BEN SUTTON confirmed that he has signed a five-year contract to stay at IMG College, where he will remain President and add the title of Chair. Sutton, who joined IMG in '10, decided not join the list of execs who have departed since the company was acquired earlier this year by William Morris Endeavor for $2.4B. Most recently, IMG Sports & Entertainment President GEORGE PYNE said this week he will leave to start his own sports and entertainment business, which will not compete with IMG. When WME bought IMG earlier this year, Sutton and Pyne were thought to be a package deal, but Sutton said he decided in recent months that he wanted to continue building the college business, which generated $478M in revenue last year. “I know it’s been widely reported that, if George leaves, Ben is leaving. But I love what we do,” Sutton said. “I’ve known about George’s plan for a while and, in fact, I’m an investor in it. But I really do love what we’re doing here. ... George has been at IMG longer than I have. I’m just not ready to walk away from it.” Sutton said he will seek someone to become IMG College’s president over the next few years.
