The Sports Advisory Group maintains full service offices throughout the U.S. and Canada. Having regional associates within an easy commuting distance is particularly helpful for our sports clients. The regionalized approach allows us to better keep a pulse on local economies, demographics and activity within given markets, spotting trends, monitoring competition, while tracking all the “movers and shakers” within that region.
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Tommy George President & Managing Partner Frederick, Maryland Phone: (240) 409-6297 E-mail: TGeorge@TheSportsAdvisoryGroup.com Tommy joined The Sports Advisory Group as Senior Partner in 2015 and in 2019 he became the company’s President and Managing Partner after acquiring the firm from W.B. Grimes & Company. Tommy leads the firm’s sports M&A advisory practice, serving as an industry leader in sports mergers and acquisitions. The firm has specialized in M&A advisory across Minor League Baseball, minor professional and major junior hockey, independent professional baseball, professional soccer (in North America and across Europe), summer collegiate baseball, e-sports, and more. Since 2004, Tommy has also been a full-time ice hockey official, with experience in the American Hockey League, B1G and Hockey East (NCAA), ECHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). George has officiated six NCAA Frozen Four championships, three IIHF World Championships, Calder Cup and Kelly Cup Playoffs, and other IIHF events. In February of 2014, George was one of four Americans selected to officiate the men’s hockey tournament at the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Tommy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration – Sports Management from Western New England College (’07). Tommy resides in New Market, Maryland. |
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Bill Yates Senior Associate Fort Worth, Texas Phone: (817) 422-4241 E-mail: BYates@SportsAdvancement.com Bill spent fourteen seasons as a pro sports executive managing professional hockey teams throughout North America. His teams were consistently recognized as industry leaders for developing trendsetting marketing and operations strategies. Bill began his sports career with the Fort Worth Brahmas Hockey Team in the Central Hockey League. During his eight seasons in Fort Worth he advanced to the role of Executive Vice President. In 2005, Bill moved to Corpus Christi, Texas to serve as Assistant General Manager for the Corpus Christi IceRays. In 2006, Bill was named President of the Mississippi Sea Wolves (Biloxi, Mississippi) of the East Coast Hockey League. Bill oversaw the team’s return after a two year hiatus that came as the result of Hurricane Katrina. He was responsible for all business operations for the minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Most recently, Bill was a partner with Splash Management, a marketing strategy firm in Fort Worth, Texas where he still serves on the advisory board. Bill also serves in an advisory role with Sports Career Advancement a retained executive placement company focusing on the sports industry. Bill has developed two non-profit foundations benefiting families in Fort Worth and South Mississippi. He also serves as a mentor for the Career Transitions Workshops in Southlake, Texas. |
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Jesse Grant Senior Associate Fairfield, Connecticut Phone: (845) 612-9323 E-mail: Jesse@thesportsadvisorygroup.com Jesse joined The Sports Advisory Group in 2019 as an Analyst before earning a promotion to the role of Senior Associate in August of 2020. Since joining The Sports Advisory Group, Jesse has become one of the top sports M&A advisors in the country. He has successfully led several major projects for the firm, including the sale of MiLB clubs, NBA G-League teams, professional soccer clubs and more. Before joining The Sports Advisory Group, Grant spent over eight years managing clients in the sports, entertainment, and hospitality sectors, working for the Goldklang Group and TBT: The Basketball Tournament. He has led sponsorship, public relations, marketing, M&A, and business development initiatives for properties across Minor League Baseball, ESPN, NFL and NBA G-League. Jesse is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a degree in Sport Management. |
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Larry Grimes Founder & Advisor Gaithersburg, Maryland Phone: (240) 676-2262 E-mail: LGrimes@TheSportsAdvisoryGroup.com Larry served as President and managing partner of W.B. Grimes & Company from 1985 through 2019. After being approached by a media partner to assist in the sale of their sports team, Grimes saw a need for specialized M&A advisory serving the professional sports industry – with a focus on minor league sports. Thus, Grimes founded The Sports Advisory Group in 2006 and quickly became an industry leader – developing a reputation for being one of the most knowledgeable sports M&A consultants in the country. Larry has personally handled the sale of hundreds of sports teams and media properties with a strategic focus on relationship building, trust and integrity. Grimes has also provided consulting services to several start-up companies in the professional sports, golf, entertainment, digital media and broadcast industries. Grimes sports resume also includes 20+ years coaching basketball and women’s field hockey at the high school and D-III college level. |