TPG has agreed to acquire Learfield, a leading media and technology platform powering college athletics, expanding its presence in sports-focused private equity.

The investment will be made through TPG Capital and TPG Sports, the firm’s dedicated strategy launched in 2025 to target opportunities across the global sports ecosystem.

Learfield operates one of the largest commercial platforms in global sports, acting as the monetisation engine for collegiate sports intellectual property. The company connects more than 12,000 brands with over 1,200 institutions, supported by a proprietary dataset of more than 125m fan records and deep relationships across NCAA Division I programmes, including the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC.

Moreover, the platform integrates a broad suite of services, spanning sponsorship sales, ticketing through Paciolan, digital platforms via SIDEARM Sports, licensing through CLC, and name, image, and likeness (NIL) solutions. This positions Learfield at the centre of the commercialisation of college sports and fan engagement.

“Learfield’s platform is catalyzing the growth of college sports by connecting thousands of premier brands to leading athletic programs, facilitating unique monetization opportunities for institutions while connecting sponsors to loyal fan bases nationwide,” said Peter McGoohan, Partner at TPG.

The transaction will see Charlesbank Capital Partners retain a minority stake, while other existing shareholders exit. It is expected to close in Q3 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.

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