Latham advises on Rangers FC acquisition by 49ers

Redmont Capital is pleased to announce that Andrews Athlete has acquired Walters Incorporated, a leading provider of emergency preparedness and training solutions for athletic programs nationwide. Redmont Capital acted as exclusive financial advisor to Andrews Athlete in connection with this transaction. This acquisition enhances Andrews Athlete’s position in the athletic safety and performance sector, expanding its capabilities and national reach.

777 Partners acquired stakes in seven football clubs and got close to buying Everton. Its co-founder and finance director have now been charged with fraud — prompting questions about how sports investment really works. Read more: https://bloom.bg/47D0uVN 📷: Getty Images

Students for International Football Finance (SIFF) is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Blackbridge Sports LLC. This collaboration marks an important milestone in SIFF’s mission to bridge the worlds of finance and football. Through this partnership, SIFF will support Blackbridge Sports LLC in evaluating and executing a range of mergers and acquisitions across European football, providing research-driven insights and financial expertise. This collaboration also extends to joint work with two European clubs, further deepening SIFF’s practical involvement in the industry. The partnership will not only strengthen SIFF’s exposure to real-world transactions but also enhance its role as a platform for the next generation of professionals in football finance. By combining SIFF’s analytical capabilities with Blackbridge’s industry experience, the collaboration aims to contribute meaningfully to the evolving landscape of football club ownership and investment in Europe. Huge thanks to Alexander Jarvis for being so supportive of us along our journey.

The World Series matchup between the Dodgers and Blue Jays offers a window into the present and future of sports team ownership and financing. Both franchises tap deep into public and private capital. The Dodgers (Guggenheim Baseball Management) draws financial firepower from Mark Walter’s Guggenheim platform and his broader private-capital vehicles (TWG Global), which manage large pools of institutional capital (pension funds, endowments, and sovereign wealth funds). The Blue Jays (Rogers Communications Inc.) leverage a publicly traded company whose control is concentrated via the Rogers Control Trust, whose free float is held by institutional investors (mutual funds, pension plans, asset managers). 

Johnny Sexton swaps the rugby pitch for private equity with new Exponent role. Sexton will take on the role alongside his position as kicking coach for the Ireland national team. Exponent, founded 21 years ago by former 3i Group plc executives, has invested more than €1bn in Irish companies since 2012 and redomiciled its headquarters from London to Dublin two years ago. Led by managing partner Richard Lenane, Exponent recently closed its fifth fund at £900m (€1.04bn), backed by the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) and AIB. Read the full story behind Johnny Sexton’s transition into private equity and Exponent’s deepening Irish strategy: https://lnkd.in/dqu8bEnQ #PEInsights #privateequity #executive #peoplemoves

USL adds ex-Carlyle Group CEO as vice chair with eye toward new first division   The United Soccer League (USL), an organization that services most of lower-league soccer in the United States, has added a new investor with a big-money background.   BellTower Partners, a firm run by former Carlyle Group CEO Kewsong Lee, has made what the league has termed a “strategic investment,” with the view to strengthen the organization as it prepares to take on Major League Soccer directly in the coming years.   https://lnkd.in/gjsk_ak5   #usl #carlyle #privateequity #sports #soccer #investments First Inning Holdings

"What you're starting to see in soccer is I think the entry point has been a little bit easier as of late."   USMNT star Jozy Altidore talks about why ownership opportunities, especially in soccer, are becoming more accessible and appealing.   Catch the latest episode of Portfolio Players, presented by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley at the link in the comments.

Two of the topics I'm most passionate about: sports business and merger control. ⚽🔝 Club collaborations, especially around media and commercial rights, may need merger clearance. Brazil's investigation into #Libra and #LFU is a prime example. CADE is investigating Brazil's top football leagues over unnotified joint deals on media and commercial rights. These may qualify as merger-relevant concentrations, requiring prior clearance under Brazilian law. This case illustrates how merger control and gun-jumping risks are gaining traction in the sports sector. Merger control is not limited to (large-scale) acquisitions - even "simple" commercial agreements can trigger filing obligations and deserve a closer look. CADE's investigation could lead to substantial fines, sending a clear message that #antitrust enforcement is now firmly part of the #game. #sportmeetsantitrust #hlsports Hogan Lovells Germany

CVC lines up Ares Management for multibillion-pound refinancing of global sports empire. The refinancing, led by CVC’s Global Sport Group (GSG), will consolidate financing across its stakes in major sporting properties including Premiership Women's Rugby, the Six Nations Rugby, Spain’s LALIGA, France’s Ligue 1, and global volleyball and tennis assets. The deal is also expected to position CVC for a potential sale of a minority stake in GSG or a future listing. Goldman Sachs, PJT Partners, and The Raine Group are advising on the transaction. Marc Allera, former CEO of EE, has been appointed as chairman of CVC’s Global Sport Group, which was created to manage and scale the firm’s growing sports holdings. Explore how CVC and Ares are reshaping the economics of global sport through financial engineering: https://lnkd.in/dZ2Unrb7 #PEInsights #privateequity #refinancing #sports

Are football academies worth the investment? Developing talent is only half the equation - the real challenge is turning that investment into value on the pitch and in the transfer market. We have partnered with The Long Play, a sports business YouTube channel, as Jordan Macauley investigates the value of academies and we highlight how TransferRoom is helping clubs secure big returns on investment in their young talents. 👉 Take the story of Moisés Caicedo: In 2021, Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club needed the right loan move. Using TransferRoom, they secured a loan to K. Beerschot V.A.. Caicedo impressed, broke into the first team on his return, and within two years was sold to Chelsea Football Club for £115m. 📺 Watch the full video from The Long Play here: https://lnkd.in/eNZK36eH Ready to see how TransferRoom can help your club maximise academy ROI? Book a demo: https://hubs.ly/Q03LSP7m0.