Private equity investor calls for more transparency in football: “Fans should know the ownership structure and who is taking the decisions”
Alamy | Olivier Giroud of AC Milan in action during a Serie A football match. AC Milan are owned by the investment group RedBird Capital Partners.
Sachin Khajuria used to be a partner at one of the biggest alternative investment firms globally, Apollo. As an investor in private equity funds across many firms, he comments on the increasing interest and investment from financial investors in football.
Football clubs can’t be compared to “normal” businesses since they are cultural assets that are very valuable to communities worldwide. If you recognise that, then owners – including financial investors – should strive for transparency about ownership.
Why it matters: In recent years, the inflow of financial investment to the football industry has been significant. This trend is probably going to escalate even further.
The perspective: Arguably, it could be time to examine how to improve transparency about clubs’ ownership structures, decision-making and financial backing given their cultural significance and the loyalty fans have. Don’t they deserve to know more?
14 April 2023 - 3:17 PM
Sachin Khajuria has been involved in all types of business and industries around the world as a former partner at Apollo Global Management, one of the largest alternative investment firms.
But there is no other sector like the football industry, and therefore owners, whether sovereign funds, hedge funds, private equity funds or wealthy individuals, need to give se
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