Global investment giant KKR has agreed to acquire Arctos Partners, the sports investment firm that holds a minority stake in Paris Saint-Germain, for approximately 1 billion dollars, according to Bloomberg News. The deal includes performance incentives for Arctos senior executives, including co-founder Ian Charles, that could push the total valuation close to 1.5 billion dollars.
Arctos Partners acquired a 12.5 percent stake in PSG in 2023, based on a total club valuation of 4.25 billion euros. That investment was estimated at around 530 million euros. Under the terms of the KKR acquisition, Ian Charles will remain at the helm of the company, and along with other senior Arctos executives, will receive equity stakes in the New York-based buyout giant.
KKR, one of the largest private equity players globally with over 700 billion dollars in assets under management, plans to finance the Arctos purchase using its balance sheet and integrate the company into its asset management operations. The firms are seeking approval for the transaction from major American professional sports leagues.
Arctos currently manages approximately 14 billion dollars in assets focused on sports investments across various leagues and teams. The firm has built a portfolio of minority stakes in professional sports franchises, making it an attractive target for KKR's expansion into the lucrative sports ownership sector.
For Paris Saint-Germain, the ownership structure will not change directly. Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) retains full control over the club, with Arctos having been a passive minority investor with no influence over on-field sporting decisions. However, the deal means PSG will now be indirectly linked to a significantly more powerful financial partner.
The acquisition reflects the growing appetite among major private equity firms for sports assets, which have demonstrated consistent value appreciation and provide diversification benefits. According to the Financial Times, if the transaction concludes successfully, it would strengthen the economic weight of PSG's minority shareholder considerably, potentially opening new opportunities for future investment and expansion in European football.
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