The Female Quotient’s Post

The $250 million sale of Angel City Football Club sets a groundbreaking benchmark for women’s sports teams, highlighting the immense economic potential in women’s football. This landmark deal exemplifies the broader surge in popularity and commercial viability of the sport, driven by rising attendance, viewership, and strategic investments. 1. Why is the Angel City FC sale significant for women’s football? The $250 million valuation of Angel City FC not only makes it the most valuable women’s sports team globally but also showcases the growing recognition and profitability of women’s sports teams as viable investments. 2. What other significant M&A deals have occurred in women’s football? Other notable deals include the $120 million sale of San Diego Wave Fútbol Club and the $58 million valuation of Seattle Reign FC, which saw a 1500 percent return on investment over four years. These transactions illustrate the rapid appreciation in value as more investors recognize the untapped potential in women’s sports. 3. What are the challenges facing the growth of women’s football? Despite the positive trends, challenges include ensuring equitable resource allocation, particularly in terms of facilities and player development, and maintaining a balance between commercial success and competitive integrity. Addressing these issues is crucial to sustaining the growth and competitiveness of women’s football. Article includes an interview with Nicole Serino, director of credit research and insights at the ratings agency, S&P Global #SportsBusiness #Commercial #Football #SportsBiz #Finance #People #Data #Investment #WomensFootball

Did you know you could be the next owner of the Boston Celtics? I had a lot of reaction to a prior post about PE ownership in the NFL. Here's another path that's a little more interesting than the IRA contribution ... but maybe less reliable. Additionally, it does have a nice ring to it being able to say you are part owner of your favorite team. #PrivateEquity #NBA #NBAInvestments #TeamOwnership #PortafolioDiversification

TMRW Sports, a tech-focused sports venture supported by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, has successfully concluded its Series A funding round, with Dynasty Equity and Connect Ventures as co-leads. As part of the investment, Dynasty co-founder and chief executive K. Don Cornwell joins TMRW's board of directors as an observer. The funding round also saw participation from institutional investors, sports team owners, athletes, and business leaders. Among the athlete investors are National Basketball Association (NBA) star Kevin Durant, Major League Baseball (MLB) ace Mike Trout, and England cricketer Ollie Pope. Atlanta Falcons owner and TGL supporter Arthur Blank also contributed to this round, alongside notable figures such as Derek Jeter and former Goldman Sachs president Gary Cohn. This investment is set to fuel TMRW's expansion into new formats, leagues, territories, and media properties. The first project for TMRW Sports is the TGL golf competition, which is set to start next year following a delay caused by damage to its intended venue. The six teams are co-owned by athletes such as Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Michelle Wie West, and Alex Morgan. Additionally, Serena Williams, Steve Cohen, and Fenway Sports Group (FSG) hold stakes in various teams. The latest funding round values TMRW at approximately $500m. Chief executive and co-founder Mike McCarley said that TMRW was “in discussions with other governing bodies” and a move into women’s golf is reportedly among the options being considered. McCarley also said: "We continue to forge partnerships with the best-in-class, which includes Dynasty Equity and Connect Ventures leading this investment round and a diverse spectrum of expertise and strategic perspectives across our full roster of investors." "The combination of these relationships and resources will help serve as a springboard for further development and expansion, including the continued focus and growth of TGL presented by SoFi and fuelling future projects, including new partnerships with major global sports leagues." #investment #funding #golf #womensgolf #RoryMcIlroy #TigerWoods #dynastyequity #connectventures #seriesa #TMRW #nba #mlb #cricket #finance #financialinvestment #sportsnews #news #golfnews

Women’s soccer is gaining serious financial traction with private equity firms stepping onto the field. Unlike other major U.S. sports leagues where private equity investors can only hold passive, minority stakes, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has paved the way for these firms to take majority control of team economics. With investments like Carlyle’s acquisition of Reign FC, valued at $58 million, and Disney CEO Bob Iger's prospective deal to acquire Angel City FC at a record $250 million, the league is seeing a surge in attendance (40%) and revenue. In fact, this year, women’s elite sports revenue is poised to surpass $1 billion, with soccer contributing significantly. As the landscape evolves, a careful balance will be necessary to integrate institutional capital while preserving the sport’s local stewardship. #NWSL #PrivateEquity #WomenInSports #SoccerInvestments

