Ares Sports, Media and Entertainment Funds—part of the global investment powerhouse Ares Management—has acquired a minority stake in the France SailGP Team. The firm joins an already high-profile ownership group that includes international football superstar Kylian Mbappé through his investment arm Coalition Capital, along with Sportsology Capital Partners.
For SailGP, it’s another signal that its global racing league model is turning heads in the right boardrooms. Launched in 2019 with centralised team ownership, the league is rapidly shifting to a franchise-style structure. Ten of the 12 national teams competing in the 2025 season are now privately owned or independently operated.
“Today is an exciting milestone for SailGP, as we welcome Ares to our growing group of investors and team owners,” said SailGP Managing Director Andrew Thompson. “The investment in our French team by an organization with a stellar portfolio of first-rate sports properties underlines the strength of SailGP’s global league model and reinforces the commercial potential of our teams. Ares brings both institutional capital and deep strategic insights – they’ll be a highly-valuable collaborator in growing the French team and the Rolex SailGP Championship more broadly.”
Ares, which already holds investments in Inter Miami CF, McLaren Racing, and Atlético de Madrid, clearly sees SailGP as a high-growth opportunity. And they’re not just dipping a toe in—they’re committing with strategy and purpose.
“SailGP has achieved impressive growth across its teams, viewership and engagement, and we are thrilled to enter the league and join the France SailGP Team’s existing owners group at this inflection point,” said Jim Miller, Co-Lead of Ares’ Sports, Media and Entertainment Strategy. “With the team’s expanding ecosystem of dedicated athletes, sponsors and fans, alongside Ares’ experience investing in premier global sports teams, we are eager to lend our capabilities as the team continues to build on its momentum.”
France’s SailGP squad—helmed by Olympian Quentin Delapierre and operated by K-Challenge—is supported by hospitality giant Accor and has developed into one of the league’s most exciting and ambitious teams. Now, with serious financial and strategic backing, it’s well-positioned to push harder both on and off the water.
The announcement is just the latest in a run of major ownership changes across the league. In recent months, SailGP has seen the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team sold to a group of Italian investors and sports industry insiders, while the Australian team—newly renamed the BONDS Flying Roos—was snapped up by Hollywood duo Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds.
It’s all part of the plan, of course. SailGP was founded by Larry Ellison and Sir Russell Coutts with the express goal of professionalising sailing at the highest level, building a sustainable league structure, and attracting new fans and investors. With momentum like this, that mission seems more achievable than ever.
Get all areas access to Yacht Racing Life with a Full Membership free 30-day trial. There's no obligation and you can cancel at anytime.
