Sports

Portas Consulting find ideal fit in CAA Sports

Published

8 months ago

May 16, 2025

Portas Consulting find ideal fit in CAA Sports

CAA Sports acquires Portas Consulting
Image: Coliseum GSVA

The CAA Sports, a division of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), has agreed on a deal to acquire Portas Consulting, a premier global management consulting firm, subject to customary regulatory approval.

‘VARIETY’ stated that the Executive Chairman and Founder David Portas and the Managing Partner, Portas Consulting, Donal McElwee, along with their team of 160 consultants and staff who have completed projects in more than 40 countries worldwide, will join the agency.

Los Angeles (US)-based the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is the leading entertainment and sports agency with global expertise in filmed and live entertainment, digital media, publishing, sponsorship sales and endorsements, media finance, consumer investing, fashion, trademark licensing, and philanthropy.

Portas Consulting help the sports organizations achieve sustainable success through innovative strategies and operational excellence. They are dedicated to maximizing the benefits of sport and physical activity for the Governments, the sports bodies and corporates and through them for the society. Portas Consulting has offices in Dubai (UAE), London (UK), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), and Singapore.

‘VARIETY’ further stated that the award-winning sports consultancy, which will be rebranded to CAA Portas, collaborates with the Governments, the federations, the Olympic committees, the leagues, the clubs, the investors, Ministers, Boards, the C-suite executives, the senior sports leaders, and the private sector organizations to develop innovative strategies that improve performance, enhance participation, optimize governance, and drive commercial growth. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Pointed out Paul Danforth, CAA Managing Director and President, CAA Sports, “The global sports marketplace is evolving rapidly creating unprecedented opportunities for the agency and our clients in both established and emerging markets. As CAA Sports continues its international growth plan we remain focused on creating new service offerings that we can deliver to the clients to accelerate their business objectives. The Portas Consulting is a best-in-class management consultancy whose like-minded leadership and collaborative approach to client service will fit seamlessly into the CAA Sports ecosystem. By adding this unique expertise to our already robust suite of services we are uniquely positioned to help shape the future of the global sports industry.”

Founded in 2006 Portas Consulting consistently ranks among the top sports management consulting firms providing its clients in the sector with a more tailored and specialist service and deeper subject matter expertise than the generalist management consultancies. Delivering impact across all areas of the sports economy Portas’ recent programs include: Transforming the sports economies, creating national sports policies, increasing sports participation, winning bids for the major events, optimizing the leagues and the clubs, securing increases in funding into sport at a national and City level, optimizing the global sporting calendars, supporting the federations, the leagues and the clubs with their investments and long-term commercial sustainability and providing sports investment advisory, and feasibility studies for the sports assets.

Averred McElwee, “Portas’ mission is to transform the world through sport. We have grown organically by 30 percent annually throughout the last 10 years to become the leading independent advisor to the senior leaders in sport. Our new goal is to expand even faster to create a world leading end-to-end advisory business. The CAA Sports is the ideal fit to achieve this growth and diversification for the benefit of the industry, our clients and our people.”

The CAA Sports is a diversified sports enterprise with global operations encompassing 18 divisions including property sales, brand consulting, media rights, executive search, venue development, and athlete representation. Since its inception the CAA Sports has completed more than $11 billion in new sponsorship business on behalf of its property clients and orchestrated precedent-setting naming rights agreements including the National Football League (NFL) team San Francisco 49ers’ 68,500-capacity Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the National Basketball Association (NBA) team Golden State Warriors’ the 18,064-capacity Chase Center in San Francisco, California, and the NBA team Los Angeles Clippers’ 18,000-capacity Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The agency’s industry-leading sports media advisory practice has structured and negotiated more than $100 billion in media rights deals since its formation in 2010. The award-winning CAA Brand Consulting is currently advising, managing and activating on more than $4 billion in sponsorship rights deals on behalf of its global brand clients.

