. 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Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Boniek: 'I would like to return to Roma.'
Former Roma player and UEFA executive Zbigniew Boniek discussed the Friedkin's decision to appoint Gian Piero Gasperini and Frederic Massara. Moreover, in an interview with Retesport, Boniek expressed desire to return to Roma. Advertisement 'Dan Friedkin enjoys excellent consideration by everyone, he is a good person and seen in a positive way.' 'Roma is in the right hands, the trio of Gasperini, Ranieri and Massara ensure more love for this team. Ranieri is a friend and a Romanista who can only be loved, in addition he has changed the attitude of fans and players.' 'Massara is a capable and silent manager, and if he has the opportunity to work he will do well. I'm curious about Gasperini: I appreciate him because he's a leader who wants a lot of training.' 'I would like to return to Roma, help her do something. However, this depends on ownership. I'm watching with curiosity what's happening: now the stakes of Financial Fair Play must be respected, but I'm convinced that at the beginning of the season the team will be strong.'
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
🚨 Official: Roma unveil new crest, historic symbol returns 🟡🔴
Roma returns to the old crest: these words emerge from the end-of-season statement released today by the club's ownership, Dan and Ryan Friedkin. The controversy over Roma's crest has been ongoing: since May 2013, when the Pallotta ownership decided to modify the logo by removing the ASR trigram and replacing it with the word ROMA 1927, fans have repeatedly asked for a return to the old crest. The Friedkins have moved to "put order" in the club's history, recovering old crests and using the colors of the teams that merged in 1927 to create AS Roma, namely Fortitudo, Alba, and Roman. Advertisement This is why next year's third Roma jersey will be white and green, like Alba's, with the ASR trigram on the chest. Now the Friedkins have also announced the return of the old crest, with the shield featuring the she-wolf and the ASR trigram: "We are proud to announce the progressive reappropriation of the historic ASR crest, a symbol that embodies the soul of this Club. This decision, made with deep respect for our tradition and in response to the deepest desires of our fans, is a tribute to Roma's identity. It reflects our belief that a club's symbols matter, and that honoring our roots is essential to building our future." This decision is part of a rebranding effort that will culminate in the celebration of the team's centenary in 1927. Advertisement This is why the Friedkins have decided to establish order regarding the club's founding date: historically, both June 7, 1927, the date when the merger agreement was signed in the office of Fortitudo president Italo Foschi, and July 22, 1927, when the first meeting of the new club was held and the managerial roles were assigned, are celebrated. The Friedkins explained the decision to celebrate the latter as the club's founding date: "We are also excited to celebrate the new season with you all on July 22, a date deeply rooted in the hearts of generations of Roma fans. As we approach the Centenary, we want to reaffirm our commitment to honoring the history, traditions, and identity of Roma. The respect we owe to our founding fathers is equal to the respect we owe to the sentiment of our fans. Therefore, fully aware of the historical value and significance of June 7, 1927, as the founding of AS Roma, we have decided that July 22 will be our special day of celebration: an annual milestone and an anniversary for fans and the Club, united under the sign of pride and affection for the extraordinary historical heritage of AS Roma." The message then touches on the current state of the club, thanking Claudio Ranieri and confirming his role as senior advisor, presenting the new coach Gian Piero Gasperini, described as "A coach with great experience, personality, and vision", highlighting his "football philosophy, deep work culture, and ability to enhance talent". Advertisement Finally, the project for the new stadium in Pietralata is also mentioned: "A new majestic Colosseum, which we promise to build". This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here. 📸 FILIPPO MONTEFORTE - 2007 AFP
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Atalanta coach Gasperini appointed at Roma
Roma have appointed ex-Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini as their new head coach. He's penned a three-year deal with the club, which is owned by Texas-based businessman Dan Friedkin. Gasperini called time on his nine-year spell at Atalanta last Saturday and will now step in for Claudio Ranieri, who's hung up his boots after guiding Roma to fifth place last season. Advertisement While at Atalanta, Gasperini had a solid run, winning the Europa League in 2024, bagging six top-four Serie A finishes, and even making it to a Champions League quarter-final. Taking over from him at Atalanta is former Southampton boss Ivan Juric, who was confirmed on Friday.