Talk about selling an asset at peak value! You're not a real sports fan if you haven't spent countless hours sitting on the couch, watching your rivals raise another banner, and dismantling every terrible decision that your team's ownership has ever made. Well, if your team is the Boston Celtics you may be in luck, because Boston Basketball Partner L.L.C. (the Celtics' current ownership group) has announced that they will be selling a majority stake in the defending NBA Champions in 2024 or early 2025, with the remaining balance closing in 2028. Oh yeah - you'll need about $4.7 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 to purchase the fourth most valuable team in the NBA.... but we won't sweat that minor detail. And for whoever does manage to scrape together that kind of cash, if history is any indicator it will be worth the investment. The current ownership group paid a modest $360 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 for the team in 2002, which would net them a 1,205.56% 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 if the sale goes through. It's unclear what #lawfirms will be handling this monstrous transaction, but I have a few ideas based on the strong #sports and #entertainment components. https://lnkd.in/ercXCS6q

🏀 Marc Lasry Sports Fund Raises $445M as It Pursues NWSL’s Angel City FC! ⚽ 💼 Former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry has successfully raised over $445 million in his Avenue Sports Opportunities Fund, according to recent SEC filings. Launched in October, the fund aims to invest in a wide array of sports-related ventures, including teams, leagues, media rights, real estate, and other sports-adjacent businesses. 📈 🌟 The fund has quickly gained momentum, increasing its commitments by nearly $175 million in just a few weeks. It has already made significant moves, acquiring the San Francisco expansion franchise of TGL, the golf league formed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. The fund is also eyeing a controlling stake in Angel City FC, the most valuable franchise in the NWSL. 🏆 💡 Avenue Sports is particularly focused on women’s sports, established and emerging leagues, and providing capital solutions to sports leagues. While primarily U.S.-focused, the fund is open to global investments, including in areas like sports betting, ticketing, and AI. 🌍 🚀 Managed by Jon Greenbaum and Todd Marcy, the Avenue Sports fund is part of Avenue Capital, a $12.3 billion private equity firm co-founded by Lasry. This move follows Lasry’s sale of his Bucks stake last spring in a deal valuing the franchise at $3.2 billion. 🏀 📸: Marc Lasry / Jeenah Moon / Bloomberg #SportsInvesting #MarcLasry #AngelCityFC #NWSL #SportsFund #AvenueCapital #SportsBusiness #InvestmentNews

🏀 #basketball #historyfacts The modern era of basketball began with the consolidation of two struggling segregated all-white leagues, a covert deal with the white owner of the Harlem Globetrotters, and the intentional sidelining of the black-owned, all-black New York Renaissance. This pivotal moment in sports history overlooked the potential for including a black-owned franchise in the creation of the National Basketball Association. 🎰 Had the #nba integrated a #blackownedbusiness from its inception, the landscape of society, sports, and American culture might have been significantly different. 📉 Instead, what was once the pre-NBA era's most triumphant basketball franchise, celebrated for its success and significance, faded into obscurity instead of evolving into a storied franchise adorned with banners, legends, and generations of fans. 🛑 The exclusion of the #blackcommunity at this crucial juncture underscores a missed opportunity for #diversity and cultural richness in sports and society. #nobackboards SUBSTACK: https://lnkd.in/gcaGkuaP

