Haslam Sports Group

What Haslam Sports Group does

Haslam Sports Group (HSG) is a private, family-owned sports ownership and investment holding company founded in 2020 by Dee and Jimmy Haslam and Whitney and JW Johnson. It owns and operates four professional sports franchises — the Cleveland Browns (NFL, acquired 2012), Columbus Crew (MLS, acquired 2019), a controlling interest in the Milwaukee Bucks (NBA, acquired 2023), and the newly awarded Columbus NWSL franchise (debut 2028) — and operates seven major facilities including Huntington Bank Field, ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, Historic Crew Stadium, Fiserv Forum, CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, OhioHealth Performance Center, and the Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin Sports Science Center. Revenue is generated through ticket sales and game-day income across the venues, multi-property corporate partnerships and naming-rights agreements (Huntington Bank Field, ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, Fiserv Forum, CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, OhioHealth Performance Center), league-issued broadcast and media rights, licensed merchandise including a portfolio investment in vintage apparel brand Homage, food and beverage operations run through Legends Global, and adjacent real estate including the Astor Park mixed-use development in Columbus and District 46 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea. HSG also runs HSG Ventures as its investment arm with holdings across sports technology (StatusPRO, Wicket), lifestyle brands, gaming (Misfits Gaming), and media (TMRW Sports, DudePerfect), and operates community programs through the Browns Foundation and Bucks Foundation, including the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network serving over 200 school districts and roughly 550,000 students in Ohio.

Beyond team operations, the company's go-to-market combines sales-led B2B partnership and sponsorship engagement, community-led fan development foundations, and event-driven programming that includes regular-season and championship matchday revenue supported by district-scale real estate development surrounding venues. The portfolio is currently undergoing significant capital deployment — a $2.6 billion enclosed Huntington Bank Field stadium groundbreaking in Brook Park (April 2026, 2029 opening), the $100 million Cleveland lakefront agreement with Mayor Justin Bibb (October 2025), and the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus expansion in Berea (June 2025). The segment mix is horizontally diversified across men's professional football, men's and women's professional basketball, men's professional soccer, incoming women's professional soccer, training and sports science facilities, and mixed-use real estate with corresponding naming-rights and corporate-partnership pipelines underwriting each asset.

Name

Haslam Sports Group

Website

https://haslamsports.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Haslam Sports Group is a private, family-owned holding company that owns and operates the Cleveland Browns, Columbus Crew, Milwaukee Bucks, and the incoming Columbus NWSL franchise across seven major venues. It generates revenue through tickets, broadcasting, corporate partnerships, naming rights, hospitality, and mixed-use real estate development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports Franchise Ownership

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (7112), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Franchise Ownership Groups & Multi-Club Organizations (Multi-team owners, holding companies) (MPAKABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Professional sports ownership
• Sports franchise management
• Stadium development
• Sports entertainment venues
• Mixed-use real estate

Headquarters

HQ city

Berea

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales and Game Day Revenue: Revenue from ticket sales for Cleveland Browns (NFL), Columbus Crew (MLS), Milwaukee Bucks (NBA), and Columbus NWSL (2028). Includes premium suites, club seats, and general admission tickets. Browns stadium capacity 67,431; Bucks arena capacity 17,385; Crew stadium capacity 20,585.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Naming rights (Huntington Bank Field, CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, Fiserv Forum), corporate partnerships with major brands including Nationwide, Legends Global hospitality partnerships.
3. Media and Broadcast Rights: NFL, NBA, MLS broadcast and media rights revenue shared with team owners.
4. Merchandise and Licensing: Licensed merchandise sales through retail and e-commerce including Homage vintage sports apparel brand investment.
5. Food, Beverage, and Hospitality: Revenue from concessions, premium dining, and catering operations managed by Legends Global at Huntington Bank Field stadium.
6. Real Estate and Mixed-Use Development: Revenue from adjacent mixed-use developments including Astor Park in Columbus and District 46 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea, including hotels, retail, residential, and office space.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Haslam Sports Group is a family-owned sports ownership holding company that owns and operates professional sports franchises across the NFL (Cleveland Browns), MLS (Columbus Crew), NBA (Milwaukee Bucks), and NWSL (Columbus, launching 2028), together with the stadiums, training facilities, and mixed-use real estate developments that surround them. It is currently funding a $2.6 billion enclosed Huntington Bank Field stadium in Brook Park, Ohio (opening 2029) and develops team-affiliated community programs, fellowships, and a venture investment portfolio.

