George Pyne

Sports Marketing

George Pyne, an American business executive, is the founder of Bruin Sports Capital, a new investment firm that will utilize funds to acquire and build businesses in the sports, entertainment, media and lifestyle segments globally.

Pyne has raised $250 million in equity capital as a result of his 25-year track record and reputation as a leader and value creator. Throughout his career, he has created billions of dollars in shareholder value for NASCAR and IMG combined,and has recruited and led talented executives to transform both companies.

Pyne has been recognized as one of the most influential people in professional sports by Bloomberg BusinessWeek, The Sporting News and the Sports Business Journal. He is a member of the Sports Business Journal’s Hall of Fame and the National Football Foundation’s Leadership Hall of Fame. He has been hailed by Advertising Age as one of its “Top 100 Marketers.” Pyne has also received the NCAA’s Silver Anniversary Award for lifetime achievement and will be recognized in January 2015 by the Ivy League Football Association for lifetime achievement.

As the former President of IMG Sports and Entertainment, Pyne was the driving force behind the prolific growth of many divisions during his nine-year tenure. Pyne’s divisions, including IMG College, whose revenues grew from zero to $500 million dollars and whose earnings grew at an annual compounded growth rate of 38 percent, drove meaningful shareholder value from Forstmann Littles’ acquisition of IMG for $750 million in 2004 to its $2.4 billion sale to William Morris Endeavor in 2013.

Prior to IMG, Pyne was Chief Operating Officer of NASCAR and the second non-family member in 50 years to join its Board of Directors. During his 11-year tenure, NASCAR emerged as a dominant force in North American sports. At the forefront of the company’s explosive growth, Pyne’s accomplishments included a $4.5 billion television rights deal in 2005, the $750 million sponsorship of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series in 2004, investments by 100 of the Fortune 500 companies and the creation of a $2 billion licensing business.

Before NASCAR, Pyne worked at the Portman Companies as the project director of a team that oversaw the $2 billion debt restructuring of Portman’s various lines of business. During this time, he also signed a license agreement with the National Football League Players Association to create the world’s largest Super Bowl party in Atlanta. Based on the success of the event, Portman created a division called AMC Events, which creates and manages marketing events for major sports properties, and was appointed its Executive Director.

Pyne grew up in Milford, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Brown University, where he played football and majored in Political Science. While at Brown, he earned All-Ivy and All-New England honors and served as the team’s captain. He has served on the boards of IMG, NASCAR and 24 Hour Fitness. He is currently on the Board of the National Football Foundation.