What is the new Dave Checketts, Eccles family investment fund?
KEY POINTS Dave Checketts and Cynosure Group aim to raise $1.2 billion for sports-related investments. Checketts and the Eccles family have longstanding relationship and connection to Utah sports. Live sports revenues are expected to reach nearly $900 billion in the next decade. A full-circle moment, perhaps, was christened Monday when pro sports veteran and Utah […]
Dave Checketts and Cynosure Group aim to raise $1.2 billion for sports-related investments.
Checketts and the Eccles family have longstanding relationship and connection to Utah sports.
Live sports revenues are expected to reach nearly $900 billion in the next decade.
A full-circle moment, perhaps, was christened Monday when pro sports veteran and Utah native Dave Checketts and the Eccles family private investment firm Cynosure Group launched Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital, a joint venture aiming to raise $1.2 billion to back “high-potential sports opportunities.
Checketts and the Eccles family can trace their connection back to the advent of big-time professional sports in Utah. Spencer F. Eccles, then CEO and chairman of First Security Corporation, helped Larry H. Miller secure funding in 1985 to keep the Jazz in Utah in a deal that eventually led to Miller acquiring full ownership of the team.
At the time, Checketts was two years into his first pro sports gig with the Jazz, having become the youngest-ever NBA team president in 1983 at the age of 28.
A shared history of success
The ensuing decades saw the Eccles family support a myriad of sports venues and programs through their philanthropic arm and help bring the 2002 Winter Games to Salt Lake City as Checketts built a wide-ranging career as a top sports executive and investor. His tenure as Jazz president/CEO ran through 1990 before he moved on to take over as the New York Knicks chief executive and later became the president/CEO of Madison Square Garden from 1994-2001.
Along the way he founded the New York Liberty, one of the original WNBA franchises, and founded Real Salt Lake, Utah’s first Major League Soccer franchise. In 2005, the same year RSL began play, Checketts bought the NHL’s St. Louis Blues. Under Checketts’ leadership, RSL claimed its first (and so far, only) championship in 2009 when the team defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy to win the MLS Cup.
Then-Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts, right, hands player Kyle Beckerman his MLS Cup championship ring before Real Salt Lake’s game against the Seattle Sounders at the Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, Saturday, April 10, 2010. | T.J. Kirkpatrick, Deseret News
Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital says it already has deals in the pipeline and will be targeting investments across multiple segments of the sports industry, including:
Professional and collegiate sports teams
Sports leagues and governing bodies
Stadiums, arenas and other sports facilities
Sports technology and innovation companies
Media rights and broadcasting ventures
“This partnership is a dream come true for me, reuniting me with the Eccles family, who were key in keeping the Jazz in Salt Lake City, bringing the Olympic Winter Games to Utah in 2002 and building tremendous intercollegiate athletic programs in the state,” Checketts said. “By joining forces today with The Cynosure Group, we are creating a powerhouse entity with assets that will make us competitive on a global scale and will give us great opportunities to help shape the future of the industry right away.”
Last chapter of a storied career
In a Deseret News interview, Checketts said the idea to start a sports-focused investment fund has been on his mind since he and his wife completed a mission in London for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2021.
“When I came home I was close enough to retirement age that I started thinking about what the last chapter of my career in sports was going to look like,” he said. “I wanted to raise a significant fund and go after interesting investments in sport, but not just franchises, other assets in this industry.”
The last six years has evolved into a watershed moment for private equity investment opportunities in sports. From 2019 to 2024, all five major North American sports leagues have opened their doors to private investment and the business of live sports is booming.
According to a report from Buyouts, global sports revenues hit $463 billion in 2024 and are expected to reach $863 billion by 2033.
“Investments in the sports ecosystem have increased in recent years due to rising franchise valuations and media rights packages, emerging revenue streams like sponsorship, merchandising and gaming and the digitization of distribution,” Scott Marimow, Providence Equity Partners, told Buyouts.
