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Key people at IMG Academy.
IMG Academy is a comprehensive sports education organization based in Bradenton, Florida, operating a 600-acre campus that combines a boarding preparatory school for grades 6-12 and postgraduate students with elite athletic training across multiple sports. The organization serves over 150,000 student-athletes and 40,000 coaches annually through on-campus programs, sports camps, online coaching, and professional athlete training. Approximately 1,000 student-athletes reside on campus, with IMG Academy participants filling 25% of college freshman roster spots. Private equity firm BPEA EQT acquired the organization from Endeavor in June 2023 for an estimated $1.25 billion. Notable alumni include tennis legends Andre Agassi and Venus Williams. Founded as the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in 1978 by Hall of Fame coach Nick Bollettieri.
Key people at IMG Academy.
IMG Academy is a premier private boarding school and sports education brand in Bradenton, Florida, offering holistic development for student-athletes through on-campus boarding, camps, online coaching, and recruiting services.[1][2][5] It serves over 150,000 student-athletes annually worldwide, combining elite sports training in tennis, football, basketball, soccer, golf, baseball, lacrosse, track and field, and cross-country with rigorous academics and personal growth programs to prepare them for college and life.[2][4][5] The academy solves the challenge of balancing high-level athletic training with education by providing a flexible, online-accessible curriculum that prioritizes daytime sports focus, fostering elite performance and life skills.[3][5]
Under CEO Brent Richard since 2020, IMG Academy has scaled from a campus serving 1,000 students to a global brand with digital expansion, partnerships like Nord Anglia Education, and ownership by investors including EQT, Patricof Co, and Weatherford Capital following a 2023 sale from Endeavor.[2][4][5] In the 2024-25 school year, it achieved record academic honors, athletic wins, and alumni success, including Olympians at the Paris Games.[6]
IMG Academy began in 1978 as the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, founded by renowned tennis coach Nick Bollettieri in Bradenton, Florida, to train young tennis players in a focused, intensive environment.[1][2][3] In 1987, sports and entertainment giant IMG purchased it, expanding offerings in the 1990s and 2000s to include golf, soccer, baseball, basketball, and briefly hockey, while adding a boarding school in 1999 and renaming it IMG Academy in 2012.[1][3]
Football's addition in 2010 marked a pivotal shift, propelling rapid growth from 190 to nearly 600 acres, with further expansion planned, as its high school team became a national powerhouse.[3] Recent evolution under CEO Brent Richard includes digital scaling, global partnerships, and the 2023 ownership transition to education-focused investors, transforming it from a tennis camp into a multi-sport education leader serving 150,000 student-athletes.[2][4]
IMG Academy rides the trend of digital education and sports tech, blending edtech platforms for online curricula, coaching, and recruiting with AI-enhanced training to make elite sports development scalable and accessible globally.[2][4] Timing aligns with post-pandemic demand for hybrid learning and youth mental health focus through sports, amplified by market forces like rising college recruiting via data analytics and the $500B+ global youth sports industry.[5] It influences the ecosystem by setting standards for holistic athlete prep—shaping pro pipelines, inspiring edtech innovations in personalized learning, and partnering with global education brands to export U.S.-style sports academies internationally.[2][4][6]
IMG Academy is poised to dominate as the world's top sports education brand, expanding online reach, adding sports and facilities, and deepening partnerships to serve millions while elevating its Bradenton campus.[2][4] Trends like AI-driven performance analytics, VR training, and global youth sports growth will fuel this, potentially evolving its influence toward pro athlete development and community initiatives via its foundation.[5] As digital scale meets proven outcomes, it will redefine how sports unlocks life success, building on 2024-25 records to forge more champions prepared for college and beyond.[6]
