Dan Leever & Leever Partners Acquire Ski Racing Media

Ski Racing Media officially announces that Dan Leever has acquired the assets of Ski Racing Media. A longstanding ski racing enthusiast and supporter, Leever will lead the next chapter of the storied digital media publisher.

Colorado-based Leever Partners is the firm responsible for the investment, of which Leever serves as Chairman. Leever will assume strategic and policy-level responsibility, while his associate Kris Ochs, President of Leever Partners, will take on day-to-day responsibility.

Claire Brown will continue to serve in her current role as COO of Ski Racing Media and Publisher of SkiRacing.com, along with the current staff.

Dan Leever. Image credit: Cantatore/NYSE Euronext

“I have long admired Ski Racing Media and used it as my bible early on in our family’s journey in ski racing, some 30-plus years ago.” said Leever. “Ski Racing Media represents an even more important voice as main line media have cut back in ski racing coverage.”

For the last 50 years, Ski Racing has been the industry-leading, English-language news source for alpine skiing. Ski Racing was led for most of its history by publishing veteran Gary Black Jr. until his passing in 2017. Since then, his wife Heather has stepped in and served as CEO and Managing Partner. Ski Racing Media would not have grown into what it has become without the leadership of the Black family.

“Ski Racing International has been an integral part of my life for the last 31 years,” reflected Black. “My late husband, Gary, purchased the publication in 1984 and built it from a broken down newspaper into the internationally respected online publication it is today. It was no small thing to say goodbye to this chapter for any of Gary’s girls, as in addition to my 11 years of employment, all three of his daughters also worked in some capacity for the publication. We are looking forward to seeing how Dan’s enthusiasm for the sport forwards the mission of Ski Racing. He has passion and experience and looks to carry on Gary’s legacy, and for that we are grateful.”

As winter approaches, Ski Racing Media will also begin the search for a full-time CEO. 

“We intend to invest such that our content is central to the ski racing community,” Leever continued. “We hope to hear from our many readers about the product that they would like to see. I deeply respect and admire the legacy established by Gary Black Jr. and his family, and will do everything we can to do it justice.”

The Leever Partners along with the Ski Racing Media team and the new CEO will spend the 2019-20 ski racing season developing a plan for an enhanced format that is planned to be introduced for the 2020-21 season. It will emphasize unique content focused on the people of ski racing, in hopes of giving readers deep insights into athletes and industry participants. Ski Racing Media’s content will also emphasize education, giving families a deeper understanding of the many roads that lead to fulfillment in the ski racing journey.

Editorial content will be at all times delivered with honest intentions and with a fair and balanced portrayal of the world of Ski Racing as we see it.

Leever Partners are also lead investors in SYNC Performance, a technical ski race clothing business, and The World Pro Ski Tour.