Accelerate Sports
Accelerate Sports is a boutique investment bank advising professional sports team owners, leagues, and sports-related businesses on sell-side and buy-side M&A, limited-partner equity transactions, capital raises, and league-expansion mandates. Founded by former athletes and operators, the firm has closed 19 deals across major U.S. leagues, European football, and emerging leagues from 2019 to 2024.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersManhattan Beach, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Accelerate Sports does
Accelerate Sports Inc. is a privately held, boutique investment bank specializing in M&A and capital-raising advisory for the professional sports industry. Founded as a firm of former college and professional athletes and sports-trained operators, the company serves professional sports team owners, leagues, sports-related businesses, and sports real-estate projects with sell-side and buy-side M&A, limited-partner equity transactions, capital raises, and league-expansion advisory. Notable engagements include multiple limited-partner sell-side mandates with the Sacramento Kings (including a transaction with Arctos Partners), buy-side limited-partner advisory for the Chicago Cubs, and the league-expansion of Atletico Madrid into Ottawa for the Canadian Premier League. The firm does not produce a technology product; its core assets are its senior team, its transaction track record, and its distribution network among team owners, league executives, and sports-focused private equity funds.
The business model is a professional-services fee model: success-based advisory fees on M&A closings, transaction and placement fees on capital raises and limited-partner equity transactions, and project-based fees for league-expansion mandates. Securities transactions are executed through a regulatory affiliation with Rainmaker Securities, LLC, a FINRA-registered broker-dealer and SIPC member that is explicitly not an affiliate of Accelerate Sports. The firm operates from offices in Sacramento, California (headquarters) and Manhattan Beach, California, with a team of 1–10 employees led by Founder/CEO Brent Lawrence.
The go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales built on direct, relationship-based sourcing: senior bankers cultivate team owners, league executives, and niche sports-PE funds directly, with industry recognition (SBJ Dealmakers) and landmark transactions serving as the principal reputational and referral assets. Between 2019 and 2024 the firm closed 19 transactions across NBA, MLS, NHL, MLB, European Football, and emerging leagues, comprising 2 control transactions, 15 limited-partner transactions, and 3 capital raises. No revenue, funding, or ownership outside the founding team is publicly disclosed.
Accelerate Sports firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Accelerate Sports
- Legal name
- Accelerate Sports Inc.
- Website
- https://acceleratesportsbusiness.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Accelerate Sports is a boutique investment bank advising professional sports team owners, leagues, and sports-related businesses on sell-side and buy-side M&A, limited-partner equity transactions, capital raises, and league-expansion mandates. Founded by former athletes and operators, the firm has closed 19 deals across major U.S. leagues, European football, and emerging leagues from 2019 to 2024.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Accelerate Sports industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sports Investment Banking
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Spectator Sports (71121)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports Business Consulting & Advisory (Strategy, Valuation, Due Diligence) (MPAKAKAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sports Event Promotion & Tournament Operations (MPAKAKAC), Sponsorship Sales, Valuation & Analytics Services (Rights Sales, Measurement, Consulting) (MPAKALAK)
Keywords
Where Accelerate Sports is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manhattan Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Accelerate Sports business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- M&A Advisory Fees: Advisory fees generated from sell-side and buy-side M&A transactions including mergers, acquisitions, and team equity sales for sports organizations.
- Capital Raise Services: Fees earned from assisting sports organizations in raising capital through various financing mechanisms including seed rounds and Series A financing.
- Limited Partner Transactions: Advisory and transaction fees from facilitating limited partner equity sales and buy-side stake acquisitions in professional sports teams.
- League Expansion Advisory: Fees from advising leagues on establishing expansion franchises, assembling ownership groups, and negotiating stadium/arena solutions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Accelerate Sports product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Accelerate Sports is a boutique investment bank that advises professional sports teams, leagues, sports-related businesses, and sports real estate clients on sell-side and buy-side M&A, team equity sales, capital raises, league expansion transactions, and financing of sports real estate projects. Securities transactions are executed through Rainmaker Securities, LLC, a FINRA-registered broker-dealer affiliated with the firm's principals.