A family that helped the ‘state of sport’
Spencer P. Eccles, managing partner and co-founder of The Cynosure Group and former executive director of the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development, noted in a Deseret News interview that the relationship between his family and Checketts goes back nearly five decades and the shared approach to business ventures makes for a natural fit.
“We’re bringing together two powerhouses with a shared vision, business acuity and track record of successes,” Eccles said. “We knew if we were ever going to partner Cynosure and the Eccles family with an effort in the sports space, it would be with Dave Checketts.”
Spencer P. Eccles speaks before a community forum about the 2034 Games at the Eccles Theater as members of the International Olympic Committee’s Future Host Commission, IOC, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic leaders visit in Salt Lake City on Thursday, April 11, 2024. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Eccles noted his family’s connection with sports, both in personal pursuits and financial support, goes back generations and focuses on “building individuals, building communities and building the state.”
Randal Quarles, chairman of The Cynosure Group and former vice chairman of the Federal Reserve, noted the sports investment realm is rife with both opportunity and earnings potential.
“Sports represents a unique asset class with tremendous growth potential,” Quarles said in a statement. “By partnering with Dave Checketts, whose expertise in building value across multiple sports properties is unmatched, we are positioning ourselves to capitalize on the most compelling opportunities in this dynamic market.”
Alexis Brown named CWSA Honda DII Athlete of the Year
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NEW YORK, NY – Alexis Brown has been named the NCAA Division II Athlete of the Year, as announced today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda. Brown will be recognized alongside the Class of 2025 Honda Sports Award winners and […]
NEW YORK, NY – Alexis Brown has been named the NCAA Division II Athlete of the Year, as announced today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.
Brown will be recognized alongside the Class of 2025 Honda Sports Award winners and the prestigious Honda Cup recipient on a live telecast airing Monday, June 30, 2025, at 7 PM ET on CBS Sports Network from New York City.
The fastest woman in NCAA DII history, Brown was named the USTFCCCA DII National Track Athlete of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons, winning the outdoor 100 and 200 meter titles and the indoor 200 meter title. She set new NCAA DII records in all three events, running 10.93 seconds in the 100, 22.35 in the outdoor 200, and 22.88 in the indoor 200. At the time of her 100 meter championship Brown had run the second fastest time in the world in that event.
Brown has won eight NCAA DII National Championships and is a 14X All-American. She has run the 10 fastest wind-legal 100 meter times in DII history, the three fastest indoor 200 meter times, three of the five fastest outdoor 200 meter times, and two of the four fastest 60 meter times. Brown becomes the fifth track and field athlete to win the award, and is the second consecutive after Minnesota State’s Denisha Cartwright won the award last year.
“This is an incredible honor for Alexis,” stated Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Bob Braman. “This goes beyond her being the greatest sprinter in DII history. Today, she’s being recognized as one of the absolute great student-athletes in the entire NCAA. Lenoir Rhyne and all of her coaches are extremely proud of her.”
Finalists for the 2025 DII Honda Athlete of the Year included Amely Bochaton (Golf, Wingate), Emilee Boyer (Softball, West Texas A&M), Olivia Henneman-Dallape (Volleyball, Ferris State), Peyton Howell (Lacrosse, Tampa), Lauren Kiley (Cross Country, Grand Valley State), Luna Mertens (Swimming & Diving, Lynn), Tara Oper (Women’s Soccer, Cal Poly Pomona), Ashleigh Simes (Tennis, Lee), Jady van Gils (Field Hockey, East Stroudsburg) and Nala Williams (Basketball, Cal State Dominguez Hills).
The CWSA, now in its 49th year, celebrates the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for their excellence in athletics, leadership, academics, and community service. Since its partnership began in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of award winners and nominees, supporting the growth and success of women’s athletics programs.
