Apollo Global Management has explored launching a stand-alone sports private equity fund, according to multiple people familiar with the matter, though a fund start-up does not appear to be imminent.
Apollo is one of the world’s largest private equity funds, with $455 billion assets under management. Executives at the firm have discussed a new fund that would focus on the sports industry—including technology and media—while staying open to taking stakes in professional teams, Sportico has learned from multiple sources.
Results appear to have been mixed so far for private equity. One fund, Arctos Sports Partners, raised $2.9 billion in less than two years to make team and sports-related investments. Another fund, Dyal Homecourt, part of Blue Owl Capital, lags its own earlier projections, having raised $200 million of a planned $2 billion to invest solely in NBA franchises. PE firms CVC and Silver Lake have also been active in pursuing global sports opportunities. Silver Lake most recently struck a deal to buy up to 8.6% of New Zealand Rugby, a smaller investment than hoped for after vocal opposition in the country over selling to U.S. institutional investors.
Read more: Yahoo Sports
