US-based youth sports holding company Unrivaled Sports, founded in March by David Blitzer, Josh Harris and The Chernin Group (TCG), has made a strategic investment in Snöbahn, the operator of indoor action sports centers with two locations in Colorado. In addition, the company announced a strategic investment in its action sports division through Ares Management Funds. The Ares investment strengthens a team that includes former professional snowboarder Shaun White, TCG, Harris and Blitzer.
Unrivaled Sports said it is committed to expanding Snöbahn into new markets and making action and snow sports accessible to a wider audience in the coming years. Founded in 2016, Snöbahn facilities are recognized as the most efficient, effective and affordable ways to learn or improve skills in skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding and BMX. Snöbahn removes the geographical barriers traditionally associated with learning snow sports through features such as rotating slopes and trampoline freestyle areas. Former professional skier Bode Miller is also an existing partner of Snöbahn.
Snöbahn complements Unrivaled Sports’ growing action sports portfolio. We Are Camp, the parent company of Seek Skateboard Camp, Windells SkiCamp, Milepost 35 Mountain Bike Camp and High Cascade Snowboard Camp, has been instrumental in shaping the careers of numerous top athletes, including Canadian freestyle skier Alex Beaulieu-Marchand and American freestyle skier Nick Goepper. “Snöbahn and We Are Camp represent the pinnacle of innovation in training and development,” said Jim Miller, Co-Head of Ares’ Sports, Media and Entertainment Strategy and US Direct Lending. “Our investment with Unrivaled Sports aligns with our commitment to investing in companies that enrich communities and inspire the next wave of athletes.”
“At Snöbahn, our mission has always been to offer a distinctive and effective training experience that transcends traditional limitations of action sports,” commented Sadler Merrill, founder of Snöbahn. “Collaborating with Shaun White and Ares Management amplifies our capacity to empower more athletes and extend our innovative approach here in Colorado and beyond. This partnership marks a new chapter in our journey to make elite training accessible to everyone.”