Product overview
Accelerate Sports is a boutique investment bank providing advisory services to professional sports teams, leagues, sports-related businesses, and sports real estate. Their service offerings include sell-side and buy-side M&A, team equity sales, capital raising, and league expansion advisory. The company closed 19 transactions between 2019 and 2024 (2 control transactions, 15 limited partner transactions, and 3 capital raises) for clients in the NBA, MLS, NHL, MLB, European Football, and emerging leagues. Securities are offered through Rainmaker Securities, LLC.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory
- Capital Raise Services
- League Expansion Advisory
- Limited Partner Transactions
- Sports Real Estate Financing Advisory
Companies that use Accelerate Sports
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Accelerate Sports technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Accelerate Sports partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Accelerate Sports competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Morgan Stanley: Global investment bank with established sports and media advisory practice serving team owners, leagues, and sponsors. A scaled competitor on larger mandates where boutique specialists are displaced.
- Allen & Company: Privately held investment bank historically dominant in sports and media M&A. Competes with Accelerate Sports for the largest sports transactions but offers broader services beyond sports.
- Lazard: Global advisory firm with sports transactions experience including team sales and media rights. Provides overlapping advisory services as part of a much wider investment banking portfolio.
- Evercore: Independent investment banking advisory firm with a dedicated sports and media practice. Competes for high-end sports M&A mandates with greater resources and broader sector reach.
- Goldman Sachs Sports Group: Bulge bracket investment bank with a dedicated sports advisory practice advising team owners, leagues, and PE sponsors. Competitor at the high end of the sports M&A market where Accelerate Sports occasionally competes.
- Guggenheim Partners: Diversified financial services firm with a sports advisory practice that advises on team sales and media rights deals. Larger and broader offering than Accelerate Sports' focused sports boutique model.
Direct peers
- Raine Group: Global merchant bank with a dedicated sports and media practice advising on M&A, minority investments, and league transactions. Directly comparable in mandate types though larger and more international.
- Inner Circle Sports: Boutique investment bank focused exclusively on sports team sales, financings, and advisory. Closest direct competitor to Accelerate Sports given similar size, sports-only focus, and LP transaction specialization.
- Park Lane: Sports-focused investment bank advising on team sales, financings, and league matters. Similar boutique structure serving NBA, MLS, NFL, and NHL ownership groups.
- Galatioto Sports Partners: Specialist sports investment bank providing M&A advisory and capital raising to team owners and leagues. Comparable boutique positioning and similar transaction mix focused on minority equity sales and franchise financings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Accelerate Sports social profiles
Digital presenceAccelerate Sports financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Accelerate Sports leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Accelerate Sports funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Accelerate Sports M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Accelerate Sports
What does Accelerate Sports do?
Accelerate Sports is a boutique investment bank that advises professional sports teams, leagues, sports-related businesses, and sports real estate clients on sell-side and buy-side M&A, team equity sales, capital raises, league expansion transactions, and financing of sports real estate projects. Securities transactions are executed through Rainmaker Securities, LLC, a FINRA-registered broker-dealer affiliated with the firm's principals.
Is Accelerate Sports a public or private company?
Accelerate Sports is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Accelerate Sports founded?
Accelerate Sports was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Accelerate Sports based?
Accelerate Sports is headquartered in Manhattan Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does Accelerate Sports make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. M&A Advisory Fees are the primary driver. The others are capital Raise Services, limited Partner Transactions and league Expansion Advisory.
Who are Accelerate Sports's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Morgan Stanley, Allen & Company, Lazard, Evercore, Goldman Sachs Sports Group and Guggenheim Partners. Direct peers are Raine Group, Inner Circle Sports, Park Lane and Galatioto Sports Partners.
Does Accelerate Sports have an API?
No public API is recorded for Accelerate Sports.
What industry is Accelerate Sports in?
Accelerate Sports's product category is Sports Investment Banking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAKAL, Sports Business Consulting & Advisory (Strategy, Valuation, Due Diligence), with a secondary code of MPAKAKAC, Sports Event Promotion & Tournament Operations. Its NAICS code is 7113 and its SIC code is 6282.