Influence Sports & Media – part of The MISSION Group owned leading sports and entertainment marketing Agency Mongoose Group – is launching a permanent presence in the US. The move marks the latest step forward for Influence Sports’ global expansion, following its acquisition by MISSION in December 2022.
Headquartered in New York, the US branch of Influence Sports will be led by Managing Director, Dirk De Vos, who has previously held Senior Executive Commercial roles at Heineken, Diageo and Unilever.
Influence Sports has a wealth of experience and long-standing relationships in motor sport, sailing and pro-cycling, bringing expertise from topflight sporting events including Formula 1, the America’s Cup and the Tour de France.
This strategic move by Influence Sports comes in advance of a high-profile international sporting events calendar, scheduled to take place in the US in the immediate years ahead. These include the five Formula 1 Grand Prix in the region (Miami, Montreal, Austin, Mexico City and Las Vegas), the 2024 Copa América, the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. Influence Sports will focus on offering strategic consultancy, commercial sales, partnership activation and PR & communications.
Dirk De Vos, North American Managing Director at Influence Sports & Media, commented: “This is a very exciting opportunity given the significant popularity shift we’ve seen in the US for international sports. Given the momentum in the market, driven by the evolving preferences of fans and sponsors, there is a major opportunity for us to help companies to make sports part of their regional or global strategies.”
Alistair Watkins, Founder and CEO of Influence Sports & Media, added: “Since the inception of Influence Sports, I have wanted to open an office in the US, and now really is the right time given the rapidly growing Formula 1 fanbase. With the support of Mongoose and The MISSION Group, I’m delighted that we’re expanding into North America, and I’m excited for what the future holds.”
Chris O’Donoghue, CEO at Mongoose Group, said: “This is another important step for Mongoose Group in its global expansion, reinforcing our presence and capabilities in the rapidly evolving sports and media sectors with offices now in the US, UK and Singapore. With Dirk leading the North American division, we are now fully capable of offering a route to market for the growing number of US brands interested in traditionally European based sports.”
