Business · Companies · 11 hrs ago
RedBird creates Milan sports group with NBA Europe plans
RedBird Capital has created Milan Sports & Entertainment to bring its sports and entertainment investments in Milan under one company.
The group includes AC Milan and is led by Brett Yormark, who is due to leave his role as Big 12 Conference commissioner at the end of January 2027.
RedBird wants to explore buying a Milan team for NBA Europe, a league the NBA is planning for the future.
The company is also considering a new sports and entertainment destination in San Donato, along with opportunities in tennis, hospitality and merchandise.
A possible NBA team could bring a major new venue: founder Gerry Cardinale says RedBird plans a 20,000-seat arena if it buys a team.
The company also includes RedBird's planned involvement in a stadium being built with AC Milan's rival, Inter Milan.
RedBird is preparing the company for a possible stock-market listing, though Cardinale said a listing is not essential and gave no timetable.
RedBird Capital has created Milan Sports & Entertainment (MSE), a holding company for its current and future sports, infrastructure and entertainment investments in Milan.
MSE will be led by Brett Yormark, who is due to leave his role as Big 12 Conference commissioner at the end of January 2027.
The company aims to assess owning a Milan-based basketball franchise in the NBA’s planned European project.
AC Milan will remain central to the group, which also plans to develop sports, hospitality, merchandising and entertainment businesses.
RedBird founder Gerry Cardinale is preparing the company’s structure with a possible future stock market listing in mind.
- Who
- RedBird Capital, founded by Gerry Cardinale, created Milan Sports & Entertainment.
- What
- MSE will group RedBird’s Milan investments and explore a Milan-based team in the planned NBA Europe.
- When
- RedBird announced the company on November 13, 2026.
- Where
- Milan, Italy.
- Why
- To bring together sports, infrastructure and entertainment investments and develop a broader platform in the city.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
RedBird announced the creation of Milan Sports & Entertainment.
Brett Yormark is due to leave his role as Big 12 Conference commissioner.
- New holding company
- Milan Sports & Entertainment (MSE)
- Chief executive
- Brett Yormark
- NBA Europe ambition
- Assess owning a Milan-based franchise
- Planned arena
- 20,000 seats, east of Milan, if the team acquisition proceeds
- Potential listing
- Cardinale is designing MSE’s structure with a possible stock market debut in mind
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What people are saying
Today we are applying this experience on a different scale: not to one club, one sport or one venue, but to an entire city and to a portfolio spanning sport, lifestyle and entertainment
It is not essential at all, but I am designing the structure with that possibility in mind
Milan is currently the most dynamic city in Europe. It is the epicenter of the fashion industry. RedBird will drive the convergence between sport, Hollywood and fashion
Europe is arguably about 20 years behind the United States, and there is a huge opportunity that is not going to disappear. In fact, the process will only accelerate because of streaming and the globalization of broadcast rights