IMG Academy president, in rare comments, provides insight on $1.25B sale, future

At an event on Oct. 5, Brent Richard revealed how the headline-grabbing deal earlier this year wasn't necessarily planned.

By Amanda Postma
| 5:00 a.m. October 9, 2023
| 0 Free Articles Remaining!

Brent Richard, left, spoke about the sale of IMG Academy earlier this year during an event On Thursday.

Manatee-Sarasota

The future of one of Manatee County's largest and most prominent private employers — IMG Academy — coming off its blockbuster $1.25 billion sale is one part digital, one part physical.

That's a big takeaway from a rare glimpse into leadership's thinking at the sports academy and school with a global roster of superstars in multiple sports who have trained there. (That expansive list includes Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Serena and Venus Williams in tennis; Freddy Adu and DaMarcus Beasley in soccer; and Josh Hamilton and Ryan Zimmerman for baseball.)