In 2017, the agency launched CAA ICON, the leading Owner’s Representative and strategic management consulting firm, which oversees the development, design and construction of major stadiums worldwide and the CAA Executive Search becoming the first major talent agency in the United States to build an executive search practice serving the sports, entertainment and the media industries. The agency most recently announced the launch of CAA Global Family Office Advisory to help support the unique complexities of generational wealth. Providing a level of strategic insight, cultural fluency and global connectivity that is unmatched in the industry the CAA Global Family Office Advisory helps the Family Office clients navigate structure and design, family governance and operational efficiencies and provides board, leadership, philanthropic and human capital advisory.

The CAA Sports represents more than 3,000 of the world’s best athletes in such sports as baseball, football, hockey, basketball, and soccer in addition to coaches, on-air broadcasters and sports personalities. For nine consecutive years the agency has topped Forbes’ Most Valuable Sports Agencies list with $14.1 billion in current active contract value under management and nearly $4 billion in client marketing revenues.

Continue to follow Coliseum for latest updates on venues business news. Coliseum is dedicated towards building the best global community of sports and entertainment venue executives and professionals creating better and more profitable venues.

Become a member of the only Global Sports Venue Alliance and connect with stadiums, arenas and experts from around the world. Apply for membership at coliseum-online.com/alliance and make use of the 365Coliseum Business.

Watch 420 member-exclusive videos with valuable tips for your venue

« Previous News: The power of Oman’s sports economy

Sports

Indiana volleyball head coach Steve Aird extends contract through 2031

Published

7 minutes ago

January 6, 2026

Your Sports Nation

After leading Indiana volleyball to its most historic season in program history, head coach Steve Aird agreed to a contract extension through 2031, according to an IU Athletics release Tuesday.

Aird, who will enter his ninth season as Hoosiers’ head coach in 2026, signed the extension after leading the team to a 25-8 overall record — which marked the most wins in program history. Indiana also earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament for just the sixth time in program history and first time since 2010.

In the release, Indiana University athletic director Scott Dolson said this season the Hoosiers helped turn “Wilkinson Hall into one of the best environments in Big Ten Volleyball.”

“On top of that, with an amazing group of returnees back in the fall plus a talented incoming recruiting class, I believe that the future is even brighter,” Dolson said. “We look forward to Steve’s continued leadership as we build on this momentum and pursue even bigger things in the years to come.”

The Hoosiers finished ranked fifth in the Big Ten standings — the first time since 1999 the program ended the season in the top five of the conference. They also saw their highest placement in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, finishing the season ranked No. 13.

Aird last signed a contract extension in January 2024, which put him under contract until 2029. During that season, Aird helped Indiana to a 21-12 overall record, which marked just the sixth time the program reached 20 wins in a season.

Indiana had three first team All-Big Ten selections during the 2025-26 season with Aird at the helm — outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles, opposite hitter Avry Tatum and freshman setter Teodora Kričković. It marked the first time in program history that three Hoosiers received first team All-Big Ten honors in the same season.

The 2025-26 season also marked the first time an Indiana volleyball player was drafted in the Major League Volleyball Draft. Alonso-Corcelles and Tatum were selected in the second and fourth rounds, respectively.

Aird and his staff will now be tasked with replacing the production of Tatum, Alonso-Corcelles and two others via graduation. The Hoosiers brought in one player from the transfer portal — middle blocker Keondreya Granberry from the University of Tennessee — will return key players from last season and have signed three top-ranked recruits.

Link

Sports

Aird Inks Extension to Remain in Bloomington

Published

24 minutes ago

January 6, 2026

Your Sports Nation

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson and head volleyball coach Steve Aird have agreed to a contract extension through the 2031 season. Aird, who will enter his ninth season in 2026, guided the Hoosiers to 20+ win seasons in two of the last three years.

“We are very excited to announce that we have agreed to a new contract with IU volleyball coach Steve Aird,” Dolson said. “When we brought Steve to Bloomington, we did so with the belief and goal that the program could compete at a very high level in the Big Ten and nationally. Steve is turning that vision into reality.”

