IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), the sports boarding school that's been a mainstay in various MaxPreps Top 25 rankings over the past decade, is being sold to a private equity firm in a deal valued at $1.25 billion.
The school, which started in 1978 as the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, has become a powerhouse on the national high school sports scene as it added golf, baseball, basketball and football over the years. The Ascenders baseball team is ranked
No. 1 in the country, the football team has finished in the
MaxPreps Top 25 eight times over the past decade and its basketball team has sent dozens of players to college and the NBA. The school has various teams for each sport, including a national program as well as other regional squads.
Some of IMG's alumni include
Evan Neal of the New York Giants and Anfernee Simons of the Portland Trailblazers.
IMG Academy, which is being sold for a reported $1.25 billion, has been a mainstay in the MaxPreps Top 25 national rankings in many sports over the past decade. (Photo: Chris Hull)
The deal comes weeks after IMG owner Endeavor Group agreed to a $21 billion partnership agreement with WWE. Endeavor also owns UFC. The deal should close in the third quarter of 2023, according to media reports.
The IMG Academy deal with Sweden-based BPEA EQT includes the Bradenton campus, its sports campuses throughout the world and its online coaching and college recruiting businesses.
"IMG Academy is in a category of one for its combination of elite athletics and academics, as well as its legacy of developing superstar competitors in the game of life," said Mark Shapiro, president and COO of Endeavor, in a statement. "We're proud to have been stewards of this institution, driving growth and innovation, as well as expanding its facilities and offerings. IMG Academy is in great hands for its next chapter with BPEA EQT."
Andre Agassi, Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, and Serena and Venus Williams all trained at the tennis academy before it became IMG Academy.
