Buyout Giant CVC Eyes Soccer Investments From Germany to France -- European buyout giant CVC Capital Partners is
considering soccer investments in Germany, France and Italy, according to people familiar with the matter, as sports businesses feel
increasing strain from the coronavirus pandemic. CVC has offered financial support to German national soccer league DFL, whose
matches feature teams like Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, according to the people. It has suggested buying a stake in a
commercial arm of the sporting body or providing debt financing, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information
is private. The Bundesliga organizer is working with an adviser to consider funding alternatives amid interest from investment firms
including Apollo Global Management Inc. and KKR & Co., Bloomberg News reported last month. The DFL has been exploring
backup financing sources as a precautionary measure while negotiating with Comcast Corp.’s Sky over broadcasting payments, the
people said. “We’ve received many proposals in the last weeks that sound good in theory but that do not reflect the reality of the
football business,” a spokeswoman for the DFL said. “Therefore, none of these deals will happen with the Bundesliga.” Pursuing a
deal with Bundesliga echoes the talks that CVC is holding with Italy’s top soccer league. A representative for CVC declined to
comment. A spokesman for Sky said the company is in touch with the DFL and will make an announcement on financial
arrangements once details of the sport’s restart are fully known.
CVC is also examining the potential purchase of a stake in French soccer team AS Monaco, which is controlled by Russian
billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, the people said. Rybolovlev bought a majority stake in Monaco in 2011 and turned the club into one of
Europe’s highest spenders in Europe. A representative for the Rybolovlev family office said it isn’t holding talks to sell a stake in
Monaco, while a representative for the team couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. CVC is separately considering buying a
minority stake in Italy’s top soccer league, home to star players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, people with
knowledge of the matter said earlier this week. It is in talks to spend about 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion) for as much as a 20% stake in
Serie A, the people said. Major soccer is on hold across Europe because of the Covid-19 crisis, putting revenue pressures on clubs
and league operators that had roughly a third of their 2019-2020 seasons left to run.
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