Product overview

Haslam Sports Group operates a diversified portfolio of professional sports teams and entertainment venues rather than a unified software product. Core offerings include ownership of the Cleveland Browns (NFL), operating rights to Columbus Crew (MLS), controlling interest in Milwaukee Bucks (NBA), and the newly awarded Columbus NWSL franchise (2028). The organization manages seven major facilities: Huntington Bank Field (Cleveland Browns), ScottsMiracle-Gro Field (Columbus Crew), Historic Crew Stadium, CrossCountry Mortgage Campus (Browns training), OhioHealth Performance Center (Crew training), Fiserv Forum (Bucks arena), and Froedtert & Medical College Sports Science Center (Bucks training). Supporting functions include HSG Ventures (investment arm), Diversity and Opportunity Fellowship (talent development), and Business Fellowship programs. The company also develops mixed-use properties including Astor Park in Columbus and District 46 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cleveland Browns NFL professional football franchise owned by Haslam Sports Group since 2012, playing home games at Huntington Bank Field (capacity 67,431), with championship heritage from AAFC titles (1946-1949) and NFL titles (1950, 1954, 1955, 1964). Fans and corporate partners consume games, premium hospitality, merchandise, and sponsorships through this franchise.
• Columbus Crew Major League Soccer club founded in 1994 and operated by Haslam Sports Group since 2019. Three-time MLS Cup champion (2008, 2020, 2023), playing at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field with training at OhioHealth Performance Center. The Crew reaches season-ticket capacity for the first time since 1996 and is the centerpiece of Columbus-area community engagement.
• Milwaukee Bucks NBA professional basketball team with controlling interest held by Haslam Sports Group since April 2023, playing home games at Fiserv Forum. Championship pedigree includes 1971 and 2021 titles, plus G League affiliate Wisconsin Herd and 2K League affiliate Bucks Gaming. Serves NBA fans and Wisconsin corporate partners with game-day, media, and community programming.
• Columbus NWSL National Women's Soccer League's 18th expansion franchise awarded in April 2026 to an ownership group led by Haslam Sports Group with Nationwide and Drs. Christine and Pete Edwards. Set to begin play in 2028 at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, currently accepting founding member deposits at $28 per ticket, and will use the McCoy Park training facility.
• Huntington Bank Field (current) Multipurpose lakefront stadium home of the Cleveland Browns on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio, capacity 67,431, hosting NFL games, concerts, NCAA Final Fours, and international soccer matches.
• ScottsMiracle-Gro Field Soccer-specific stadium home of the Columbus Crew with capacity 20,585, featuring 35 suites, 2,492 club seats, and a 220,000-square-foot canopy. Hosted the 2023 MLS Cup Final with a record attendance of 20,802 and will host Columbus NWSL games starting in 2028.
• Historic Crew Stadium First soccer-specific stadium in Major League Soccer, opened May 15, 1999, now home to Columbus Crew 2 (MLS NEXT Pro). It has hosted eight US Soccer FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (including four 'Dos a Cero' victories over Mexico), three MLS Cups, and two MLS All-Star Games.
• CrossCountry Mortgage Campus Training center and corporate office for the Cleveland Browns in Berea, Ohio, with 160,000 square feet of training, rehabilitation, and administrative space, currently undergoing the District 46 mixed-use expansion.
• OhioHealth Performance Center World-class 77,500-square-foot training facility for the Columbus Crew, opened June 10, 2021, with two First Team natural grass fields, Academy fields, recovery room, hydrotherapy area, and integrated sports medicine operations.
• Fiserv Forum Sports and entertainment arena in downtown Milwaukee, home of the Milwaukee Bucks and Marquette Golden Eagles. 730,000-square-foot venue with capacity of 17,385, hosting up to 200 events annually.
• Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin Sports Science Center 42,300-square-foot training and practice home for the Milwaukee Bucks, opened July 2017, with state-of-the-art weight lifting, cardio and rehabilitation areas, three hydrotherapy pools, and player-development technology.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6,000 construction jobs created from Huntington Bank Field project plus thousands of permanent full-time positions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction Company Joint VenturecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAECOM Hunt and Turner Construction Company JV awarded construction management contract for Huntington Bank Field. Combined 55+ years of NFL stadium experience including current Browns stadium, Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Jacksonville's Stadium of the Future, Intuit Dome, Buffalo Bills and Titans stadiums, and SoFi Stadium. Excavation began March 2026 with groundbreaking April 30, 2026.
