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CVC to Receive $505M Loan for French Soccer Investment

  • Some loan proceeds will go to teams in the Ligue de Football Professionnel.
  • The proceeds will also help the LFP repay a loan from 2020.
Neymar-and-Mbappe-celebrate
Ligue 1

Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners will receive a loan of $505 million from HPS Investment Partners to facilitate its investment in French professional soccer, according to Bloomberg. 

In March, CVC acquired a 13% stake in Ligue 1’s media rights business for $1.5 billion. The newly created commercial subsidiary will market both TV and online media rights for Ligue 1. 

  • Some loan proceeds will go to teams in the Ligue de Football Professionnel.
  • A portion will be allocated toward amateur leagues. 
  • The proceeds will also help the LFP repay a loan from 2020.

Ligue 1’s finances took a hit when broadcast partner MediaPro stopped making payments on its media rights deal worth $877.9 million per year during the 2020-21 season. Since then, Ligue 1 has secured deals with Canal+ and Amazon, but on a split $802 million contract that runs through the 2023-24 season. 

The top-flight soccer league reported $680.4 million in losses during the 2020-21 season. 

Committed to Soccer

CVC’s commitment to Ligue 1 and the LFP marks its second investment in European soccer media rights. Last year, La Liga agreed to sell CVC an 8% stake in the league’s new company in charge of managing media rights for $2.3 billion.

However, the deal has been opposed by several La Liga clubs, the Spanish Football Association, and Real Federación Española de Fútbol.

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