Sixth Street Partners has acquired a stake in the San Francisco Giants, marking its first investment in Major League Baseball and signalling renewed private equity interest in the league, despite looming uncertainties around financial reforms and media rights.

MLB, which opened its doors to private equity in 2019, has become a focus for investors seeking resilient assets in the sports sector. As of now, 18 of the league’s 30 teams have ties to private equity, with 10 receiving direct investment. Arctos Partners, another active player, holds stakes in five franchises.

A consortium led by Ari Emanuel and backed by Apollo Global Management and RedBird Capital Partners has reportedly outbid CVC Capital Partners in a deal to acquire the Madrid Open and Miami Open for over $1bn, according to Bloomberg.

The transaction, which is yet to be finalised, forms part of a wider asset divestment strategy by Endeavor Group Holdings. The company is offloading various businesses following a take-private deal by private equity giant Silver Lake.

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CrossHarbor Partners acquired Willow Springs International Raceway in collaboration with Singer Vehicle Design, marking a strategic private equity-backed investment in one of Southern California’s most historic motorsport venues.

The transaction ensures that the track—an iconic fixture of the region’s car culture for more than 70 years—will remain open to the public, with new plans to expand its facilities and commercial offering. CrossHarbor, known for its real estate and alternative asset investments, aims to preserve the circuit’s accessibility while creating value through a suite of new developments.

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KKR-backed PlayOn has acquired MaxPreps from Paramount’s CBS Sports, further cementing private equity’s aggressive expansion into the youth sports market. 

While the transaction value remains undisclosed, the deal will integrate MaxPreps with PlayOn’s GoFan and NFHS Network to create a centralised platform for high school sports. The unified offering will provide fans with ticketing, live streaming, scores, rosters, data, and highlights across 29 sports and nearly 29,000 U.S. high schools.

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Chelsea Football Club, owned by a consortium led by private equity firm Clearlake Capital and investor Todd Boehly, has reported a pre-tax profit of £128.4m for the year ending June 2024—marking a sharp recovery from the £90.1m loss in the previous year.

The turnaround was largely attributed to £152.5m in player sales and a strategic repositioning of Chelsea Women. In May 2024, the club announced the women’s team would operate as a standalone business, while remaining part of the broader BlueCo investment portfolio. This transaction may account for a significant portion of the £198.7m gain from subsidiary disposals listed in the latest accounts.

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