Aird and the Hoosiers are coming off the most successful season in program history. During the 2025 campaign, IU broke single-season records in the NCAA era for wins (25), regular season wins (23), Big Ten wins (14), road wins (9) and ranked road wins (3). IU finished in the top five of the Big Ten for the first time since 1999.

“This past year was historic. In addition to our program-record 25 wins and our first Sweet 16 appearance in 15 years, we energized our fanbase and the IU community and turned Wilkinson Hall into one of the best environments in Big Ten Volleyball,” Dolson said. “On top of that, with an amazing group of returnees back in the fall plus a talented incoming recruiting class, I believe that the future is even brighter. We look forward to Steve’s continued leadership as we build on this momentum and pursue even bigger things in the years to come.”

IU finished the year ranked No. 13 in the AVCA poll – the highest ranking in the program history. The Hoosiers hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament at Wilkinson Hall, sweeping Toledo and No. 24 Colorado to advance to the second NCAA regional semifinal in program history.

Aird helped oversee the development of three First Team All-Big Ten selections, two AVCA All-Americans and two selections in the Major League Volleyball Draft in 2025. Outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles became the program’s winningest player (77) while finishing her career at number eight on the all-time kills list (1,386).

“My family and I are proud to call Bloomington home,” Aird said. “Indiana University is a special place and my staff and I are excited to continue this journey. 2025 was a historic season and I strongly believe the best is yet to come. The department’s leadership is outstanding and the momentum around IU Athletics is contagious. President Whitten, Scott Dolson and Jeremy Gray have shown tremendous belief in our staff and we are grateful for their support. Our focus is to continue to develop great human beings that compete at the highest level and represent the institution and state with pride. From day one I believed that IU volleyball had a rightful place amongst the nation’s elite and we will work hard every day to chase that goal.”

IU’s program has been on an upward trajectory over the past several seasons. Since the 2022 campaign, IU has gone 77-51 (.602) overall and 42-38 (.525) in Big Ten action. The Hoosiers have finished .500 or better in each of the last four seasons with two 20-win campaigns to their name. In each of those four years, IU has met or exceeded preseason conference expectations.

The Hoosiers have built their program behind elite recruiting at the prep level and the development of impactful transfers. Aird and his staff have signed three top-15 classes since 2020 – including an impressive seven-player class in 2025. Three of the four highest ranked recruits in school history have signed to play for Aird.

Under his watch, Wilkinson Hall has become one of the toughest venues to play at in the Big Ten. Since the start of the 2022 season, IU has gone 40-15 (.727) in its home arena. That run of form includes ranked wins over No. 15 Purdue (Oct. 11, 2023) and No. 24 Colorado (Dec. 5, 2025). IU has won 23-straight games against unranked teams at Wilkinson Hall.

“The program is ready to take the next step. We have proven to be able to develop professionals and win big matches,” Aird said. “The team thrives in the classroom and values their education. They care about the community and love Bloomington. The growth and popularity of the game is reflected in the crowds and energy at Wilkinson Hall. You are a good coach when you have good players and the program is full of them. We have eight months to prepare for the 2026 season and we will attack each day with the intent to make more history.”

Since he became the head coach in 2018, 13 players have graduated from IU and gone on to play at least one season of professional volleyball. Of the 17 student-athletes on IU’s 2025 roster, 14 of them began their collegiate career in Bloomington. All 13 eligible players are set to return for the 2026 campaign. IU was the only program this past season to have a different freshman record 1,000 assists (Krickovic), 380 kills (Jager) and 100 blocks (Gray).

Link

Sports

Men’s Volleyball Chosen Sixth in CVC Preseason Poll

Published

40 minutes ago

January 6, 2026

Your Sports Nation

UNION, N.J. (1/6/2026) – The Kean University Men’s Volleyball team has been chosen sixth with 20 points in the Continental Volleyball Conference Preseason Poll.

