Momentous Sports Brings Big Names and Big Plans to Sporting JAX
GSL Sporting Club Jacksonville

Momentous Sports Brings Big Names and Big Plans to Sporting JAX

Published on September 12, 2025 under Gainbridge Super League (GSL)
Sporting Club Jacksonville News Release


ORLANDO, Fla. - Quarterbacks John Elway, Tim Tebow and Blake Bortles, along with Andrew Cathy, CEO of Chick-fil-A and grandson of the company's founder (invested through his private real estate firm, Four Stones, alongside other strategic partners), have partnered with Magnolia Hill Partners Family Office (MHP) to launch Momentous Sports, an Orlando-based investment platform.

The firm intends to invest in both professional teams and the real estate that surrounds them, with a focus on community and impact.

"Owning a team is great. Owning the land under it? Even better," said Elway, a Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback. "Momentous has a real strategy that combines both, and that is what drew me in. I have been around a lot of teams, buildings, and deals. Momentous is not just another sports investment platform. It is built by competitors, for competitors."

Momentous, founded by Marley Hughes, CEO of Magnolia Hill Partners, combines ownership in sports teams with investment in stadium districts and surrounding development. The strategy is designed to create long-term value that extends beyond the game and into the community.

"This is bigger than owning a team," Hughes said. "It is about taking care of the places where people gather, and doing it in a way that creates long-term benefit for the surrounding community."

The first major project is already underway. Momentous is a lead investor in Sporting JAX, a new professional soccer club in Jacksonville with both men's and women's teams. The club recently merged with Florida Elite's youth academy, creating a vertically integrated system that now supports more than 12,000 young players across North Florida.

Surrounding the team's future stadium, Momentous and its partners are developing a mixed-use district that will include housing, retail, and public gathering spaces. Designed to serve as a hub for both sports and community life, Sporting JAX represents a model for how teams and thoughtfully developed real estate can work together to create lasting impact. It is a blueprint Momentous intends to repeat, with the right strategic partners, in other cities where the power of sport can help shape stronger, more connected communities.

"I played this game at the highest level. Now I want to build at the highest level with people who understand what it takes," said Bortles, a former NFL and University of Central Florida quarterback. "Most athletes never get to see the ownership side. Momentous flips that script. It is smart, it is strategic, and I am all in."

Bortles continued, "From UCF to the NFL, it has always been about proving we belong. Momentous gives athletes like us a shot to build something more--ownership, legacy, and a seat at the table."

For Tebow, the decision to join the platform came down to values.

"I partnered with Momentous because of their commitment to building what truly matters--ownership, impact, and legacy, all driven by purpose," said Tebow. "This is not just about investing in teams or buildings. It is about creating opportunities for athletes, families, and communities to be part of something that lasts. Momentous reflects values I believe in deeply--purpose over hype, stewardship over short-term wins, and doing business the right way."

Alongside its athlete partners, Momentous has attracted support from several respected names in finance and real estate, including:

Four Stones, the private real estate investment office of Chick-fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy, which focuses on values-based real estate and long-term community assets.

John Shain, former co-founder of FS Investments (now Future Standard, with $86 billion in assets under management), known for expanding access to private markets and building scalable investment platforms.

Scott Friedman, investor and fintech builder, who was a founding team member and former President of Robinhood.

Momentous is exploring opportunities in multiple professional teams and mixed-use projects in both the United States and Europe. Hughes confirmed the platform has been in conversations with groups involved in recent MLB and NBA team transactions.

The Momentous team includes a mix of former athletes and business professionals, many with strong ties to Florida. Former UCF quarterback Kyle Israel is actively involved in operations and strategy, reflecting the hands-on, athlete-informed approach the firm is building around.

Dominyck Bullard, CEO and Founder of Athletiverse, a data-driven growth sports marketing agency, is powering the Momentous Sports digital media strategy.

"Florida is not just where this idea started. It is where we are already working," said Hughes. "With projects in motion across the state, this is the right place to show what a platform like this can look like when it is rooted in community and built for the long haul."

As the line between sports, development, and media continues to blur, Momentous is focused on building partnerships that last--bringing together athletes, investors, and city leaders to create places that matter.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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