• HKS ArchitectscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHKS designed the new Huntington Bank Field stadium in Brook Park, Ohio featuring Ohio's first translucent roof, revolutionary seating bowl design, and first-of-its-kind long-span roof without a truss. Also designed the new domed stadium features including folded plate transparent roof targeting 2029 opening.
• Lincoln Property CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLincoln Property Company leading development of adjacent mixed-use entertainment district for Huntington Bank Field. Project includes 176-acre sports and entertainment district with smaller music venue (3,000-4,000 capacity), two hotels, 576 apartments, and retail space. First phase opening targeted spring/summer 2029.
• Legends GlobalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLegends Global named exclusive food and beverage hospitality partner for Browns' new Huntington Bank Field stadium. Will manage concessions, premium suites, clubs, and catering with emphasis on local and regional sourcing. Agreement extends existing relationship with HSG covering merchandise, sponsorships, and premium seating sales.
• DiGeronimo CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio-based DiGeronimo Companies developing District 46 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea. Project includes community field, The Barker Hotel, sports medicine facility (University Hospitals), market-rate apartments, field house, parking garage, and 30k sq ft retail space. DiGeronimo brings 65+ years in business, 1,100+ employees, projects in 39 states.
• University HospitalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity Hospitals operating sports medicine facility at District 46 CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea. Also partner on $12.5 million transformational investment in blood cancer research with Dee and Jimmy Haslam including $10 million for CLL research via Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre and $2.5 million for UH Seidman Cancer Center.
• Crawford HoyingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCrawford Hoying partnered on The Barker Hotel development at District 46. Ohio-based real estate developer with more than $3 billion in completed and active developments including Bridge Park in Dublin and Water Street District in Dayton. Sixteenth collaborative hotel venture with Shaner including AC Hotels in Bridge Park/Dublin and Dayton.
• Shaner Hotel GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShaner Hotel Group operating The Barker Hotel, a five-story Tribute Portfolio by Marriott. Headquartered in State College, PA with $1 billion invested in 60 hotel properties across US, Italy, Greece, and Bahamas. 40+ years in hotel development and operation with leading brand affiliations.
• Marriott International (Tribute Portfolio)minorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerMarriott International providing Tribute Portfolio brand for The Barker Hotel at District 46. Five-story lifestyle hotel with bar, restaurant, fitness center, meeting space. Brand provides international hospitality standards and loyalty program integration.
• ScottsMiracle-GrocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorScottsMiracle-Gro holds naming rights for ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, home of Columbus Crew. The stadium opened July 2021 with 20,585 capacity and hosts NWSL Columbus 2028 franchise games starting 2028.
• CrossCountry MortgagecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCrossCountry Mortgage holds naming rights for CrossCountry Mortgage Campus training and administrative complex in Berea. Long-term partnership announced July 2021 with one of nation's largest and fastest-growing retail mortgage lenders.
• OhioHealthcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOhioHealth holds naming rights for OhioHealth Performance Center, Columbus Crew's state-of-the-art training facility. 77,500 sq ft facility opened June 2021 with two First Team natural grass fields, Academy fields, recovery room, hydrotherapy area.
