Germany’s elite soccer body will invite bids for a minority stake in its overseas media rights and private equity firms are circling, according to people familiar with the matter. Advent International and BC Partners are two private equity firms that have already reached out to Bundesliga International about acquiring a stake, Bloomberg has reported previously.
Other bidders could include Bain Capital, CVC Capital Partners, General Atlantic and KKR & Co. Inc., one person familiar with the matter said in November.
“There is sure to be a lot of interest,” said Douglas Harmer, a partner at Oakwell Sports Advisory who is working with a potential bidder. “This is a well run league from a fiscal perspective, but you would ask whether more could be done to make it a more international product.”
The sale would channel much-needed revenue into a league that took a heavy blow when the Covid-19 pandemic emptied stadiums of fans. The Bundesliga International is home to some of Europe’s biggest and best-supported clubs, including FC Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund, and star players including Robert Lewandowski and Erling Braut Haaland.
Source: BNN Bloomberg
By Jan-Henrik Förster and David Hellie
