According to a report prepared by the consulting firm Football Benchmark, after North America, China, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland are the foreign owners with the most presence in European football.
Football is not usually a profitable business; However, that is not a stopper for private investors. In fact, European soccer leagues are increasingly attracting the interest of investors from the United Statesaccording to a report prepared by the consulting firm Football Benchmark and which has been echoed Expansion.
The consultancy focuses on the “rich legacy that football teams have, spanning more than a century, passionate fans, cutting-edge youth academies and iconic stadiums”, in addition to adding that “with the globalization of the football industry, acquisition opportunities opened to a broader group and foreign owners are quite common these days.”
Other investors
All this has caused Several private investors from the United States have opted to inject capital into several teams on the Old Continent.. In fact, the private equity group Silver Lake owns Liverpool, while the British fund RedBird Capital has the Italian team Milan under its control.
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Trade
Added to the previous clubs are Burnley, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Manchester United, Fulham, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Everton, in the case of the Premier League. In France, Strasbourg, Olympique Lyonnais, Olympique de Marseille, Toulouse and Le Havre are also owned by private investors.
This process was driven by a variety of factors: “some owners view clubs as prestige assets, while others seek to capitalize on football’s latent revenue potential”, explains Antonio Di Cianni, senior manager of Football Benchmark.
As main factors, the consultancy highlights the financial power and business acumen that prevail in the United States, something that “provides investors with the resources and experience necessary to navigate the complex world of European football ownership.” Added to this is the popularity of football and its potential in Europe.
After the United States, there are China, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland as foreign owners with the most presence in European football. Specific, Up to seventeen nationalities are present in the governing bodies of European football. “This mosaic reflects the interconnected nature of the modern world, where capital flows freely across borders and investors seek opportunities beyond their home countries,” the report concludes.
Source: Ambito
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