Billionaire, entrepreneur Mike Repole joins UFL ownership group

Mike Repole, a billionaire and entrepreneur who works closely with the NIL efforts at St. John’s, is joining the UFL’s ownership group. The league announced Repole’s addition in a Thursday press release.

Repole will lead the UFL’s business operations through his private equity firm, Impact Capital. He joins a coalition that includes FOX, ESPN and Dwayne Johnson on the league’s ownership group.

Repole founded companies such as vitaminwater, smartwater and BODYARMOR. He sold them for a collective total of $12 billion and is also the current majority owner of NOBULL, backed by Tom Brady. Repole has a net worth of $1.6 billion, according to Forbes.

“Football has clearly established itself as America’s most popular sport, with tremendous momentum and demand,” Repole said in a statement. “There’s no better time than now to build a strong, sustainable spring league that unites players, teams, and fans. I’m honored to join the United Football League’s ownership group as we work to create something truly lasting and game-changing.”

Repole is a St. John’s graduate and is a school donor. He also plays a key role with the school’s NIL, and Red Storm coach Rick Pitino credited him multiple times throughout the 2024-25 season as the program won the Big East and became a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

“I don’t get involved in the financial negotiations of any of that,” Pitino said last season during an appearance on Pardon My Take. “But if we need more money, I’ll call our guy Mike Repole and say, we need more money.”

In an interview with ESPN, Repole spoke about what he would change about the UFL as he joins the ownership group. He specifically pointed out venues and attendance as his top priorities while also calling for better atmospheres during games.

“The vibe hasn’t been to where it should be,” Repole said, via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “You can hear a pin drop when someone runs 80 yards. That’s not so good. Nobody wants to turn on the TV and see 10,000 fans in a 65,000-seat stadium. It’s like watching a COVID game.”

The UFL came about after the XFL and USFL announced their plans to merge in 2023. The league had its debut season in 2024, and the D.C. Defenders took down the Michigan Panthers in the 2025 title game last month.