Brett Yormark will become chief executive of Milan Sports & Entertainment, Sports Business Journal reports, citing the Financial Times. The new holding company will run the Milan-area sports and entertainment interests of Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital Partners. Source
He isn’t clearing out his conference office just yet. Yormark intends to remain with the Big 12 through Jan. 31, 2027, before beginning the new position, SBJ reports. Source
Sportico reports that the new company will encompass AC Milan, its proposed stadium, a possible NBA Europe franchise, a tennis venue and associated businesses. Source
According to SBJ, Cardinale is AC Milan’s controlling owner and has led efforts on a proposed 71,500-seat venue. There’s a basketball-sized asterisk: the publication also reports that he wants to build a separate 20,000-seat venue should he bid for an NBA Europe team. Source
Cardinale’s pitch reaches beyond match days. “The ability to comingle sports and Hollywood and fashion is going to be something RedBird is going to drive,” he told the Financial Times, as quoted by SBJ. Source
SBJ reports that Yormark joined the Big 12 from Roc Nation in 2022, secured media-rights agreements with ESPN and Fox, and brought his music connections into conference events. Those included Nelly performances at the football championship and Shaquille O’Neal appearing as DJ Diesel at the men’s basketball tournament. The sports-meets-show-business pitch should not require much translation for a commissioner whose events already had a DJ Diesel slot. Source
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