JPMorgan Eyes $1B Investment in Serie A Media Unit

  • Private equity firm Searchlight Capital has expressed interest in the media business.
  • Apollo Global Management has also considered an investment.
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A New York-based financial services company is looking to bolster the media arm of Italy’s top soccer league.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. has reportedly expressed “preliminary interest” in financing Serie A’s media business with between $761 million and $1.1 billion in bank financing. Italy’s top domestic league is preparing to sell domestic and international media rights in 2024.

JPMorgan’s potential investment follows a plan by Serie A to spin off an upcoming media unit to boost revenue after the league failed to sell a 10% stake worth $2 billion to three investors in 2021. In October 2022, Serie A began the formal process of creating the media unit. 

  • Private equity firm Searchlight Capital has expressed interest in the media business. 
  • Apollo Global Management has also considered an investment. 
  • On Feb. 24, all of Serie A’s 20 clubs will meet to evaluate JPMorgan’s proposal. 

In 2022, Serie A announced plans to triple its international media rights revenue by 2030. The league is set to pocket $658 million from international media rights between 2021 and 2024.

Serie A Plans to Triple Its Overseas Media Rights Revenue

Italy’s top soccer league is looking to triple international media rights revenue.
October 23, 2022

Serie A generated $2.4 billion in total revenue during the 2020-21 season, per Deloitte. 

Under Fire

Two Serie A clubs have recently been shrouded in controversy.

Earlier this month, Italy’s soccer federation penalized Juventus with a 15-point reduction for fixing balance sheets with false gains from player transfers, while AC Milan is being investigated for alleged embezzlement following the $1.3 billion sale of the club to RedBird Capital Partners.

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