Patrick Whitesell Launches New Football Representation Firm, WIN Sports Group

Patrick Whitesell has launched WIN Sports Group, a new, independently owned football representation firm built to serve athletes, coaches, and leaders.

Whitesell, who previously co-founded WME and Endeavor Holdings, where he was co-CEO and executive chairman, is also the founder and chief executive of a new operating and investment platform backed by Silver Lake, which invests across media, entertainment, and sports. That was part of an overarching transaction that saw leading stakeholder Silver Lake take Endeavor private recently.

“As football continues to expand in global reach, commercial value, and cultural significance, WIN Sports Group will support clients on and off the field. Today’s top talent is focused on contracts and opportunities directly tied to the game, as well as building careers, businesses, and platforms for influence that reach beyond the field. With a team experienced in both elite representation and long-term strategic planning, WIN is built to help clients turn contract, brand, and business opportunities into lasting career value,” today’s announcement said.

The new company is the former football division of WME Sports and with the same senior team.

“There’s never been a more important time to help football players think and act like owners,” said Whitesell. “The ambition we’ve seen reshape music, film, and digital culture is now playing out in sports. WIN is built to help athletes navigate that shift and create lasting value.”

The NFL the company noted, is the most financially dominant standalone sports league with some of the most valuable teams in the world, with its presence now spanning more than 20 international markets and growing. In the U.S. last year, three-quarters of the 100 most-watched TV broadcasts were NFL games, including the entire top ten. The league saw nearly 9% revenue distribution growth last year, and the salary cap is projected to continue growing.

Likewise, college football is accelerating in influence through major media deals, realignment, and expanded player opportunity.

Against this backdrop, WIN plans to combines elite representation with strategic support across brand, business, media and long-term career development to “evaluate business ventures, and build platforms that extend beyond the game. At WIN, performance and potential are treated with equal weight, ensuring athletes are supported in the moment and positioned for what’s next.”