Southern Virginia topped the poll with 46 points and received five first place votes. Juniata was slotted second with 43 points and two first place votes. Rutgers-Newark rounded out the top three with 38 points and one first place vote. Marymount (31) and Elizabethtown (23) were just ahead of the Cougars in fourth and fifth place, respectively. The rest of the poll is as follows: Drew (17), and Wilkes (6).

This will be the last season for Kean in the CVC as the Cougars depart for the Landmark Conference in 2027.

Kean opens the season in a tri-match at Kings (PA) on Jan. 17^th.

2026 CVC Preseason Poll

1 – Southern Virginia – 46 (5)

2 – Juniata – 43 (2)

3 – Rutgers-Newark – 38 (1)

4 – Marymount – 31

5 – Elizabethtown – 23

6 – Kean – 20

7 – Drew – 17

8 – Wilkes – 6

(First Place Votes in Parentheses)

Link

Sports

GS Volleyball adds a pair of transfer signees

Published

56 minutes ago

January 6, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Georgia Southern volleyball is reloading. The Eagles are welcoming Grace Thomas and Beka Pfefferkorn to Statesboro, as announced by head coach Chad Willis.

Georgia Southern volleyball and head coach Chad Willis announced the addition of two transfer signees recently, as the Eagles welcome Grace Thomas and Beka Pfefferkorn to Statesboro.

“It is a great day for our program!” head coach Chad Willis said. “As we announce two final additions to our roster heading into the 2026 season. Once again, we are fortunate to add depth and talent from the transfer portal as we continue to build for championships. By adding Grace and Beka, we will now have our entire team for next season on campus and training this spring semester. This will be one of our program’s deepest and most competitive groups. I could not be more proud of our staff for building and shaping this roster and I can’t wait to get to work with our team on bringing a Sun Belt Conference Championship home to Statesboro.”

Grace Thomas | MB | Dublin, Ohio | Central Michigan

A 6-foot-1 middle blocker from Dublin, Ohio, Grace Thomas joins the Eagles after spending her first two collegiate seasons with the Chippewa of Central Michigan. In her first collegiate season, Thomas played in 119 sets over 30 matches, tallying 239 kills (2.00/set) and registered a season high 16 twice against Western Michigan and Buffalo. She earned All-Tournament Team honors at the SUNY – UAlbany Tournament, earned a spot on the MAC All-Freshman Team, and was named to the Second Team All-MAC. In her sophomore season she appeared in 104 sets over 30 matches, collecting 205 kills (1.97/set). During her two seasons at Central Michigan, she combined to post 170 total blocks (25 BS/145 BA), averaging 0.8 per set.

“Grace is a dynamic attacker whose versatility will be an important component to our offensive and defensive systems. Grace has valuable experience as a two-year starter in the MAC; her speed and physicality drive her efficiency as an attacker and her competitive maturity on and off the court will add great leadership and stability to our squad. We are looking forward to introducing Grace to Eagle Nation!”

Beka Pfefferkorn | OH | Cypress, Texas | FIU

A 6-foot-3 outside hitter from Cypress, Texas, Beka Pfefferkorn joins the Eagles after completing her freshman campaign at Florida International. In her first collegiate season, Pfefferkorn appeared in 103 total sets, collecting 245 kills, averaging 2.45 kills per set, earning her CUSA All-Freshman Team honors. Defensively, the Cypress, Texas, native tallied 64 digs and 45 total blocks. She recorded a career-high 18 kills against Stetson in early September and posted a career-best five block assists against Georgia on the road in Athens.

“Beka is a physical offensive and defensive presence who will add immediate depth and experience to the opposite position. In her freshman campaign, Beka competed and put up some big numbers against quality opponents on her way to earning CUSA All-Freshman Team honors. Beka has an incredibly high ceiling and we’re excited to watch her growth and seeing her impact on and off the court.”

