Bruin Capital takes ‘significant’ stake in ‘Drive To Survive’ prodco Box To Box

Drive To Survive (Source: Netflix)

US-based Bruin Capital has taken an undisclosed minority stake in Drive To Survive producer Box To Box Films after making a reported £30m ($38m) investment in the UK company.

The prodco, which was launched in 2016 by James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin, will use the financial injection to expand its senior management teams in LA and London, as well as self-financing projects.

It will also explore scripted opportunities and M&A, with Gay-Rees, Martin and MD Sam Lawrence, the former Monkey exec who joined the Box To Box in 2022, retaining their roles.

The size of the investment from Bruin, which is led by George Pyne – a former exec at sports agency IMG, has not been revealed but has been described as “significant” by Box to Box. The Financial Times reported that the investment totalled “about £30m”.

Sports docs as marketing

The success of Netflix’s Drive To Survive as a marketing tool for Formula 1 has seen a raft of sports access docs being commissioned over recent years.

Box To Box has found itself at the centre of this demand and is behind shows including a new Netflix show exploring professional athletics, as well as surfing series Make Or Break, golf’s Full Swing and tennis series Break Point.

Bruin is not the first investment firm to see the upside of investing in such prodcos, either, with Peter Chernin’s The North Road Company picking up Jason Hehir’s Little Room Films last year.

Hehir is the director of Netflix and ESPN docuseries The Last Dance, which was produced by Words+Pictures, itself brought under the North Road umbrella last year.

Gay-Rees and Martin said Bruin’s investment would allow Box To Box “to take the next step in realising its huge potential to become the definitive sports entertainment company globally while continuing to produce best-in-class non-sport content.”

“To execute this next growth phase called for a partner who understood our business and brought complementary resources and track record that would excite the industry as well as creative partners. Bruin is that and more, and we’re thrilled to be working with George Pyne and the team.”

Pyne added: “On top of being world-class storytellers, the team’s ability to turn insider’s access into definable business growth and meaningful value creation is why everyone in the industry is looking to work with them.

“Now, it’s about having the capital and flexibility to create multiple lines of sustainable growth businesses, which is where we come in.

“Besides being fans of their work, we see limitless potential for the company to capitalise on a gamut of opportunities with athletes, teams, leagues, federations and brands for collaboration and business development.”