January 16, 2020, 11:39 AM PST
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Thrill One Sports & Entertainment Unites Nitro Circus, Street League
Skateboarding and Superjacket Productions
Joe Carr Named CEO of the Industry-Leading Action Sports Company, Backed by
Prominent Investor Group
Business Wire
LOS ANGELES -- January 16, 2020
The Raine Group and Causeway Media Partners, two of sports’ most respected
investment firms, with backing provided by commercial finance firm MidCap
Financial, have partnered to create Thrill One Sports & Entertainment by
combining three industry-leading companies – Nitro Circus, Street League
Skateboarding (SLS) and Superjacket Productions. Thrill One immediately
becomes the world’s largest independent action sports operator and media
company. Joe Carr, the former UFC and World Surf League senior executive, will
lead the combined company as Chief Executive Officer.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200116005766/en/
In addition to uniting elite athletes, top talent and renowned brands under
one banner, Thrill One will further cement its position as the leading
producer of action sports content and events through the launch of additional
properties and the pursuit of strategic acquisitions.
“This groundbreaking alliance combines three prized brands into a single
entity, transforming what has historically been a fragmented landscape into
the biggest platform in action sports,” said Carr. “Action sports are enjoying
a renaissance right now with Olympic inclusion in 2020, the democratization of
media and the worldwide fanbase at an all-time high. I look forward to working
with our athletes and talented management team to drive organic growth in our
existing businesses while also identifying potential M&A opportunities and
complimentary IP.”
Driven by both the incredible skills of action sports’ top athletes and the
daring exploits of its bold daredevils, Nitro Circus creates
critically-acclaimed live events and spectacular sports competitions across a
portfolio that includes Nitro World Games, Nitro Rallycross, and Nitro Circus
Live.
“At Nitro Circus, we have the amazing opportunity to work with the best
athletes, content creators and technical geniuses in the business, reaching
fans worldwide,” said action sports icon Travis Pastrana, co-founder of Nitro
Circus. “Now, by teaming up with SLS and Superjacket to create this
game-changing team, we can pull our resources together with the unified goal
of growing the fun and progression of action sports on a global level.”
SLS is the world’s premier street skateboarding competition series, featuring
an international roster of elite professionals and serving as the lead pathway
to Olympic qualification for Tokyo 2020. Superjacket Productions is a leading
full-service video and film production house created by Rob Dyrdek and Shane
Nickerson, the minds behind hit television programs, “Ridiculousness,” “The
Dude Perfect Show,” “Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory” and “Rob & Big.”
“Capturing mind-blowing content is essential to everything we do,” offered
Dyrdek, the Chief Executive Officer of venture studio, Dyrdek Machine, the
group responsible for founding both SLS and Superjacket. “Whether it’s the
elite competition of SLS or the outrageous antics of ‘Ridiculousness,’
audiences of all ages are drawn to it. Now, by joining forces with this
influential group of athletes, brands and investors, Joe and team are set to
take Thrill One to a whole new level.”
Thrill One Sports & Entertainment will hit the ground running in 2020, with
more than 30 events scheduled worldwide across its extensive portfolio. The
company will also produce over 100 hours of live sports and deliver over 175
episodes of original programming this year. Thrill One also boasts one of the
largest aggregate social audiences in action sports, with over 40 million
engaged followers across its multiple brand pages and channels.
The Raine Group is a global merchant bank known for its partnerships with
creator-driven media and entertainment companies that help drive growth
objectives. Past investments include Vice Media, Imagine Entertainment, Matt
Stone & Trey Parker’s Important Studios, and Draft Kings.
Causeway Media Partners is a growth-stage venture capital firm focused on
sports media, sports technology and related companies. Causeway is led by Wyc
Grousbeck, former general partner at Highland Capital Partners and lead owner
of the Boston Celtics; Mark Wan, co-founder of Three Arch Partners and part
owner in both the Boston Celtics and the San Francisco 49ers; and Bob Higgins,
co-founder of Highland Capital Partners. Limited partners of Causeway also
include team owners from the NFL, NBA, MLB, and other sports leagues.
About Thrill One Sports & Entertainment:
Thrill One Sports & Entertainment is a next-generation content company that
lives at the nexus of sports, entertainment and lifestyle, combining the
resources of Nitro Circus, Street League Skateboarding and Superjacket
Productions. A multi-media platform, Thrill One is dedicated to creating
mind-blowing action sports events and original content, fueled by the most
daring athletes, talent and brands in thrill-based entertainment. In 2020,
Thrill One will produce 30 events worldwide across its extensive portfolio.
The company will also create over 100 hours of live sports and over 175
episodes of television programming this year. Thrill One Sports &
Entertainment also boasts one of the largest aggregate social audience in
action sports, with over 40 million followers across its multiple brand pages
and channels. Go to thrillone.com for additional information.
PR Assets:
Sizzle reel here
Logo files here
View source version on businesswire.com:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200116005766/en/
Contact:
For More Information:
Greg Terlizzi: greg@nitrocircus.com
Reid Vokey: reid@nitrocircus.com
Lou D'Ermilio (Loud Communications): lou@loudcommllc.com