Nice to get the briefest of mention in todays Off The Pitch Article on Arctos Sports Partners, my recent article has sparked much discussion across industry, my post below reveals the facts and if you combine this with OFP you can gage some of the thinking behind Arctos strategy from the key people within. https://lnkd.in/ejAUQn32 ---- ARCTOS Sports Partners Launch Fund II Multiple minority stakes - Does influence come in return for investment. ARCTOS PE Investors have closed a second round of investment creating ARCTOS Fund II, generating $4.2bn, $7bn combined with Fund I and will represent the world’s largest aggregation of institutional capital dedicated exclusively to professional sports investment. ARCTOS (HQ Dallas) founded 2019, ARCTOS Sports Fund launched 2020. ARCTOS co-founders Ian Charles and Doc O’Connor former CEO Madison Square Garden. ARCTOS objective is to buy small stakes in professional sports organisations to provide liquidity for growth and value creation strategies. ARCTOS Fund II, closed with over $4.1 billion in capital commitments from a diverse group of global investors, including some of the world’s leading pension funds, retirement systems, endowments and insurance companies. Approximately 30% of Fund II’s capital ($1.2bn) will be deployed across fund I franchises whilst the remaining 70% will enter new franchises and leagues. ARCTOS Investments  Soccer / Football Club 2023 - Increased its minority stake in HBSE which has a 36% stake Crystal Palace through Josh Harris & David Blitzer combined shareholding. David Blitzer also has a portfolio of clubs including FC Augsburg, AP Alcorcón, Bronby, ADO Den Haag, SK Beveren & Estoril split under different holding companies. 2023 - 12.5% Stake in QSI ($400m+) who own PSG and QSI also has a 29% stake in Portuguese club Braga. 2022 - 45% in La Dea, the holding company which owns 86% of Atalanta (Serie A) 2022 - Minority Stake in MLS side Real Salt Lake along with David Blitzer, Ryan Smith 2022 - 15% Stake in both MLS side Portland Timbers and NWSL's Portland Thorns. 2020 - 5% stake in Fenway Sports Group which includes Liverpool American Sports  2020 - 5% into FSG who own Boston Red Sox & Pittsburgh Penguins. 2022 - Minority stakes in MLB sides Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants & San Diego Padres. 2023 - 20%+ NHL Franchise Tampa Bay Lightening, first investment 2021 upped in 2023 2021 - 10% stake NHL Minnesota Wild Through investment into HBSE has a minority stake in New Jersey devils  2021 - 5% in Golden State Warriors, upped to 13% 2022. 2021 - 17% stake in Sacramento Kings paying $306m (£223m) 2022 Utah Jazz through Smith Entertainment Group, Ryan Smith who together also purchased MLS Side Real Salt Lake Other Sports * Joe Gibbs Racing.  * F1 Aston Martin * Elevate Sports Ventures consultancy, * Professional Lacrosse League

Title: Portland Thorns FC Welcomes New Investors to Accelerate Growth and Development Portland Thorns FC, a women's professional soccer club based in Portland, Oregon, and a member of the NWSL, has announced the entry of new investors who bring fresh expertise and capabilities to the organization. This acquisition was made by RAJ Sports, a subsidiary of RAJ Capital, the family investment office established by the Bhathal family, founders of the historic swimwear brand Raj Swim. RAJ Capital is also the owner of the NBA's Sacramento Kings. The investment group includes notable figures such as Sam Garvin, co-owner of the NBA's Phoenix Suns, and Timothy Boyle of Columbia Sportswear. These investors have committed to supporting the club's growth plans, which include launching new ventures and charitable initiatives, as well as developing state-of-the-art training facilities. As of October 2023, a sports business site valued the Thorns FC at $65 million. This investment is expected to drive growth for the team, the people of Portland, and women's sports as a whole. Additionally, there are plans for significant real estate developments that will create a vibrant community center for professional sports, providing valuable assets to support the continued growth of players, staff, and fans. With the entry of new investors, Portland Thorns FC aims to accelerate its growth on and off the pitch, strengthen its bonds with the local community, and contribute to the advancement of women's sports. #PortlandThornsFC #NWSL #WomensSoccer #RAJCapital #RAJSports #NBA #PhoenixSuns #SacramentoKings #ColumbiaSportswear #TimothyBoyle #SamGarvin #SportsInvestment #CommunityDevelopment #WomensSports #SportsGrowth #ProfessionalSoccer #SportsBusiness