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Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, built by Apollo's Josh Harris and David Blitzer.
Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment was formed in 2017 as the parent company for the sports and entertainment assets controlled by Josh Harris and David Blitzer. The two principals met at Apollo Global Management, where Harris co-founded the firm and Blitzer rose to senior leadership, generating the private equity fortune that underpins their investment activity. HBSE consolidates their marquee professional sports franchises alongside a growing suite of adjacent operating businesses. The firm's core is its franchise portfolio: the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) and the New Jersey Devils (NHL). This sports-anchored strategy extends into venue operations through the Prudential Center in Newark and the 76ers' training complex in Camden — integrating real estate and live-event revenue under one roof. HBSE also operates an esports franchise, Dignitas, and holds a stake in Elevate Sports Ventures, a consultancy co-founded with the San Francisco 49ers. The group has expanded into sports-adjacent technology and fan engagement platforms, reflecting a thesis that franchise valuations are increasingly driven by media rights appreciation and real estate development around arenas. The ownership group's scale extends beyond HBSE. Harris co-founded Harris Blitzer Alternative Investments (HBAI), a separate vehicle that allocates across private equity, credit, and real assets, and in 2023 led a record $6.05 billion acquisition of the NFL's Washington Commanders (per Bloomberg, 2023) — a deal structured outside of HBSE but indicative of the principals' deepening commitment to sports ownership. Blitzer holds minority stakes in multiple franchises including the Cleveland Guardians (MLB) and Crystal Palace FC (English Premier League). HBSE's architecture is distinct among sports holding companies. It is not a passive family office but an operating platform with direct management control over its teams, venues, and media partnerships. This vertically integrated model — owning the team, the arena, the adjacent real estate, and the business-services arm — allows the firm to capture value across the entire live-sports value chain, a structural posture that differentiates it from both pure franchise investors and conventional family offices.
General information
Firm type
Family Office
Year founded
2017
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Camden
Corporate office
Camden, NJ, United States
Principals
Josh Harris
Co-Founder
David Blitzer
Co-Founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who controls investment decisions at HBSE?
Josh Harris and David Blitzer are the founders and controlling principals. Harris also co-founded Apollo Global Management, where Blitzer worked for over two decades. The two operate as a partnership, with Harris typically taking the lead on marquee transactions — most notably his 2023 acquisition of the NFL's Washington Commanders through a separate investment group.
How does HBSE differ from a traditional family office?
HBSE is structured as an operating holding company, not a passive investment vehicle. It directly owns and manages professional sports franchises, arenas, and entertainment assets. While the principals' wealth originated from private equity, HBSE is a hands-on operator with management control over the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils — making it more akin to a vertically integrated sports conglomerate than a family office running a diversified portfolio.
Does HBSE invest outside of sports?
The firm's principal focus is sports and entertainment, but the founders maintain broader investment activity through separate vehicles. Josh Harris co-founded Harris Blitzer Alternative Investments (HBAI), which deploys capital across private equity, credit, and real assets. David Blitzer has a personal portfolio of minority sports investments including Crystal Palace FC and the Cleveland Guardians.
What is the relationship between HBSE and the Washington Commanders acquisition?
In 2023, a group led by Josh Harris agreed to purchase the Washington Commanders for a record $6.05 billion, the highest price ever paid for a sports franchise (per Bloomberg, 2023). That transaction was structured outside of HBSE through a separate ownership consortium. David Blitzer is not an investor in the Commanders group, formally separating the NFL asset from the HBSE portfolio.
What is Elevate Sports Ventures?
Elevate Sports Ventures is a sports and entertainment consultancy co-founded by HBSE, the San Francisco 49ers, and other partners. It provides revenue strategy, ticket sales, and sponsorship services to teams and leagues. The vehicle reflects HBSE's thesis that commercial operations expertise can be productized and sold to third-party franchises, generating non-franchise fee income.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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