AUSTRALIA — SX Global, the promoters of the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), confirmed on Thursday the sale of its business to an investment group led by tenured sports investors Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori.
The pair join SX Global’s CEO Adam Bailey to form the new ownership and leadership group.
Louis-Dreyfus is a highly successful French businessman, who became the youngest Chairman in English football history when he purchased a controlling stake in former League One, now Championship club, Sunderland A.F.C. in 2022. He also has interests in the renowned French football club Olympique de Marseille and esports’ organization Ovation.
“I’m delighted to formally be involved with the FIM World Supercross Championship as part of the new ownership group,” said Louis-Dreyfus. “We’ve identified exciting opportunities for the burgeoning championship and can’t wait to further showcase the thrill of the sport and talent of these amazing athletes to more people around the world.
“While we aspire to expand and elevate WSX to become a globally renowned championship, we also recognize the need for immediate short-term changes to ensure a brighter future. There’s a lot of work to do, but we’re excited for the challenge.”
Sartori is a successful Uruguayan businessman, senator and co-owner of Sunderland A.F.C. alongside Louis-Dreyfus.
He is the President and founder of Union-Group, a privately owned investment firm that holds significant interests across an array of industries worldwide. He is also a board member and vice president of top French football club, AS Monaco FC.
“I’m incredibly excited to be involved in this fresh start for SX Global and the FIM World Supercross Championship,” said Sartori. “Supercross is an incredible spectacle with huge, huge potential. I’m very excited to get started on the task ahead, to grow the sport and showcase it to more fans and new locations around the world.”
As one of the original founders of SX Global and a long-time motocross and supercross industry executive, Bailey looks forward to joining forces with Louis-Dreyfus and Sartori.
He began his career as a competitive athlete and fan of the sport before founding multiple businesses in athlete management, sports marketing and event promotion. He also co-created Australia’s largest ever supercross event, the AUS-X Open.
He emphasized that WSX remains steadfast and is focused on driving the long-term sustainability and growth of the championship, enhanced by the backing and expertise of the new investor group.
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside Kyril and Juan on this new era for WSX, who share a genuine passion and transformational vision for the championship. Their commitment, experience and business acumen will be crucial in driving the next chapter of WSX,” said Bailey.
“We’re committed to build upon our knowledge and learnings over our short 18-month history to deliver the ultimate fan experience, and a world class racing championship for both athletes and fans.
“Our vision has always been to add value to the sport of motorcycling and complement its growth, globally — we have a number of plans and initiatives already underway that we look forward to sharing in due course,” Bailey continued. “We’d like to thank our fans, supporters, athletes and teams for their support since our inception and into this next phase of our progression.”