About Honda Corporate Social Responsibility and the Honda USA Foundation
For more than 65 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where its associates live and work. The company’s mission is to create products and services that help people fulfill their life’s potential, while conducting business in a sustainable manner and fostering an inclusive workplace. Advancing its corporate social responsibility, Honda and the Honda USA Foundation support this direction through giving focused on education, the environment, mobility, traffic safety, and community.
Santa Margarita’s Teagan O’Dell is the Orange County Girls Athlete of the Year – Orange County Register
Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now ORANGE COUNTY GIRLS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR 2024-25 Name: Teagan O’Dell School: Santa Margarita Year: Senior Sports: Swimming Notable highlights: Teagan O’Dell blazed to Orange County records in six of the eight individual events as a high school swimmer. One mark also set a […]
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ORANGE COUNTY GIRLS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR 2024-25
Name: Teagan O’Dell
School: Santa Margarita
Year: Senior
Sports: Swimming
Notable highlights: Teagan O’Dell blazed to Orange County records in six of the eight individual events as a high school swimmer. One mark also set a national record.
But when asked to pick the record that meant the most to her, the Santa Margarita senior navigates off the board to select a team accomplishment: the 400-yard freestyle relay during her freshman year at the CIF State championships.
“I knew with the girls that we had at the school, that was going to be a very, very fast relay,” O’Dell recalled of a national record-setting relay that included Macky Hodges, Teia Salvino and Justina Kozan.
“I look back at photos and videos of that record and I was just so happy that we put our minds to it, gave it our all and we were able to get under the record. I can’t believe that it was four years ago. I’m still in contact with the girls today.”
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Santa Margarita’s Teagan O’Dell races to a Division 1 record in the 200-yard individual medley at the CIF-SS swimming championships at Mt. SAC on Saturday, May 10, 2025. She touched in 1:53.43. (Courtesy of Alex Tolkachev)
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Relationships and racing for Santa Margarita. That’s what helped push O’Dell to a sensational high school career, which now includes her second Orange County Girls Athlete of the Year honor in three years.
This spring, the Cal-bound O’Dell set four county records as the Eagles defended their CIF-SS Division 1 and CIF State titles.
O’Dell broke the school and county record of Olympian Katie McLaughlin in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1 minute, 42.98 seconds. She also lowered her own county records in the 50 (22.17) and 100 freestyles (48.01), and 100 backstroke (50.82) in earning a fourth consecutive Orange County female swimmer of the year award.
O’Dell departed the high school ranks with county records in the 200 individual medley (national record 1:53.38), 50, 100 and 200 freestyles, 100 backstroke and 100 breaststroke (59.73).
The only individual county records that survived her run were Janet Evans’ legendary 500 free (4:37.30, 1988) and McLaughlin’s butterfly (51.53, 2015). Both those were national records at the time. Evans, of course, set multiple world records while attending El Dorado High.
“It’s worthy to compare (O’Dell) with the best ever (in Orange County),” former Mission Viejo Nadadores coach Terry Stoddard said.
O’Dell’s view of high school swimming often returns to her teammates and Santa Margarita co-coaches Rich and Ron Blanc.
“The relationships are always the most impactful in all areas of life,” she said. “People are what make the difference.”
Diversity in Aquatics Expands Water Safety Initiatives to the Caribbean, Transforms Lives Across the Diaspora
Diversity in Aquatics’ World Oceans Day event on Grand Anse Beach in Grenada. A young swimmer at the World Oceans Day event by Diversity in Aquatics in Grenada. Groundbreaking Program Reaches 150+ Youths as Organization Expands Life-Saving Mission from US to Caribbean NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, June 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ — In a powerful […]
Diversity in Aquatics’ World Oceans Day event on Grand Anse Beach in Grenada.
A young swimmer at the World Oceans Day event by Diversity in Aquatics in Grenada.
Groundbreaking Program Reaches 150+ Youths as Organization Expands Life-Saving Mission from US to Caribbean
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, June 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ — In a powerful demonstration of community-driven impact, Diversity in Aquatics (DIA) successfully launched its most enterprising international water safety initiative to date, imprinting water safety education on over 150 local children on the island of Grenada, while addressing the critical global crisis of drowning disparities affecting communities of color.
