A €3.7bn capital raise for Global Sport Group signals deepening institutional appetite for diversified sports rights portfolios – and gives the platform firepower for its next round of acquisitions.
Global Sport Group, the multi-sport investment platform assembled by private equity firm CVC Capital Partners, has secured approximately €3.7 billion in financing, valuing the vehicle at around €7 billion and setting it up for further acquisitions across professional sport.
The round draws on a broad mix of institutional capital. Global Atlantic, the insurer owned by asset manager KKR, is contributing roughly €1.4 billion – with around €1 billion of that structured as preferred equity. KKR itself may acquire a 6 percent equity stake in Global Sport Group for up to €200 million. US fixed-income specialist Pimco is providing approximately €1.5 billion in debt financing, with the remainder of the raise coming from additional lenders.
The structure – blending preferred equity, a potential strategic equity stake and senior debt – reflects a deliberate capital architecture. By routing a portion of Global Atlantic’s contribution through preferred equity rather than straight debt, the deal reduces leverage pressure on an asset class where cash flows can be lumpy and rights valuations are sensitive to negotiation cycles. The inclusion of KKR as a potential equity participant also strengthens the alignment between the platform’s largest financing partner and its long-term ownership structure.
Platform building at pace
Formed in 2025, Global Sport Group consolidates CVC’s existing sports investments under a single entity. The platform currently holds stakes in Six Nations Rugby and Premiership Rugby – two of the most commercially significant properties in European club and international sport – as well as the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the governing body for professional women’s tennis.
In January 2026, the platform made its first independent acquisition, taking a controlling stake in Equine Network from Growth Catalyst Partners. Equine Network operates the largest for-profit equestrian sports league in the US, extending Global Sport Group’s reach into an adjacent premium sport that has historically attracted affluent audiences and brand spending. The move signals a broadening of the platform’s investment thesis beyond the established football and rugby codes that drove CVC’s earlier European deals.
