YouTube comedy group Dude Perfect lands $100m backing from Highmount Capital
Dude Perfect posted their first video in 2009
US comedy group Dude Perfect, which has built a YouTube following of around 60 million subscribers with its sports-related video content, has secured an investment of over US$100m from private investment firm Highmount Capital.
Highmount said it is making a “nine-figure” investment in Dude Perfect, though it did not disclose the specific amount. C21 understands it will be between US$100m and US$300m.
The strategic partnership will see Dude Perfect use the capital injection to build a management team, add to its slate of projects, “expand beyond traditional platforms” and open headquarters in Frisco, Texas, where the group is based.
The headquarters will be used for content creation, community events with sports personalities, a retail store and spaces for podcasts and gaming. The group is also planning a multi-city international tour and will launch its own Dude Perfect streaming app, while it will also be the focus of an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary titled Dude Perfect: A Very Long Shot, set to premiere at the Dallas International Film Festival in April.
The five-member group, known for family-friendly content in the sports-adjacent space, has already built a robust revenue stream through partnerships spanning food and beverage, retail, merch and live events.
The members – Cody Jones, Garrett Hilbert, Tyler Toney, Cory Cotton and Coby Cotton – posted their first video in 2009 and since then their YouTube channel has racked up more than 17.2 billion video views.
Some of their most popular videos focus on ‘trick shots’ using objects like water bottles, ping pong balls and toy airplanes. Individual videos on these have racked up 461 million, 321 million and 255 million views respectively.
The deal with New York-based Highmount serves as further evidence that more traditional investment is beginning to pour into the YouTube creator space, and comes on the heels of Amazon’s US$100m deal with YouTube creator MrBeast and his production company.
Highmount Capital said it is focused on “early growth-stage and middle-market investments in transformative technology, media and growth-oriented platforms.”
Jason Illian, co-founder and general partner at Highmount Capital, said: “The Dudes have truly captured the hearts and minds of the next generation, pioneering the new creator-led media space and expanding far beyond video and traditional channels.”
“In addition to creating content that garners billions of views every year, which is an impressive feat on its own, the Dudes have built something even more valuable and that is trust – trust with families, brands and consumers of all ages and backgrounds.”
