With an inaugural season set to run from March to October 2027, the Premier Jumping League (PJL) is positioned as a global showjumping competition aiming to redefine the sport through elite team competition, record-breaking prize money, and a sustainable professional model for riders.
Backed by McCourt Global and shaped by leaders from equestrian sport, international competition, and entertainment, the PJL will bring together the world’s top riders and horses to compete across 14 iconic venues in Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
Featuring 16 teams, an innovative rider selection process, and a guaranteed $300 million prize pool, the PJL combines world-class athletic performance with premium entertainment. It aims to open the sport to new global audiences while honouring its heritage — and helping to create a more resilient, long-term financial model.
Backed by McCourt Global
The PJL is supported by New York-based investment firm McCourt Global, whose portfolio spans real estate and infrastructure, sports, technology, and media. In the sporting arena, the company owns French football club Olympique de Marseille.
“For far too long, many of the world’s best riders have been forced to choose between pursuing their talent and passion and building a sustainable career,” said Frank McCourt, Founder and Chairman of the PJL.
“The PJL is changing that by creating a clear and viable path for athletes to earn a great living by competing at the highest level, without compromising the traditions and values that define jumping. By aligning opportunity with performance and commitment, we are reshaping the future of the sport and empowering its most talented athletes to devote themselves fully to excellence.”
In 2016, McCourt co-foundered Global Champions League with Jan Tops, and also owned and franchised the Miami Celtics show jumping team for multiple seasons. From 2014 to 2022, McCourt was a shareholder in the Global Champions League and Tour (McCourt co-founded GCL with Jan Tops) and franchised the Miami Celtics team.
Ride to Survive?
The PJL aims to blend sport with premium entertainment through a free-to-view broadcast model, alongside a partnership with Emmy Award-winning documentary production company Box to Box Films.
While a PJL documentary series hasn’t been directly confirmed, it is certainly an exciting prospect. Box to Box Films is behind several high-profile series, including Drive to Survive, which significantly boosted the global profile of Formula 1 in recent years.
Athlete backing
The PJL already appears to have strong support from elite riders, including Olympians Laura Kraut and Scott Brash.
“An Olympic gold medal is the greatest thing you can achieve in the sport. Yet for jumping athletes like me, the commercial opportunities often don’t follow,” says Laura Kraut, a gold medal-winning rider. “The gap between what athletes achieve and what they’re able to build tells you everything about the sport’s limited infrastructure to convert elite achievement into recognition and reward. I welcome the PJL’s values to reform this model in a way that drives revenue opportunities for all involved.”
Fellow Olympic gold medallist and current World No. 1 Scott Brash is equally keen to see the sport evolve.
“With horses — and in our sport especially — learning never stops. One of my biggest goals is to help move the sport forward, creating a better environment for athletes, horses, everyone involved, and those who follow along. I believe the PJL gives us a meaningful platform to have these important conversations. Competing at the highest level comes with enormous costs, and for most riders, securing financial support while dedicating the necessary time to the sport is a constant balancing act.
“What makes the PJL so impactful is that it rewards riders in a way that allows us to truly prioritize both our own well-being and that of our horses — making full-time training and proper rest possible. That’s something genuinely groundbreaking.”
