Three-time NBA All-Star & Former No. 1 Overall NBA Draft Pick Ben Simmons Leads Ownership Group of South Florida Sails Angling Club

The Simmons-led Sails partner with former White Marlin Open winners to purchase SFC's South Florida team. The Atlantic Division now features eight clubs representing coastal communities from the Florida Keys to Massachusetts.

DALLAS, Dec. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sport Fishing Championship (SFC) announced today that Three-time NBA All-Star and former No. 1 overall draft pick Ben Simmons has purchased an ownership stake in the South Florida Sails Angling Club, joining a growing group of entrepreneurs and sports figures investing in professional offshore fishing.

A native of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Simmons' love for fishing began when his family relocated to Newcastle, New South Wales. Moving to that coastal town was the beginning of a lifelong passion for fishing that Simmons continues to this day. Selected first overall in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons is a former NBA Rookie of the Year and three-time All-Star, who has also played for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers.

"I have always believed that investing in what you love means you have a responsibility to help move it forward," South Florida Sails co-owner Ben Simmons said. "Sportfishing has given me incredible experiences, and SFC is creating a platform that treats offshore fishing like the elite sport it is."

Meet the Ownership Team

Joining Simmons at the ownership table for South Florida Sails Angling Club are a supporting cast of power players from diverse business backgrounds:

Brad Adam brings more than 25 years of experience in real estate development and investment, who also founded Xotic Outdoors: an apparel brand focused on hunting and fishing culture. His long-standing passion for the outdoors and experience building lifestyle-driven brands will support the club's long-term growth, fan engagement initiatives, and on-water competitive vision. Adam was an angler with team "Dream Time," winners of the 2014 White Marlin Open.

Colten Adam adds an entrepreneurial and operational perspective, with a background spanning capital markets, private equity, and multi-industry business development. Colten worked within a family office focused on financial services and real estate development before co-founding and acquiring companies across automotive, manufacturing, and real estate investment sectors.

Zach Smith brings an entrepreneurial and operational background, with more than a decade of experience in the steel industry. A graduate of Mississippi State University, Smith was a four-year letterman on the university's football team and is the founder and owner of multiple steel-related companies. A member of the Blount County Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, Smith's leadership experience, competitive mindset, and passion for fishing and the outdoors will support the club's culture, performance standards, and community engagement initiatives.

Hunter Huddleston contributes institutional investment and strategic growth expertise to the South Florida Sails ownership group. An entrepreneur and investor with a background in private equity, private credit, real estate, and operational management, Huddleston previously worked at a private investment firm managing more than $94 billion in assets, where he focused on infrastructure and social infrastructure investments.

Full Sail(s) into 2026

South Florida Sails Angling Club, previously operated by the league, competed in SFC's first two Atlantic Division stops of the 2025 season. SFC Commissioner & CEO Mark Neifeld announced in May that the club was open for competitive bidding as part of the league's ongoing expansion.

"Ben Simmons is a wonderful addition to SFC's club ownership group, which includes premier athletes and entrepreneurs who are leaders in their respective fields," said SFC Commissioner and CEO Mark Neifeld. "What unites all of our owners is a genuine love for fishing; they are all members of this same diverse community of watermen and women who want to share this sport with the world."

Simmons' entry into SFC ownership also aligns with his broader investment interests in technology, lifestyle and sport-driven ventures, including esports organizations and the recent launch of his own fishing apparel brand, Reel One Fishing Club.

"South Florida Sails Angling Club allows me to advocate for the sport, support its athletes, and help take sportfishing to the next level," Simmons said. "Inspiring generations of future anglers starts with building a platform they aspire to compete in."

SFC boasts an ownership roster of elite athletes and performers, including world No. 1 PGA golfer Scottie Scheffler, GRAMMY-nominated country music star Brian Kelley, Pro Bowl NFL running back Raheem Mostert, two-time NASCAR Daytona 500 Champion Austin Dillon, LIV Golfers Talor Gooch and Harold Varner III, and NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss.

As the league prepares for continued growth across its divisions, the addition of Simmons and the expanded South Florida Sails ownership group underscores the league's momentum and its commitment to building a world-class competitive platform for offshore sport fishing.

About Sport Fishing Championship
Founded in 2021, Sport Fishing Championship (SFC) is a competitive sportfishing league of 16 professional angling clubs, competing internationally across North America. SFC's celebrity-driven club ownership table includes accomplished athletes and entertainers such as Scottie Scheffler, Austin Dillon, Raheem Mostert, Talor Gooch, Harold Varner III and Brian Kelley. SFC aspires to grow the sport by focusing on engaging fans through innovation and building community.

SOURCE Sport Fishing Championship