GTCR Announces Partnership with Gary Swidler to Form Ascent Sports Group

Experienced Consumer Technology Executive to Build a Leading Youth and Amateur Sports Technology Platform

CHICAGO, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GTCR, a leading private equity firm, today announced that it has partnered with Gary Swidler, an experienced consumer technology executive, to form Ascent Sports Group, a new technology platform designed to improve experiences for athletes, families, coaches, teams, leagues and venue owners across youth and amateur sports.

GTCR is partnering with Mr. Swidler to pursue opportunities in a large, fragmented market where constituents often rely on multiple, disconnected solutions to participate in, follow, and engage with sports. Ascent Sports Group will focus on investing in products and services that simplify these experiences, improve accessibility, and better connect sports communities through technology.

Mr. Swidler will serve as Chief Executive Officer of Ascent Sports Group and will work closely with GTCR to identify, partner with, and build companies that enhance how youth and amateur sports are played, watched, and shared.

"Youth and amateur sports are a central part of family and community life, yet the technology supporting them has not kept pace," said Gary Swidler, CEO of Ascent Sports Group. "Families and athletes often juggle several platforms to watch games, track stats, communicate with teams, and stay connected to their sports communities. Our goal is to invest in products that bring these experiences together in a more intuitive and consumer-friendly way."

Mr. Swidler spent nearly a decade at Match Group, where he served as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and President. During his tenure, the company expanded globally and significantly scaled its portfolio of consumer platforms. Through its portfolio of apps, Match Group served approximately 100 million monthly active users around the world and was the recognized global leader in connecting people for romantic purposes. He brings deep experience building product-led businesses, improving customer engagement, and growing technology companies focused on long-term user value.

"Gary is a proven leader with a strong track record of building and scaling consumer technology platforms," said Stephen Master, Managing Director at GTCR. "Youth and amateur sports represent a large, under-served market, and we are excited to partner with Gary to build a next-generation sports technology and media platform focused on improving the consumer experience."

Michael Pappas, Director at GTCR, added, "GTCR is excited to bring its capital and operational resources to the highly fragmented youth and amateur sports ecosystem, supporting the development of technology that better serves athletes, families, and their communities."

About GTCR
Founded in 1980, GTCR is a leading private equity firm that invests behind The Leaders Strategy™ – finding and partnering with management leaders in core domains to identify, acquire and build market-leading companies through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. GTCR is focused on investing in transformative growth in companies in the Business & Consumer Services, Financial Services & Technology, Healthcare and Technology, Media & Telecommunications sectors. Since its inception, GTCR has invested more than $30 billion in approximately 300 companies, and the firm currently manages approximately $50 billion in equity capital. GTCR is based in Chicago with offices in New York and West Palm Beach. For more information, please visit www.gtcr.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.

About Ascent Sports Group
Ascent Sports Group is a newly formed technology and media platform established by GTCR in partnership with Gary Swidler. The company is focused on investing in and building products that enhance participation, engagement, and connection across youth and amateur sports. For more information, contact us at [email protected] or visit www.ascentsportsgroup.com.

GTCR Media Contact
Josh Clarkson / Ryan Smith / Peter Gavaris
[email protected] 

SOURCE GTCR