Private equity firms have entered the National Football League ownership arena for the first time, with Ares Management acquiring a 10% stake in the Miami Dolphins and an Arctos Sports Partners-led investor group acquiring a minority stake in the Buffalo Bills, according to a report by the Financial Times.

US-based private equity firm Bain Capital is planning to increase its offer to acquire Japan’s Fuji Soft to JPY9,600 ($63.35) per share, surpassing a competing bid from buyout rival KKR, according to a report by Nikkei.

Private equity firms GTCR and Apax Partners have agreed to sell insurance broker AssuredPartners to Arthur J Gallagher & Co in a $13.45bn all-cash deal, making it one of the largest-ever transactions in the insurance brokerage sector, according to a report by Reuters.

European private equity giant EQT and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC have agreed to acquire a majority stake in UK-based smart metering company Calisen in a deal valued at $5bn, according to a report by the Financial Times.

A consortium led by private equity firms Starwood Capital Group and Warburg Pincus has made a HKD55.19bn ($7.09bn) bid to take Hong Kong-based real estate investment firm ESR Group private, according to a report by Reuters citing a company announcement on Wednesday.

Private equity giant TPG is exploring the sale of Crunch Fitness, a gym chain that could be valued at over $1.5bn, including debt, according to a report by Reuters citing sources familiar with the matter.

French payments company Worldline (WLN.PA) is attracting early-stage takeover interest from private equity firms, including Bain Capital, as it faces a challenging period of falling share prices, profit warnings, and leadership changes, according to a report by Reuters.

Singapore Post Limited, the Asia Pacific-based postal and eCommerce logistics provider, is to sell its Australian business, Freight Management Holdings to private equity firm Pacific Equity Partners for AUD775.9m ($505.4m).

A consortium led by private investment firms Starwood Capital Group and Warburg Pincus is working to finalise a deal to take ESR Group private, valuing the Hong Kong-listed real estate fund manager at over $7bn, according to a report by Reuters.