Lyle Ayes is the founder and CEO of Verance Capital, an investment firm focused on early and growth stage investment opportunities in the sports, media and live entertainment sectors. Lyle also serves as Vice Chairman of the Houston Dynamo, where he oversees the long-term strategy and business operations of the club and its affiliates.

Prior to launching Verance Capital, Lyle was an Operating Partner at RedBird Capital Partners, where he focused on deals in the sports and media sectors. Lyle previously served as Head of Sports Advisory for LionTree Advisors, a TMT-focused merchant bank. Earlier in his career, Lyle was a Managing Director of Evercore’s corporate advisory business and co-head of the firm’s Sports practice, as well as an Executive Director of Morgan Stanley’s Mergers & Acquisitions Department.

Lyle has also been a Forbes 30 Under 30 judge, and a featured panelist at the Bloomberg Sports Summit and MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.

Lyle received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Colorado where he graduated summa cum laude, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School where he graduated cum laude.