The global sports agency behind the controversial LIV Golf series has made a strategic move into the world of polo, acquiring the organiser of London's prestigious Polo In The Park event.
A Strategic Acquisition for Global Expansion
54, the influential agency founded just ten years ago, has purchased Sportgate International, the company responsible for establishing the world's foremost annual polo tournament at London's historic Hurlingham Club. The deal is set to be formally announced today at the iconic venue.
Matt Selby, co-founder of 54, explained the rationale to City AM, stating that polo is a sport with deep cultural roots and growing global interest, yet is ripe for modernisation. The agency's broader strategy involves moving into specialist niche sports sectors to strengthen its commercial position and help these sports achieve greater sustainability.
"Sportgate have done such a phenomenal job at creating the world’s largest polo event in the heart of London," Selby said. "To partner on that and then look into the future as to how polo stands up and what opportunities would be similar to London in other markets was really exciting for us."
Leveraging LIV Golf Expertise for Polo
This acquisition continues the rapid ascent of 54, which gained global notoriety through its central role in creating the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit, featuring major stars like Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. The agency now plans to apply its advisory, planning, and operational expertise to the polo vertical.
Rory Heron, founder of Sportgate, will help run 54's new polo division. He acknowledged the limitations of a small agency, despite having built a leading London summer event. "Our aim has always been: how do we do it globally?" Heron stated. "We’ve had a stab at it, and we’ve done it quite well in Dubai, but quite well is not really good enough."
Heron emphasised that the event's success is about more than sport; it's about luxury lifestyle and format—a parallel with 54's approach to LIV Golf. He believes the partnership is perfectly timed, as the luxury lifestyle market is booming, and 54's international network is essential for global replication.
Targeting New Markets from the Middle East to the Far East
The combined entity has already identified key growth markets for polo, with the Middle East, Far East, and South America top of the list. New international events could be launched as early as next year.
While Sportgate already operates a polo event in Dubai, the alliance with 54, which has offices in strategic global locations, is seen as the key to elevating the offering and creating successful luxury lifestyle events in other world cities. The focus will be on exporting the successful London model, which blends elite sport with high-end networking and brand platforms.
This acquisition marks a significant step in 54's ambition to diversify its portfolio beyond golf and become a dominant force in the commercialisation of traditional, niche sports on a worldwide scale.