Link

Sports

Why opportunity at Wisconsin resonated for transfer Eva Travis

Published

1 hour ago

January 6, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Jan. 6, 2026, 5:17 a.m. CT

Eva Travis, an outside hitter who transferred from UC-Santa Barbara, brings an explosive skill set and outstanding arm speed to the Badgers.
A late-night phone call with Sheffield and a conversation with future teammate Charlie Fuerbringer helped her make the last-second decision.
Travis believes Wisconsin’s high-level program will help her achieve her goal of playing professionally after college.

MADISON – Some of Eva Travis’ former teammates from the Midwest warned her.

“They’re like, ‘Girl, you need a parka,’” Travis said. “And I’m like, ‘I don’t even know, first of all, what that is. And second of all, I don’t know how to even go about that.’”

Yes, Travis had heard of the word “parka” before. “But I couldn’t tell you what it looks like.”

It’s perhaps easier to picture the impact the 5-foot-11 outside hitter could have on the volleyball court after transferring from UC-Santa Barbara to Wisconsin. She transferred to the Badgers with two remaining seasons of eligibility after an impressive 2025 season that included a 21-kill performance against USC and a 30-kill performance against UC-Irvine.

“I think I’m pretty explosive, and what makes me different is I have a pretty fast arm,” Travis said in a phone call with the Journal Sentinel. “I play all the way around, so I have a good back-row attack. And I think that’s what really drew me to [coach] Kelly [Sheffield].”

Those skills also drew her to many other potential transfer portal visits before eventually announcing her commitment to the Badgers on Dec. 22.

“I was talking to people at schools in all the Power Four conferences,” Travis said. “I went to a lot of visits in the Midwest and the South. … I was definitely deciding between some big programs, but this one definitely took the cake.”

Wisconsin ironically was the one school that she did not visit. The timing of Wisconsin’s postseason run – ending with a Final Four loss on Dec. 18 while the transfer portal had been open since Dec. 7 – made that impractical.

In fact, Sheffield’s call to Travis was barely in time, even as she tried giving herself more time with coaches before making a decision.

“I was supposed to give an answer to someone that night, and he ended up calling me that night,” Travis said.

Travis’ phone call with Sheffield “went super late into the night.”

“We talked for a while, and obviously it was kind of a no-brainer because I really respect his coaching and respect that program,” Travis said. “Obviously they went to the Final Four, and that’s amazing. But there’s been so many All-Americans that have come out of this program.”

Wisconsin setter Charlie Fuerbringer got a call from Travis after that. (What was getting late for Sheffield in the Central Time Zone was not as late for Fuerbringer back home in southern California.)

Travis played her last year at the club level in the same organization as Fuerbringer – and had Fuerbringer’s mother, Joy McKienzie-Fuerbringer, as her coach. Travis and Fuerbringer had mutual friends in the volleyball community as well.

“I gave her a call before I committed, just kind of asking her to lay down the way of the land,” Travis said. ‘She was super helpful in outlining everything that they do, and she basically said you were going to love it. … She sold me on it.”

Travis joins a program that has advanced to the Final Four in five of the last seven seasons and boasted multiple players with All-America recognition in each of Sheffield’s 13 seasons as head coach. (This year, Mimi Colyer was an AVCA first-team All-American, and Carter Booth was a third-team All-American.)

“Obviously it’s awesome to go to a really esteemed program and such an amazing fan base like this,” Travis said. “But I think just the way they talked about each other and held each other at such a high standard was really something that resonated with me.”

Wisconsin’s recent success with Colyer surely does not hurt when recruiting transfers like Travis in this portal cycle. (The Oregon transfer elevated her game in her one season with the Badgers to the point of being an AVCA national player of the year finalist and the first-overall pick in the Major League Volleyball draft.)

“I want to play pro when I graduate,” Travis said. “And so I wanted to find a program that is at that higher level where I can keep developing myself and align myself with a program that can help me get to that level.”

