NEW YORK, January 7, 2020 – GF Sports, a live events and sports media entertainment company, announced today the hiring of Rich Lisk as Executive Vice President. Lisk brings more than 25 years of experience in the sports marketing industry to GF Sports, including leadership positions with professional sports teams in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) and Arena Football League (AFL).
“Rich brings a wealth of experience on the business and operations side running professional sports teams and providing first-class entertainment experiences that will be invaluable as we look to elevate and expand GF Sports collection of premier live sports and entertainment properties and events,” said Gary Fuhrman, Managing Partner at GF Capital and Board Member of GF Sports. “GF Sports is at an exciting time of growth, and we are very pleased that Rich is joining our team to help lead further success and expansion.”
In his new position, Lisk will provide sales, marketing and operations leadership across all GF Sports properties. GF Sports’ growing portfolio of live sports and entertainment properties and events includes the New York Riptide (NLL), ATP World Tour tournaments the New York Open and BB&T Atlanta Open, and the Wolf Pack Ninja properties, which produces ninja events globally. The NLL awarded the New York franchise to GF Sports in December 2018 and the Riptide is currently playing its inaugural season.
“This is an incredible opportunity, and I could not be more excited to join a premier sports and live event company like GF Sports,” said Lisk. “Gary Fuhrman and Erik Baker have shown such passion and energy in all of their sports and entertainment properties and I look forward to working with them to grow GF Sports. I would also like to take a moment to thank the Mohegan Sun Organization and the ownership group – Mike French, Brad Brewster and Ted Goldthorpe – for the opportunity to help build and run the Black Wolves.”
Prior to joining GF Sports, Lisk was General Manager for the New England Black Wolves (NLL). During his tenure, the team went to the playoffs four consecutive seasons and Inside Lacrosse recognized Lisk as its 2016 General Manager of the Year for his work. In addition to his time in the NLL, Lisk was a General Manager of the Philadelphia Soul (AFL) and President and General Manager of the East Coast Hockey League’s Trenton Titans, an affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL). Lisk is a graduate of Rutgers University.
About GF Sports
GF Sports is a live events and sports media entertainment company created by New York-based private equity firm GF Capital Management & Advisors, LLC. Formed in July 2015, GF Sports owns two of the ATP World Tour’s longest running American tournaments, the New York Open and the BB&T Atlanta Open, as well as the New York National Lacrosse League expansion team. In addition, GF Sports is partnered with the American Kennel Club (“AKC”), the leading registry and governing body of canine events in the United States, to further develop and expand AKC’s “Meet the Breeds” event platform. GF Sports also incubates new and emerging sport concepts utilizing its global expertise and network to help develop niche sports. Such concepts include Wolf Pack Ninjas, which operates ninja-focused events globally. Veteran sport, media and entertainment executive Hank Ratner is a co-investor with GF Capital across the company’s various sports properties.
GF Capital makes control-oriented, growth capital investments in branded consumer product and media companies, and its investments have included a number of sports and live entertainment companies. These include Repucom, a global leader in sports measurement, evaluation and intelligence, which was sold to Nielsen in 2016 and Blue Man Group, the world-renowned entertainment company which was sold to Cirque du Soleil in 2017.
For additional information, please visit www.gfcap.com.