Powerleague Group, the leading commercial operator of 5-aside football centres in the UK, and Patron Capital Partners, a leading private equity and property investment fund announce that P
Powerleague Group, the leading commercial operator of 5-aside football centres in the UK, and Patron Capital Partners, a leading private equity and property investment fund announce that Patron has acquired a 29 per cent stake in Powerleague.
The strategic partnership with Patron will enable Powerleague to take advantage of Patron’s experience in the property sector and wide network of global relationships to achieve a step change in growth of the business across the UK and anticipated expansion to Europe. It is expected that the partnership will also enhance Powerleague’s ability to identify and unlock value from the Powerleague’s current and future real estate portfolio.
Powerleague currently operates from 43 sites across the UK, with more than 120,000 customers each week using its 455 indoor and outdoor pitches. Powerleague recently acquired the JJB Soccer Domes business for GBP17.4m, including the 22 pitch Old Trafford dome, the largest 5-a-side football centre in the world. The business has achieved consistent growth, reporting an Ebitda of GBP8.4m on revenues of GBP23m for the year ended 30 June 2007, a year on year Ebitda growth of 18 per cent.
Patron Capital is a highly respected and successful investment fund with strong private equity and real estate expertise. It has an established track record of investing in asset-backed growth businesses and property portfolios, principally backing strong management teams and local partners in the UK and across Europe. Patron represents approximately EUR1.6bn of capital across several funds and related co-investments.
Powerleague welcomes on board two new non executive directors to assist its development: Paul Orchard-Lisle and Keith Breslauer.
Orchard-Lisle was previously senior partner of Healey & Baker, president of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and chairman of Slough Estates. He is currently the chairman of Falcon Property Trust, a director of Standard Life Property Income Trust, director of Trinity Capital, and the chairman of Bennelong UK, the property arm of Crown Golf, the largest operator of golf clubs in Europe.
Keith Breslauer is the founder and managing director of Patron Capital and related Patron entities. He has over 20 years experience in corporate and property finance and has held senior positions at Lehman Brothers in New York and London.
