CVC-Backed Rugby League Rebrand Rolls On

The United Rugby Championship is taking steps to grow its fan base after rebranding from Pro14 last month.

On Wednesday, the URC enlisted Roc Nation — the entertainment agency founded by Jay-Z — for strategic consulting on creative initiatives aimed at broadening the league’s appeal.

Luxembourg-based private equity firm CVC Capital Partners purchased a 28% stake in the URC last year for $169 million.

The URC is one of the many sports-related moves CVC has made in the last year.

• Invested $300 million in the International Volleyball Federation in February
• Purchased a stake in Six Nations Rugby in May — a five-year deal worth up to $509 million
• In talks regarding a $600 million deal that would merge the ATP and WTA
• Currently seeking to acquire a stake in the Currie Cup, South Africa’s premier rugby union

Despite CVC’s flurry of new ventures, some efforts have been subject to criticism.

Seven Serie A teams asked their president, Paolo Dal Pino, to step down following his proposed deal with a private consortium that included CVC. The deal would’ve given up a 10% stake in the soccer league’s media company for $2 billion.

Bundesliga teams voted to suspend talks with private investors for the league’s international media rights. CVC was part of the group looking to purchase 25% of a new $2.4 billion media company that would hold the rights.