Weekend Sports Roundup: Key Sports Headlines in the Private Equity Realm
In a significant move for the UK's sports industry, Powerleague, the country's largest five-a-side football operator based in Paisley, has announced plans to introduce padel tennis to nearly half of its sites. This expansion comes following a major investment deal, with Broadsword Investment Management acquiring a majority stake in the company.
The deal, valued at an undisclosed amount, will accelerate Powerleague's growth and diversification into new sports. Powerleague currently operates 43 clubs across the UK, catering to over 9 million annual customers, and manages over 250 third-party venues offering football and netball.
Collegiate Investment Initiative and WRC Promoter Deals
Meanwhile, in the world of college sports, a new fund, known as the Collegiate Investment Initiative, has been launched with a target of $500m. This fund aims to provide long-term capital and strategic support to universities navigating the transition to a student-athlete revenue-sharing model.
Separately, EQT, a Swedish private equity firm, is reportedly preparing a bid worth approximately $675m to acquire WRC Promoter, the commercial rights holder of the World Rally Championship (WRC). If successful, this would mark a rare move by EQT into the global sports sector.
The Global Sports Investment Landscape
Recent years have seen significant investments in sports entities, with major financial institutions and private equity groups playing a leading role. Notably, JPMorgan Chase has been at the forefront of these investments, advising on multi-billion-dollar deals and financing efforts.
For instance, they advised on the $10 billion sale of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025, a deal that surpassed the Boston Celtics' $6.1 billion sale earlier that year. JPMorgan also led a $650 million loan package for Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami soccer club, funding a new 25,000-seat stadium that was completed in 2026.
Parallel to this, CVC Capital Partners is consolidating one of the largest private-equity-owned sports portfolios globally. Through its new entity SportsCo, CVC holds stakes in major leagues such as Six Nations, Premiership Rugby, top French and Spanish football divisions, international volleyball, women’s professional tennis, and the Indian Premier League.
Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) are also increasingly investing in sports franchises, with the NBA and Major League Soccer allowing significant SWF equity stakes. European football, however, continues to scrutinise multiclub ownership, with UEFA imposing competitive restrictions and approving blind trust structures to manage conflicts.
On the technology front, 2025 has seen growing investments in athlete monitoring tech, AI-enhanced translation tools, and innovations aimed at enhancing fan and athlete engagement in emerging sports leagues. New sports ventures like the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), Snow League, and TGL are attracting venture capital focused on creating new revenue streams and fan experiences.
With such investments, the landscape of significant sports investments in 2025 is characterised by record-setting team sales, large financing deals for stadium and district redevelopments, consolidation and refinancing of multi-league portfolios by private equity, expanding sovereign fund participation, and accelerating innovation in sports technology and new league development.
Ishbia's Chicago White Sox Acquisition
In another major sports deal, Justin Ishbia, founder of Shore Capital Partners, has agreed to acquire a controlling stake in the Chicago White Sox for approximately $1.8bn. Ishbia has already bought out a number of minority investors and will begin injecting capital into the team this year and next to help reduce debt and support operations.
Controlling ownership could be transferred to Ishbia as early as 2029, or he has the right to acquire Jerry Reinsdorf's majority stake if no sale is finalised by the end of the 2034 season.
As these deals demonstrate, the sports industry continues to attract significant investment, with a diverse range of players entering the market and driving growth and innovation.
- The private-equity firm, Broadsword Investment Management, recently acquired a majority stake in Powerleague, a UK-based five-a-side football operator, valuing the deal at an undisclosed amount.
- This investment deal will accelerate Powerleague's growth and diversification into sports like padel tennis, as part of their expansion plans to nearly half of their sites.
- Powerleague, with operations in 43 clubs across the UK, aims to cater to over 9 million annual customers and manage over 250 third-party venues offering football, netball, and soon, padel tennis.
- A new fund, the Collegiate Investment Initiative, has been launched with a target of $500m, aiming to provide long-term capital and strategic support to universities navigating the transition to a student-athlete revenue-sharing model.
- EQT, a Swedish private equity firm, is reportedly preparing a bid worth approximately $675m to acquire WRC Promoter, the commercial rights holder of the World Rally Championship (WRC).
- In 2025, Justin Ishbia, founder of Shore Capital Partners, agreed to acquire a controlling stake in the Chicago White Sox for approximately $1.8bn.
- Ishbia has already purchased minority investors' stakes and plans to inject capital into the team to help reduce debt and support operations.
- In the global sports investment landscape, private equity groups, financial institutions, and sovereign wealth funds continue to play a significant role, with JPMorgan Chase advising on multi-billion-dollar deals and financing efforts.
- CVC Capital Partners, through SportsCo, holds stakes in major leagues such as Premiership Rugby, women’s professional tennis, and the Indian Premier League, consolidating one of the largest private-equity-owned sports portfolios globally.
- With innovations in athlete monitoring tech, AI-enhanced tools, and new sports leagues, 2025 has seen increasing investments in technology aimed at enhancing fan and athlete engagement in emerging sports leagues like the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), Snow League, and TGL.
