The Power Of Partnerships

They say good things come to those who wait, but for Matt Wiener, jumping on the express ride to the top of a lucrative industry worth us$68 billion sounded like a better idea.

- Mike Huynh

Sitting in his sunny Los Angeles home fiddling with a succession of Zoom backgrounds that includes palm trees and a view from his office, Matt Wiener is one of the most unassuming faces in the lucrative US$68 billion sponsorship market for global sports and entertainment.

For starters, at 32 he’s far too young to be at the top of his game.

“I joke with people about my age but it rings true where all my grey hairs are,” he laughs. “I feel like I’m in my 50s. I definitely have some laps under my belt.”

HIDDEN VALUE

At Innovative Partnerships Group (IPG360) – of which Wiener is Vice President – the executives are responsible for generating billions of dollars in long-term revenues across its senior leadership team and portfolio clients. It’s an impressive feat considering the small LA-based company is only three years old and has already partnered with some of the world’s most recognisable names across sports, entertainment and music. The firm’s specialty comes from connecting buyers and sellers with a solution-led and business-first approach to partnerships. Think matchmaking for brands and properties.

The Circuit of the Americas – home to a bevy of sports giants including Formula One’s US Grand Prix, Major League Soccer, and Olympic–National governing bodies – are just some of the long-term projects that IPG360 represents. Its latest, however, could be its most ambitious yet, as it involves one of the world’s most prestigious sporting franchises.