Versant's $530M Sports Tech Play
Versant Media Acquires Full Swing for $530M, Diversifying into Sports Tech
Key Points
Full Swing has expanded beyond golf to include baseball and other sports, offering data-driven performance technology and immersive simulation for consumers, venues, and professional use.
Gibson Dunn acted as Versant's legal advisor, Moelis & Company served as financial advisor, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP counselled Bruin Capital in the deal.
Full Swing CEO Ryan Dotters will remain with Versant and report to Will McIntosh, continuing leadership after the acquisition.
Bruin Capital originally acquired Full Swing in 2021 for about $160 million, a detail highlighted in coverage of the deal.
The deal is framed as part of Versant’s strategy to anchor streaming channels, FAST offerings, and direct-to-consumer experiences by integrating Full Swing with the Tiger Woods–backed golf league asset across its Digital Platforms and Ventures framework.
Versant Media Group has agreed to buy golf simulator company Full Swing for about $530 million in cash, according to TVNewsCheck. The deal marks one of the biggest bets yet by the Comcast spinoff to move away from its shrinking cable business.
Versant owns CNBC, Golf Channel, MS NOW, and GolfNow. It wants roughly half of its revenue to come from non-television businesses, Editor & Publisher reported. Full Swing fits that goal by adding sports technology and simulation to Versant's portfolio.
Bruin Capital Selling Full Swing at Big Profit
Bruin Capital bought Full Swing in 2021 for about $160 million, Sports Video Group reported. Versant is now paying $530 million — more than three times that price. Bruin Capital and a group of minority investors are all selling their stakes in the deal.
Tiger Woods is one of those minority investors, Yahoo Finance noted. Woods also backed TGL, the indoor golf league that uses Full Swing simulators. That connection makes Full Swing a key link between Versant's Golf Channel content and the growing world of tech-driven live sports.
Full Swing Goes Beyond Golf Into Broader Sports Tech
Full Swing started as a golf simulator company but has expanded into baseball and other sports, TVNewsCheck reported. It offers performance tracking, data tools, and immersive simulation for home users, venues, and pro athletes. That wider reach makes it more than just a golf product.
Versant plans to fold Full Swing into its Digital Platforms and Ventures division. Full Swing CEO Ryan Dotters will stay on after the deal closes. He will report to Will McIntosh, who leads that division, according to Sports Video Group.
Cable Decline Pushes Versant Toward Direct-to-Consumer Strategy
Versant was spun off from Comcast to hold its cable network assets. But cable TV audiences keep shrinking. Yahoo Finance reported that Versant is deliberately building new revenue streams to replace what it loses from traditional TV.
The company has already invested in StockStory, GolfPass, and GolfNow. Adding Full Swing pushes it further into streaming, ad-supported channels, and direct-to-consumer products. Versant wants to use Full Swing to anchor new digital and live-sports experiences across those platforms, Editor & Publisher reported.
Deal Expected to Close by End of 2026
The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026, pending regulatory approval, according to MarketScreener. Gibson Dunn served as Versant's legal advisor. Moelis & Company acted as its financial advisor. Kirkland & Ellis LLP advised Bruin Capital on the sale.
The closing timeline leaves room for regulators to review the deal. Once complete, Full Swing becomes a core part of Versant's push to build a sports and technology business that stands on its own — separate from the cable networks that defined the company at its start.
Sentiment
Mostly PositivePublishers
19
Articles
46
Reach
65
