Another U.S. Firm Wants To Raise $220M To Invest In Soccer Teams

An American firm — one of the biggest multi-club owners in soccer — is looking to raise a significant chunk of change to expand its global ambitions.

Miami-based private equity firm 777 Partners is setting its sights on raising $220 million to fund its soccer portfolio, according to Bloomberg.

Currently, 777 Partners owns or has stakes in:

• La Liga club Sevilla
• Italian club Genoa FC (currently in Serie B)
• Belgian club Standard de Liège
• French club Red Star FC
• Brazilian side CR Vasco da Gama
• Australian club Melbourne Victory FC

The firm has also previously explored investing in Premier League club Everton. The structure of the potential fundraising is still to be determined. 

The multi-club model is increasingly popular as the world’s savviest business people realize the opportunities available in professional sports.

City Football Group is perhaps the most prominent example, with EPL champions Manchester City leading a cohort of nearly a dozen clubs. Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is experimenting with the model via his company BlueCo, which purchased Ligue 1 club RC Strasbourg Alsace.

Eagle Football Holdings — led by former FuboTV executive chairman John Textor — owns four clubs including the EPL’s Crystal Palace and Ligue 1’s Olympique Lyonnais. RedBird Capital Partners controls AC Milan and French club Toulouse.