Ares Management is preparing to expand its sports investment strategy into Europe, with plans to launch a sports, media, and entertainment opportunities fund aimed at wealthy individuals later this year, according to a report by Bloomberg citing a person familiar with the matter.
The fund will reportedly make debt and equity investments across sports leagues, teams, and related businesses, as well as media and entertainment assets. Ares debuted the strategy in the US last year, raising capital from private wealth investors and deploying it across more than 100 portfolio companies through a mix of equity and senior secured loans, according to a February regulatory filing.
In the filing, Ares said the opportunity set has been driven by rising demand for live content, and structural changes such as the centralisation of media rights which have helped create more predictable revenue streams. The firm added that the sector remains undercapitalised, supporting demand for flexible capital solutions.
The firm has built a sizeable sports portfolio in recent years, including stakes in Chelsea football club, the Miami Dolphins, and a France SailGP team backed by footballer Kylian Mbappé. It exited its investment in McLaren last year and sold the majority of its stake in Atlético de Madrid to Apollo Global Management in a deal valuing the club at about €2.5bn, including debt.