• Huntington BankcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHuntington Bank holds naming rights for Huntington Bank Field current Browns stadium and new Brook Park stadium opening 2029. Ohio-based bank with regional presence in Northeast Ohio market.
• Ohio Governor Mike DeWinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio Governor Mike DeWine signed $60 billion two-year state budget including $600 million in public funding for Browns' new stadium. Also attended groundbreaking ceremony for Huntington Bank Field. Represents critical public-private partnership for stadium funding.
• City of Cleveland (Mayor Justin Bibb)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric $100M agreement between Mayor Bibb and HSG for Cleveland lakefront transformation and Browns' Brook Park stadium. HSG pays $25M by Dec 2025, razes current stadium ($30M), $5M annually 2029-2033 ($25M), and $2M/year for 10 years in Community Benefit Projects ($20M). Parties dismissed all related lawsuits.
• Tim BezbatchenkocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer Columbus Crew president and GM appointed President of Global Soccer for Haslam Sports Group. Will oversee sporting operations for Crew, Columbus NWSL team launching 2028, and future domestic and global soccer investments. Previously led Crew to two MLS Cup titles and CONCACAF Champions Cup final. Most recently president of Black Knight Football Club in Europe.
• The Pizzuti CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColumbus-based Pizzuti Companies partnered with HSG and Edwards Family for commercial development of Confluence Village adjacent to ScottsMiracle-Gro Field. Joint venture developing land for year-round destination with workforce housing component.
• Baldwin Wallace UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDavid Jenkins serves on Baldwin Wallace University Board of Trustees. Served as adjunct professor teaching finance in sports industry. Located in Berea, Ohio adjacent to Browns facility.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kroenke Sports & Entertainment: Stan Kroenke's multi-team, multi-venue sports holding company owning Denver Nuggets (NBA), Colorado Avalanche (NHL), LA Rams (NFL), Colorado Rapids (MLS) and Arsenal FC, plus Ball Arena, SoFi Stadium and other venues. Closest analog to HSG as a family-controlled multi-league sports and real estate platform.
• Fenway Sports Group: John Henry-led multi-sport owner of the Boston Red Sox (MLB), Liverpool FC (Premier League), Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) and RFK Racing, plus Fenway Park and other real estate assets. Directly comparable as a multi-league, multi-continent sports ownership platform with major venue holdings.
• The Kraft Group: Robert Kraft's privately held holding company owning the New England Patriots (NFL) and New England Revolution (MLS), plus Gillette Stadium and a paper/packaging business. Closely mirrors HSG's NFL + MLS combination and stadium-centric operating model.
• Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment: Josh Harris-led multi-team owner of the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA), New Jersey Devils (NHL), Crystal Palace FC and Joe Gibbs Racing, with venue and real estate development activity. Directly comparable as a multi-sport, multi-continent ownership platform pursuing mixed-use developments.
• Monumental Sports & Entertainment: Ted Leonsis's multi-team platform owning the Washington Wizards (NBA), Washington Capitals (NHL), Washington Mystics (WNBA), Washington Valor and Capital City Go-Go, with arena and media holdings. Particularly relevant given HSG's incoming NWSL franchise and Leonsis's longer-running WNBA/Mystics operation.
• City Football Group: Abu Dhabi United Group-controlled multi-club soccer owner (Manchester City, NYCFC, Melbourne City, others) with global soccer IP. Highly relevant to HSG's stated ambition under Bezbatchenko to expand into 'domestic and global soccer investments' beyond Crew and NWSL Columbus.

Broad incumbents

• Liberty Media: Publicly traded holding company with controlling interests in Formula 1, Atlanta Braves (MLB), SiriusXM, Live Nation and Tripadvisor stakes. Comparable as a multi-asset sports and entertainment holding entity, though broader and more diversified than HSG's franchise-focused portfolio.

Emerging players

• Angel City FC: NWSL club founded in 2020 with celebrity and venture-backed ownership. Directly comparable as the high-visibility women's soccer franchise HSG will compete with starting in 2028 and as a barometer for NWSL sponsorship, ticketing and brand economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments5 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Haslam Sports Group