The historic World Oceans Day-timed program at Grand Anse Beach represented more than a single day of programming—it marked a pivotal moment in DIA’s expanding mission to eliminate racial and socioeconomic disparities in water safety education in the United States and across the African Diaspora.
“This is about more than sun and surf—it’s about empowering Grenadian youth with skills that save lives and build community,” said Dr. Miriam Lynch, Executive Director of Diversity In Aquatics. “Though having a close proximity to water, what we have realized is a lot of communities have a disconnect. In Grenada, a significant percentage of the island’s population does not know how to swim. For us, it was really important to bridge that gap to support the mission of teaching water safety while making a connection to the opportunities in aquatics with no borders.”
The comprehensive event featured ocean swim lessons, the island’s largest youth swim meet of the year, water safety workshops, CPR training, snorkeling and sailing coaching.
The organization’s latest initiative comes at a critical moment for water safety advocacy. Each year, approximately 4,000 people in the U.S. die from unintentional drowning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—with Black, Indigenous, and low-income communities disproportionately affected. After decades of decline, drowning rates began rising again following the onset of the COVID‑19 pandemic, widening racial and ethnic disparities nationally.
Globally, the crisis is just as alarming. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 300,000 people drown annually, with children among the most at risk.
The urgency to address this issue has only increased following the Trump administration’s recent decision to disband the CDC’s drowning prevention team, leaving a gap in federal research and support. Community-based organizations like DIA have become critical to filling that gap. Its culturally grounded approach offers a proven, community-centered model for change.
“We’re not just teaching swimming skills—we’re rebuilding generational relationships with water,” said Dr. Lynch.
INNOVATIVE, TRAUMA INFORMED APPROACH SETS NEW STANDARD What distinguishes DIA’s work is its recognition of the historical trauma surrounding water in communities of color. The Grenada event featured a powerful session led by Dr. Fran Jackson of Spelman College, exploring the lasting impact of the transatlantic slave trade. The discussion touched on cultural disconnection, shifts in family dynamics, and the deep trauma connected to water, especially comparing experiences in the U.S. and the Caribbean.
Following that, Thaddeus Gamory, founder of BlueMindfulness, took participants through a trauma-informed session of breathwork and ocean-based healing exercises inspired by ancestral water traditions. Designed for BIPOC communities, the session aimed to help people reconnect with water and begin releasing generational fears tied to that legacy.
This trauma-informed methodology, combined with practical CPR training, swim instruction and community engagement, created what local partners described as “a reclaiming of our relationship with the ocean.”
“There is so much potential for long-term impact and a seismic change in aquatics,“ said Gamory. “Everything starts with learning to swim and being safe in the water. We’re already contributing to it and the potential for it to grow is substantial – as a matter of fact, it’s already in motion.”
SCALING IMPACT THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Diversity in Aquatics has partnered with several organizations to raise awareness and expand equitable access to aquatics, working to eliminate disparities in drowning. In collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Olympic gold medalist Cullen Jones, the organization advances water safety education in historically underserved communities, breaking down systemic barriers and creating pathways for lifelong aquatic engagement.
DIA’s recent success in Grenada builds on a robust network of institutional partnerships that are reshaping aquatic education across the United States and beyond. HBCUs, too, are driving nationwide change in the water safety arena with national partnership launches including: -$1 million, 10-year USA Swimming partnership funding programs at Cheyney University, Norfolk State, Texas Southern and other HBCUs, reaching over 2,000 students -Howard University water polo team relaunch in 2024, supported by DIA and USA Water Polo -Historic American Red Cross partnership establishing the first Instructor Trainer Academy at an HBCU (Bowie State University), expanding certified -instructor pipelines in underserved communities -Annual HBCU Water Safety Festival convening students, alumni and experts for workshops and community engagement
MEASURABLE IMPACT AND FUTURE EXPANSION The organization’s data-driven approach demonstrates tangible results: -Over 2,000 HBCU students reached through swimming programs -150+ youth served in 4-hour, single-day Grenada event -Expanding Caribbean presence through local partnerships
“The most rewarding part is community and collaboration,” said Dr. Lynch. “To see people and organizations come together to give back to the youth, seeing the happy faces and proud parents has been the most rewarding for all of us.”
