OTRO CAPITAL, a sports-focused private equity firm based in New York, has closed its inaugural sports fund, Otro Capital Fund I, with $1.2 billion in committed capital to Fund I and its affiliated investment vehicles.
Per an official release, Fund I represents the largest first-time, dedicated sports buyout fund ever raised globally, supporting Otro’s differentiated investment approach in the sports industry. Investors in the fund include a global group of leading pension plans, retirement systems, wealth platforms, endowments, foundations, family offices, and strategic investors.
Founded in 2023, Otro Capital was built by a team with deep experience across both institutional investing and operating sports businesses. Founding partners Alec Scheiner, Brent Stehlik, Niraj Shah, and Isaac Halyard have worked together for the past decade and bring complementary expertise across professional sports operations, private equity investing, and company building.
Collectively, their experience spans major global professional sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Formula 1, English Premier League, Indian Premier League), as well as businesses supporting the broader sports ecosystem (U.S. Players Associations, sports analytics, marketing, licensing, youth sports, media, ticketing, entertainment, and stadium infrastructure).
“Our primary goal is to treat sports properties like real businesses,” said Scheiner and Stehlik. “We are confident that sports assets and adjacent businesses, around the world, will continue to disproportionately capture peoples’ attention and loyalty. We believe we can increase existing revenue streams, tap into new ones, and even create wholly new business models. Our investors backed us because they believe we are differentiated in the sports ecosystem. And, we have been able to consistently partner with premium rights holders and world class founders in the industry because we speak their language and have lived their operational challenges.”
Since launching Fund I, Otro has deployed capital across multiple investments, including Alpine Racing, one of only 11 Formula 1 teams globally; Two Circles, a leading fan engagement and sports data platform; and FlexWork Sports, a fast-growing youth sports event and marketing business.
