MSG Sports owns and operates professional sports franchises, including the New York Knicks (NBA) and the New York Rangers (NHL). It also manages development teams (Westchester Knicks in the G League and Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL) and Knicks Gaming, an NBA 2K League esports franchise, plus the Madison Square Garden Training Center. The company’s teams compete at Madison Square Garden, use the in-house training facility for conditioning and performance, and generate revenue from games, media rights, sponsorships, and talent development. Its goal is to win championships, grow its brand, and deliver premier sports and entertainment experiences to fans.
Company Size
201-500
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
New York City, New York
Founded
2010
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SilverEdge cooperative. TKO Group stock: is TKO underperforming the Communication Services Sector? Neha Panjwani Barchart Mon Sep 28, 3:44AM CDT TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (TKO), headquartered in New York, provides sports entertainment services, as well as focuses on organizing live events. Valued at $34.6 billion by market cap, the company is also involved in the merchandising of video games, apparel, equipment, trading cards, memorabilia, digital goods, and toys. Companies worth $10 billion or more are generally described as "large-cap stocks," and TKO definitely fits that description, with its market cap exceeding this threshold, reflecting its substantial size, influence, and dominance in the entertainment industry. TKO's strength lies in its portfolio of dominant brands, UFC and WWE, which combined drive significant media rights, live event revenue, and global sponsorship deals. Despite its notable strength, TKO slipped 19.5% from its 52-week high of $226.94, achieved on Feb. 26. Over the past three months, TKO stock declined 10.4%, underperforming the State Street Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF's (XLC) 7% gains during the same time frame. In the longer term, shares of TKO fell 12.6% on a YTD basis and dipped 6.7% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming XLC's YTD losses of 4% and 3.5% over the last year. To confirm the bearish trend, TKO has been trading below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages since early July, with some fluctuations. TKO's underperformance stems primarily from governance and legal overhangs, elevated valuation sensitivity, and earnings volatility, despite solid fundamental revenue growth. Although the business continues to generate strong top-line momentum from live events and media rights, sentiment has been persistently weighed down by shareholder litigation related to the WWE-UFC merger, high-profile insider selling by executives, and persistent quarterly earnings misses, such as its Q2 results failing to meet Wall Street EPS expectations. TKO's rival, Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (MSGS) has taken the lead over the stock, with a 55.8% gain on a YTD basis and an 81.5% uptick over the past 52 weeks. Wall Street analysts are bullish on TKO's prospects. The stock has a consensus "Strong Buy" rating from the 24 analysts covering it, and the mean price target of $228.55 suggests a potential upside of 25.1% from current price levels. On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
Sandro Salsano, founder of Salsano Group, has acquired a minority stake in Madison Square Garden Sports Corp., which owns the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. The investment comes as MSG Sports prepares to split the two franchises into separate publicly traded companies by the end of October 2026, pending league and other approvals. Salsano, who played professional basketball in Italy before his business career, called the Knicks "one of the most iconic franchises in the world." He added that "basketball shaped who I am long before business did." The separation is expected to make each franchise easier for investors to value independently. Salsano Group invests globally in private equity, venture capital, and technology.
JPMorgan has valued the New York Knicks at $11.75 billion following a record Lakers transaction, creating a notable gap with Madison Square Garden Sports' market capitalisation of approximately $9.8 billion. The comparison is significant because MSG Sports owns both the Knicks and the NHL's New York Rangers. The valuation follows an agreement by Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner to acquire the Lakers at $12.5 billion. JPMorgan analyst David Karnovsky cited the Lakers as the most relevant comparison for the Knicks given their large media market and similar revenue structure. MSG Sports' fourth-quarter revenue rose 37% to $278.7 million, driven by playoff revenue, league distributions and sponsorship. However, the Knicks are not currently for sale, meaning the elevated valuation does not directly translate to shareholder value.
