• Loading stock data...
Saturday, July 5, 2025

French Billionaire Nears $7B Deal For Talent Agency CAA

  • Deal with $7 billion valuation for leading agency described as “close”
  • Pinault showing confidence in agency business despite existential challenges
CAA logo on side on building
Shutterstock

Hollywood remains effectively shut down with the ongoing writers’ and actors’ strikes, but Francois-Henri Pinault continues to proceed with a $7 billion effort to acquire a majority stake in Creative Artists Agency — which would be a landmark deal in both sports and entertainment.

Nearly seven weeks after Pinault’s interest in the mega-agency first surfaced, the French billionaire is now reportedly approaching a definitive agreement to acquire majority control of CAA from Texas-based private equity firm TPG, with industry sources telling Front Office Sports the deal is “close.” Negotiations are now expected to conclude in the coming weeks.

The $7 billion valuation represents a sizable increase on the prior $5.5 billion from last year, when CAA acquired rival agency ICM Partners. It’s also possible that Temasek Holdings, a Singapore state-owned investment company, will increase its existing stake in CAA in the Pinault deal.

Pinault’s move shows a high amount of optimism in the face of significant headwinds across the agency business. Not only is nearly all film and television production shut down — the industry’s first tandem strike since 1960 — but sports representation is facing its own existential challenges.

CAA oversees nearly $18 billion in sports contracts and represents leading athletes such as MLB two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, NFL superstars Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Justin Jefferson, as well as 12-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul. But agencies’ ability to negotiate deals are now constricted by a range of factors including cutthroat competition for clients, pressure on commissions, and rookie-scale contracts and draft slotting.

Pinault, the husband of Hollywood star Salma Hayek, is part of an expansive family business that is the leading shareholder in the parent company of Gucci and other luxury brands, and also controls the Christie’s auction house.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

exclusive

PGA Tour Slashes FedEx Cup Winner Pay From $25M to $10M

The FedExCup is reworking how it distributes its bonus money.

As NBA Free Agency Quiets, Focus Shifts to Potential Extensions

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a four-year, $285 million extension.

Paramount Settles Trump Suit Ahead of NFL Season, Skydance Merger

The deal likely allows the much larger Skydance merger deal to proceed.

Big Ten Commish Still Pushes for 4 Auto CFP Bids in 16-Team..

The conference wants four guaranteed spots in the Playoff.

Featured Today

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
July 3, 2025

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”
June 29, 2025

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Apr 26, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) before game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center.

Rockets Get $20 Million in Wiggle Room From New VanVleet Deal

VanVleet first signed with the Rockets in 2023.
April 20, 2025

Max Verstappen Linked to $300M Aston Martin Deal Ahead of Miami GP

Aston Martin is currently seventh in the constructors championship.
June 24, 2025

Timberwolves’ 4-Year Ownership Saga Ends As A-Rod, Lore Take Over

The unanimous approval brought a clean end to a long-disputed transaction.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
March 27, 2025

Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions Gets PE Boost

The Hall of Famer’s company gains another prominent backer.
March 20, 2025

High School Sports Power Signs Eight-Figure Rights Deal in First

The deal pays roughly $1 million annually, FOS has learned.
March 20, 2025

Maxx Crosby’s Agent: Edge Rushers Set to Dominate NFL’s Non-QB Market

Maxx Crosby just signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension.
March 4, 2025

Eagles Make Saquon Barkley NFL’s Highest-Paid Running Back Ever

Barkley is coming off a historic 2024 season with the Eagles.