Gerry Cardinale
Gerald Joseph Cardinale | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 8, 1967 Villanova, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, private equity investor, philanthropist |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Known for | Founder, managing partner, and chief investment officer of RedBird Capital Partners LLC; co-founder of Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network; owner and board member of AC Milan |
Gerald Joseph Cardinale (born May 8, 1967) is a prominent American entrepreneur, private equity investor, and philanthropist with multimillion-dollar ventures. He is the founder, managing partner, and chief investment officer of RedBird Capital Partners LLC.
Early life and education
Cardinale was born in Villanova, Pennsylvania and pursued higher education at Harvard University followed by Oxford University, where he was honored as a Rhodes Scholar. During his time at Harvard, he competed as a rower and later participated in Oxford's men's reserve crew during the 1990 Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race.
Following his studies at Oxford, he earned a fellowship that took him to Tokyo to work with the Japan Institute of International Affairs, an organization linked to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
Career
Cardinale launched his professional journey at Goldman Sachs in 1992. By 1994, he was part of the Merchant Banking Division, contributing to the expansion of investment activities across Hong Kong, China, and Singapore. After returning to New York in 1997, he achieved partner status in 2004. Throughout his tenure, he oversaw investments spanning multiple sectors and collaborated with entrepreneurs and family-run businesses to develop companies worth billions.
In 2001, he partnered with New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to establish the Yankees Entertainment & Sports ("YES") Network. Cardinale played a pivotal role in negotiating between the Yankees, Goldman Sachs, and other stakeholders, leading to the network’s acquisition by News Corporation in 2012 for $3.4 billion.
Additionally, Cardinale joined forces with the Yankees and Dallas Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones in 2008 to create Legends Hospitality.
RedBird Capital Partners
Following his departure from Goldman Sachs in 2012, Cardinale founded RedBird Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on investments in sports, media, entertainment, and financial sectors.[1] Among its notable holdings is the Italian Serie A football club AC Milan, where Cardinale acts as both owner and board member.[1] RedBird also owns shares in Skydance Entertainment, which is currently pursuing a merger with Hollywood studio Paramount Global,[2][3] along with stakes in Fenway Sports Group and the United Football League.[4]
In 2015, Cardinale collaborated with NFL franchise owners to launch On Location Experiences, which delivers exclusive live sports events. This venture was acquired by Ari Emanuel's Endeavor in 2020 for $660 million.[5] Despite this involvement, Cardinale has shown hesitation toward investing directly in NFL teams due to their elevated valuations, opaque financial disclosures, and limited influence associated with minority ownership.[6]
Beyond sports investments, Cardinale is engaged in film and television production. He co-founded Artists Equity alongside Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, releasing the film Air in 2023.[7]
Personal life and philanthropy
Cardinale lives with his family in Palm Beach, Florida. He holds board positions at the Mount Sinai Health System as well as the US Rowing Foundation.
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