LOOKING AHEAD: A MOVEMENT BEYOND BORDERS As DIA expands its reach across the Caribbean and strengthens its U.S. institutional partnerships, the organization is positioning itself as a global leader in culturally-responsive water safety education. Its success in Grenada serves as a blueprint for future international expansion while deepening impact in historically underserved communities. The organization’s holistic approach—combining practical skills training, trauma-informed healing, community partnerships, and institutional change—offers a replicable model for addressing water safety disparities worldwide.
“The tides are turning,” Dr. Lynch concluded. “Through education, community, and culturally rooted care, we’re ensuring that water isn’t a barrier—it’s a bridge to empowerment, health, and generational healing.”
About Diversity in Aquatics: Diversity in Aquatics is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization committed to promoting equitable access, education, and leadership in aquatic spaces. From grassroots swim lessons to institutional partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and national organizations, DIA works to eliminate racial and socioeconomic disparities in water safety, ensuring that all communities can safely and confidently experience the power of water.
Jordan Cross Mel&N Media jordan@melandnmedia.com
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Fox takes over Mexico’s Caliente TV in bid to grow sports streaming footprint | News
Fox in the US has bought streaming platform Caliente TV Fox in the US has acquired Mexican sports-skewing channel and streaming platform Caliente TV, and appointed veteran executive Carlos Martinez to oversee the company’s broadcast strategy in Latin America. In his new role as executive VP and MD, Latin America, Martinez will oversee the transition […]
Fox in the US has bought streaming platform Caliente TV
Fox in the US has acquired Mexican sports-skewing channel and streaming platform Caliente TV, and appointed veteran executive Carlos Martinez to oversee the company’s broadcast strategy in Latin America.
In his new role as executive VP and MD, Latin America, Martinez will oversee the transition as Fox takes over Caliente and prepares to launch the service in Central America.
He has previously held executive roles at companies such as Turner Broadcasting System, Discovery and Fox.
His remit includes leading operations of the new Fox channels and platforms in Mexico and Central America, which are expected to employ more than 350 people.
Fox said the deal, financial details of which have not been disclosed, expands its sports broadcasting footprint in Mexico.
The company plans to develop a multi-platform business that will include the launch of a new pay TV channel and an SVoD platform, enabling it to produce and distribute around 3,000 hours of original sports content.
The deal also sees Fox take over Caliente’s lucrative portfolio of premium sports rights, which includes coverage of the English Premier League and FA Cup, the UEFA Champions League and France’s Ligue 1.
Fox is looking to bolster its digital sports content offering as streaming platforms continue to muscle in on the hotly contested sector. In the US in particular, streaming is becoming the favoured way to consume content. Earlier this week, a report from Nielson revealed that streaming has outpaced the combined share of broadcast and cable TV viewing for the first time in the US.
Fox plans to launch direct-to-consumer streaming platform Fox One later this year and already owns AVoD offering Tubi.
Martinez said: “Fox’s investment to acquire Caliente TV reflects our commitment to building a leading sports streaming business in Mexico with massive audience reach, a robust sports rights portfolio and an impressive roster of exclusive sports leagues and talent.”
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech Athletics announced its spring academic accomplishments Friday, which was highlighted by the highest spring semester GPA on record and the second-highest term GPA in history. Texas Tech recorded a 3.38 term GPA among its more than 400 student-athletes this spring, which narrowly trailed the department overall record of 3.39 that […]
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech Athletics announced its spring academic accomplishments Friday, which was highlighted by the highest spring semester GPA on record and the second-highest term GPA in history.
