CVC CAPITAL PARTNERS has unveiled Global Sport Group (GSG), a $14 billion platform designed to consolidate and expand the private equity giant’s portfolio of sports investments.
The development follows on from CVC’s decision in July to consolidate the firm’s diverse portfolio of sports investments under an umbrella vehicle, that was at the time provisionally named “SportsCo”.
Leading GSG is former BT Consumer CEO Marc Allera (he stepped down on 31 March), who came on board as CVC SportsCo chairman in June. Per Sportico, Isos Capital co-founders and former WWE executives George Barrios and Michelle Wilson will handle the division’s brand, fan engagement and content responsibilities.
Sportico adds that former DAZN chief executive Simon Denyer will focus on media and betting at GSG, while Alkit Patel, recently the chief operating officer of CVC’s rugby holdings, will handle operations and governance.
The new entity will house CVC’s holdings across seven leagues, creating what is reportedly the largest sports-focused fund in the private equity sector.
Per Private Equity Insights, CVC’s sports portfolio includes stakes in LaLiga, Ligue 1, Premiership Rugby, the United Rugby Championship, the Six Nations, Volleyball World, and WTA Ventures. The firm also previously owned Formula 1 and has recently reduced its stake in the Indian Premier League’s Gujarat Titans.
With $225bn in assets under management, CVC has become a leading force in sports dealmaking, though performance has varied across its portfolio. Its rugby investments have underdelivered compared with more successful ventures such as the Six Nations, and the firm’s Paris offices were raided last year as part of a French football investigation.
Despite these challenges, the launch of Global Sport Group underscores CVC’s ambition to scale sports valuations and cement its role as a dominant investor in the sector, according to Private Equity Insights.
