The exodus from sports agency WME | IMG continues, as the President of IMG Sports and Entertainment, George Pyne, recently departed the company. Pyne will remain a senior advisor to WME | IMG for an unknown number of future months. However, in the mean time, Pyne is hoping to raise $500 million to acquire companies in the sports and entertainment industries.
“It has been an honor to work for IMG, the greatest sports marketing company in the world, and a privilege to collaborate with so many talented men and women, whom I would like to thank for the invaluable experiences we have shared. I would like to also thank the amazing clients I have worked with over the years,” said Pyne. “Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell are entrepreneurs and dynamic leaders whom I greatly respect and admire, and I look forward to collaborating with them as I take this next step. I will outline the goals and objectives of my new venture at the appropriate time.”
“George has been a true partner to us these past few months and we’re grateful for all he has contributed to the company and our industry as a whole,” said Ariel Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell, co-CEOs of WME | IMG. “We look forward to working with him in this next chapter.”
After the $2.4 billion merger with WME last December, some of IMG’s top-level executives have left the agency — including Marketing Agent Alan Zucker and CFO Peter Klein — which has left many to wonder what the future looks like for WME | IMG.