Texas Tech recorded a 3.38 term GPA among its more than 400 student-athletes this spring, which narrowly trailed the department overall record of 3.39 that was only this past fall. The successful semester raised the department’s cumulative GPA to 3.41, which is the highest on record, breaking the previous mark of 3.40 that was also set this past fall.
This is the 21st-consecutive semester Texas Tech’s student-athletes have boasted at least a 3.0 department GPA, continuing its trend of academic success. In total, 12 of 13 athletic teams finished with a spring term and cumulative GPA over 3.0 with three of those programs – women’s track and field, football and women’s basketball – recording the highest spring semester GPA on record. For the women’s track and field program, it was the highest term GPA on record, regardless of semester.
The Texas Tech men’s tennis team led the department with a 3.75 spring GPA followed by women’s golf (3.73), soccer (3.70), women’s tennis (3.57), volleyball (3.48), women’s track and field (3.46), men’s golf (3.46) and women’s basketball (3.37). The Texas Tech softball program, amid its eventual run to the championship series of the Women’s College World Series, notched a 3.33 term GPA and was one of eight programs with at least a 3.40 cumulative GPA.
Texas Tech had three teams – women’s track and field, men’s tennis and women’s basketball – post the highest spring cumulative GPA on record. The soccer program continues to boast the department’s highest cumulative GPA at 3.76 followed by women’s golf (3.70), men’s tennis (3.61), women’s tennis (3.59), women’s track and field (3.51) and men’s golf (3.49), volleyball (3.45) and softball (3.40).
In total, Texas Tech had 93 student-athletes – 25 percent of the population – record a perfect 4.0 GPA, its highest percentage on record for any term. Texas Tech also had 82 percent of its student-athletes – 309 in total – finish with at least a 3.0 term GPA, which, again, was the highest percentage on record. The list of accomplishments also featured 63 student-athletes on the President’s List and 92 student-athletes recognized on the Dean’s List.
Texas Tech capped the semester with 49 of its student-athletes across 12 sports earning their degrees. Among the new Texas Tech graduates, the group combined for an impressive 3.45 cumulative GPA. A full list of graduates is located below.
Texas Tech student-athletes have a dedicated staff at the Marsha Sharp Center who guide each student-athlete to success from the time of enrollment to graduation. The Marsha Sharp Center provides space for private study, computer labs, supplemental instruction classrooms and private conferencing areas for tutoring and mentoring appointments.
Note: For reporting purposes, the sport of track and field was combined into two teams based on gender, using rosters from indoor, outdoor and cross country seasons.
Football – Chief Collins, Gage Elder, Charles Esters III, Jackson Knotts, Jurrien Loftin, Behren Morton, Sterling Porcher, Charles Robinson, Caleb Rodkey, Cam’Ron Valdez
Men’s Basketball – Chance McMillian
Men’s Golf – Matthew Comegys, Baard Skogen
Men’s Tennis – Takeyasu Sekiguchi, Tyler Stewart
Men’s Track & Field – Tyler Stewart, Samuel Bennett, Garison Breeding, Stacy Brown Jr., Omamuyovwi Erhire, Demitrius Guerrero, Cole Omlin, Sincere Rhea, Oscar Rodriguez, Liam Walsh
Soccer – Faith Nguyen, Cassie Taylor
Softball – Erna Carlin
Volleyball – Emily Merrick
Women’s Basketball – Jordyn Merritt, Denae Fritz
Women’s Golf – Libby Fleming, Kylee Loewe, Chelsea Romas
Women’s Track & Field – Nakacee McNab, Destiny Smith, Fanny Arendt, Olivia Cade, Alyssa Colbert, McKenzie Davis, Victoria Gorlova, Alexis Ivy, Melanie Jacobs, Madeline McElroy, Edna Rotich, Sarah Zdansky