Outside hitter also became an increasingly pressing need because of transfer portal attrition at the position. Una Vajagic and Trinity Shadd-Ceres entered the transfer portal, and Vajagic departed despite having a starting role on the 2025 Final Four team.

“He did tell me that he had a need for my position and that two outsides left,” Travis said. “I didn’t know exactly who they were at the time. I knew Mimi Colyer was graduating, but yeah, he just said there was a need and that he liked what he saw from my film.”

Travis is looking forward to playing at the UW Field House, where the environment “looks insane” during the matches she has watched on television. The UCSB transfer already has felt the energy from fans since committing, too.

“The community is so inspiring and so welcoming,” Travis said. “I’ve already been getting DMs and text messages from fans and random people, and it’s been super exciting. I’m really excited to come to such a welcoming and spectacular community.”

First, though, she needs a winter coat.

“Wisconsin probably has a better selection,” Travis said.

Link

Sports

Former SEC Champion Patrick Gildea Named Director of Cross Country and Track and Field

Published

2 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Your Sports Nation

INDIANA, Pa. – Patrick Gildea, a former NCAA Division I student-athlete and assistant coach, has been appointed the next director of cross country and track & field at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Gildea served as a successful assistant coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga since 2023, helping grow the Mocs’ cross country and track and field programs. Gildea competed as an accomplished cross country and track student-athlete at the University of Tennessee in the early 2000s.

“I am excited to bring my experiences to Indiana and the Crimson Hawk family,” Gildea said. “I am grateful to Todd (Garzarelli) and the search committee, who introduced me to the campus during the interview process.”

“I am proud to formally welcome Patrick to the IUP department of athletics,” director of athletics Todd Garzarelli said. “I’m confident in Patrick’s ability to restore the national prominence of our cross country and track and field programs.”

Gildea helped both UT-Chattanooga men’s and women’s cross country programs to top-20 finishes in a very competitive NCAA DI South Regional this past fall. He’s recruited and mentored numerous student-athletes on the UT-Chattanooga rosters to personal records, all-conference honors and individual conference championship honors.

“Patrick is a very accomplished runner, recruiter and versatile coach who understands what it takes to build a championship culture without sacrificing a quality academic or student-athlete experience,” Garzarelli continued.

Individual accolades under the tutelage of Gildea include Ryleigh Simmons, who became the first-ever UTC sprinter to claim the 100-meter title for the Mocs. Lesley Boyd and Maddie Wheatcroft finished first and third, respectively, in the 5000-meter. Emma Thweatt earned Southern Conference all-freshman honors in the 10,000-meter during the 2025 outdoor season.

“Everyone had positive things to say about the IUP and the Indiana community,” Gildea said. “I believe that IUP is a place where student-athletes can thrive and be successful. I am looking forward to working with coach (Hanoj) Carter and our student-athletes, while continuing to build foundational relationships within our program.”

As a student-athlete, Gildea helped Tennessee to the 2002 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor Track and Field Championship.

He earned all-region honors in cross country in 2001 and 2002 and was named to the All-SEC Team. Gildea was named a SEC Cross Country Athlete of the Week and the Most Valuable Runner. He was one of two Vol runners to score in every race of the season. Gildea received the Vega-Watts Award given for the greatest sacrifice to compete for the team.

Following his collegiate career, he went on to compete professionally in track and field. He placed in the top-10 overall in numerous competitions in 2008 and 2009. Gildea achieved international recognition, selected for a pair of International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) World Championship events in 2006 and 2008. He finished seventh at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 10,000-meter run.

After running professionally, Gildea was a graduate assistant coach at Saint Francis University from 2010-2012, where he guided numerous student-athletes to All-NEC performances in both cross country and track and field. Following his time at Saint Francis, he was the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at West High School, in addition to his teaching duties from 2012-2020.

About IUP
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. As IUP celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2025 and through the Impact 150 comprehensive campaign, the university honors a legacy of educational excellence while looking to its next 150 years of student success, innovation, leadership in healthcare education, and public service.