Key Takeaways
- SPIRE Academy appoints Drew Green as Chairman and ownership group member; Green raised over $100 million for INDOCHINO and expanded the brand into 50 countries.
- Current and former pros including Joe Flacco, Brian Westbrook, and Ray Lewis have invested more than $5 million in SPIRE to date.
- The Geneva, Ohio campus spans 800 acres and 850,000 square feet of athletic and academic facilities across multiple sports.
- SPIRE signed a $6 million, five-year partnership with Vensure Employer Solutions and serves as primary sponsor of Kaulig Racing’s No. 16 car at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31.
- Men’s basketball finished No. 4 nationally in Kevin Boyle’s first season; the women’s program reached the national title game with standout Saniyah Hall signing with USC.
A Chairman With an Operator’s Background
Drew Green steps into the Chairman role at SPIRE Academy with more than 25 years of building companies across North America. He secured over $100 million for INDOCHINO across the past decade, scaling the custom apparel brand from an online concept into a global operation selling into 50 countries. His career spans ad-tech, fintech, ed-tech, ecommerce, retail, real estate, AI, and sports, with recognition including EY Entrepreneur of the Year, Retailer of the Year, and the 2025 King Charles Coronation Medal.
Green also served as the first Chairman of the Canadian Elite Basketball League and is a co-owner of the league and the Scarborough Shooting Stars. He has invested in more than 100 private companies and real estate assets across Canada and the United States. His connection to SPIRE is also personal: one of his sons is coached by Kevin Boyle, first at Montverde and now at SPIRE, while another son competed against Boyle’s Cooper Flagg-led Montverde teams while at Prolific Prep and just finished his freshman season on a full basketball scholarship at Florida Atlantic University.
Athlete Investors Anchor the Ownership Group
Green is also joining the SPIRE ownership group alongside a growing roster of athlete-investors. NFL quarterback Joe Flacco, former NFL standout Brian Westbrook, and NFL Hall of Famer Ray Lewis, together with other current and former athletes, have invested more than $5 million in SPIRE to date.
“It’s not just about facilities or exposure, it’s about real development: coaching, structure, and an environment that prepares athletes for the next level,” said Flacco, framing his stake as both player perspective and investor positioning in the growing youth and international sports market.
Westbrook described the academy as integrating performance, education, and global competition. “SPIRE stands out because it’s not just training players,” he said, citing the platform’s appeal as the youth sports development market matures.
Commercial Momentum and On-Field Results
This past year, SPIRE signed a $6 million, five-year partnership with Vensure Employer Solutions. The academy will also appear as a primary sponsor of Kaulig Racing’s No. 16 car at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31, putting the brand on the NASCAR Cup Series stage.
Athletic results have tracked the commercial growth. The men’s basketball program finished No. 4 nationally in its first season under Kevin Boyle, and the women’s program finished as national runner-up with standout Saniyah Hall signing with USC. SPIRE athletes in soccer, track and field, swimming, and wrestling have also continued to earn national recognition and collegiate opportunities.
What Green’s Appointment Signals for the Academy Model
The combination of an operator-Chairman, a multi-sport athlete-investor base, a multi-year corporate partner, and Top 5 athletic results positions SPIRE as one of the more institutionally backed academy platforms in the country. Managing Partner Jonathan Ehrenfeld framed the appointment as part of a broader national platform play at the intersection of sport, education, and long-term development. As the youth and post-secondary academy market continues to attract capital, SPIRE’s 800-acre Geneva, Ohio footprint and growing investor base give it a distinct asset profile in an otherwise fragmented competitive field.
Source: SPIRE Academy, May 19, 2026
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