Madison Square Garden Sports Corp reported total revenues of approximately $1.2 billion for fiscal year 2026, with adjusted operating income of nearly $59 million. Fourth-quarter revenues reached $278.7 million, up from $204 million in the prior year period. The Knicks' NBA championship win drove record playoff gate revenues and merchandise sales. Event-related revenues increased 43% year over year to $200.7 million, whilst suites, sponsorship and signage revenues rose 23% to $39.1 million. The company announced plans for a proposed spin-off of the Rangers business to enhance strategic and financial flexibility. Season ticket renewals are expected to exceed 90% for both teams combined. Looking ahead, Madison Square Garden Sports anticipates higher team compensation, luxury tax and revenue sharing expenses in fiscal 2027, plus a potential incremental tax expense of approximately $60 million in fiscal 2028.
New executive additions will lead LOVB Pro's next phase of growth. LOS ANGELES, CA - July 28, 2026 - League One Volleyball (LOVB) today announced three senior leadership appointments for LOVB Pro as the league prepares for its third season and expansion to 10 professional markets. Tiffany Reaves has been named Chief Marketing Officer, LOVB Pro, Kinsey Powell Fleming joins as Chief Financial Officer, LOVB Pro, and Mma Afoaku has been appointed Chief of Staff, LOVB Pro. Together, the three executives bring experience building and scaling some of the most recognized organizations in sports, entertainment and finance, including Madison Square Garden Sports, the New York Knicks, City National Bank and the National Women's Soccer League. The appointments come as LOVB continues to invest in the long-term growth of its professional league while expanding the only volleyball ecosystem that connects youth clubs, collegiate athletes and the professional game under one national brand. Entering its third season, LOVB will feature 10 professional teams while continuing to build a model that develops athletes, grows fans and elevates volleyball at every level. "We're building a league designed to last, and that means investing in world-class leadership as aggressively as we're investing in our athletes and our fans," said Sandra Idehen, Commissioner of LOVB Pro. "Tiffany, Kinsey and Mma have each helped scale some of the most respected organizations in sports. Their experience will be instrumental as LOVB expands to 10 markets and continues building the premier professional volleyball league in the United States." Tiffany Reaves named Chief Marketing Officer, LOVB Pro. As Chief Marketing Officer, Tiffany Reaves will lead LOVB Pro's integrated marketing organization, overseeing brand strategy, fan acquisition and engagement, content, consumer marketing and league-wide campaigns. Reaves joins LOVB following a 15-year career with Madison Square Garden Sports, most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Retail Strategy, where she led marketing and brand strategy for the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. During her tenure, she helped strengthen the Knicks' global brand, leading campaigns that drove fan engagement, commercial growth and cultural relevance. She previously held leadership roles in global partnerships, community relations, and fan engagement. Earlier in her career, she managed global marketing for the Levi's and Converse Kids businesses at Haddad Brands. "I'm excited to join LOVB at such a pivotal moment in the league's journey," said Reaves. "What drew me to this organization is the opportunity to help build something truly unique in sports, a league centered on athletes, communities and a complete pathway from youth volleyball to the professional game. The opportunity to shape the future of volleyball is incredibly exciting." Kinsey Powell Fleming named Chief Financial Officer, LOVB Pro. Kinsey Powell Fleming joins LOVB Pro as Chief Financial Officer, bringing more than a decade of finance and banking experience advising professional sports organizations, franchises and ownership groups. Most recently, Powell Fleming served as Vice President of Corporate Sports Banking at City National Bank, where she specialized in complex financing and strategic advisory work across major North American sports leagues. At LOVB, she will oversee the organization's financial strategy and operations as the league continues to scale. "Volleyball has all the ingredients to become the next major professional league, and LOVB has built a strong foundation to make that vision a reality," said Powell Fleming. "I'm excited to help strengthen that foundation as the league continues to grow, creating new opportunities for athletes, fans and the next generation of leaders in the sport." Mma Afoaku named Chief of Staff, LOVB Pro. Mma Afoaku joins LOVB Pro as Chief of Staff after serving as Chief of Staff for the National Women's Soccer League, where she helped drive league-wide strategy and operations during a period of significant growth. At LOVB, Afoaku will partner closely with the executive leadership team to advance strategic initiatives, strengthen organizational alignment and support the league's continued expansion. "LOVB has created a truly differentiated model in professional sports," said Afoaku. "The combination of elite competition, community connection and a clear pathway from youth to the professional game creates enormous opportunity. I'm excited to help the organization continue building for the future."