KemperSports has acquired Fire Pit Productions, which will become a subsidiary of KemperSports. Fire Pit Productions Founder Matt Ginella will serve as KemperSports’ chief storyteller.

In a media release, Kemper Sports said, “Ginella and Fire Pit Productions will produce video and print content for KemperSports by highlighting the charm and interest of KemperSports’ 200+ golf properties, athletic facilities and live events.”

Additionally, Ginella and Fire Pit Productions will continue to serve their current clients, including Youth on Course, Areté Collective, Pasatiempo, Meriwether Companies, Cross Harbor, Tourism Ireland, and Gamble Sands Waste Management.

“Golf has a 500-year-plus history of great stories and legends, and no one is better at telling those stories and capturing the soul of the game than Matt Ginella,” said Steve Skinner, CEO, KemperSports. “His unique style and passion for golf and sports produce content that really connects. And KemperSports has some of the most amazing people and places in the sports world, and we are excited for Matt to help share their stories and grow their business.”

After pivoting from a media company in 2024, Ginella, a former Golf Channel on-air travel personality, created Fire Pit Productions and resumed his vision of a production company that has shared  print, video and podcast content since 2020.

“I remember reaching out to Steve Skinner when I was working for Golf Digest and telling him: ‘I know I’ll work for KemperSports one day,’” says Ginella. “And in a sense, I have been working with them at places like Bandon Dunes, Chambers Bay, Streamsong, and countless other destinations for a better part of 25 years. I’ve always admired their people, ethos, style, and growth. In my mind, joining this team at this time has been in the works for a long time. This is an ideal opportunity to continue to grow together.”

Ginella reportedly started in the golf industry as a photo editor with Sports Illustrated in 1996 before serving as the director of Photography at Golf Digest and Golf World magazines in 2001. After earning his Master’s in Journalism from Columbia University in 2003, he became the travel editor for both magazines in 2007, where he reported on destinations, developments, architecture, buddies’ trips, and experiences. He started his on-air television career in 2013 as Golf Channel’s Travel Insider and one of the co-hosts of “Morning Drive,” while also hosting “Ginella’s Journeys,” a travel show.

Images courtesy KemperSports/LinkedIn