Goldman Sachs has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Excel Sports Management, the New York-based talent agency representing roughly 750 clients including Caitlin Clark, Tiger Woods, Derek Jeter, Peyton Manning, NBA stars Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray, and NFL quarterback Jared Goff. The deal values Excel Sports at close to $1 billion.
Goldman Sachs Alternatives and Excel Sports announced the strategic partnership on Tuesday, though specific deal terms were not disclosed. Two sources familiar with the matter confirmed the valuation and majority stake structure to Front Office Sports.
Los Angeles-based private equity firm Shamrock Capital, which invested in Excel Sports in 2020, is exiting as part of the agreement.
Excel Sports provides a range of services including contract negotiation, sponsorship deals and social media strategy development. The agency also represents brands such as Goodyear and Under Armour.
The partnership will allow Excel to leverage Goldman’s global capital base and financial expertise to scale operations and develop new business lines in sports, entertainment and branded content. Excel aims to pursue larger and more sophisticated deals, including private equity investments, athlete-owned ventures and endorsement structures that blend equity participation with traditional sponsorships.
Strategic context
The move underscores the rising financialisation of the athlete economy, which is transforming how athletes earn, invest and influence global consumer markets. With Goldman’s backing, Excel gains access to advanced investment tools, deal structuring capabilities and cross-sector connections in wealth management, media and real estate.
Zoom out
The deal could have ripple effects for sporting goods brands such as Nike, Adidas and Callaway, which depend on high-value athlete endorsements. With Excel’s enhanced resources and Goldman’s capital leverage, athlete clients may secure higher-value and more innovative contracts, potentially including co-ownership of product lines or brand equity stakes. Such financial sophistication could also accelerate the emergence of athlete-led brands competing directly within the sporting goods and apparel ecosystem.
For Goldman Sachs, the partnership strengthens its presence in sports investment—a sector increasingly attractive to institutional capital due to steady audience growth and the expanding commercial influence of athletes. For Excel, it represents a transformation from talent agency to full-fledged sports and lifestyle investment platform.
Goldman Sachs agrees to buy majority stake in Excel Sports, the agency representing Caitlin Clark, Tiger Woods and Derek Jeter, in a deal worth close to $1bn.
