Former NFL wide receiver Marques Colston is making waves in private equity with Champion Venture Partners, a firm dedicated to providing athletes access to high-growth alternative asset investments. 

The North Dakota-based private equity firm, co-founded with former MMA fighter Nick Edwards, has already secured $100m in equity and is actively deploying capital across multiple sectors.

CVC Capital Partners submitted a $1bn bid to acquire a portfolio of tennis assets, including the Miami Open and Madrid Open, two of the most prestigious tournaments in professional tennis.

The sale process, managed by The Raine Group, has attracted interest from multiple bidders, with final offers expected later this month.

Currently owned by Endeavor Group Holdings, led by Hollywood talent agent-turned-executive Ari Emanuel, the assets include additional tournaments such as the Barcelona Open and the pre-Wimbledon event at London’s Hurlingham Club. Emanuel is reportedly competing against CVC for control, with Goldman Sachs advising on his bid.

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The Agnelli family’s €3bn ($3.14bn) sale of its stake in Ferrari NV has helped push European block trades to their strongest start in two decades.

Investors, including billionaire families, private equity firms, and governments, have raised approximately $15.3bn through stake sales since January, driven by a surge in European stock markets.

Among the most significant transactions, the Sandoz family sold a $2.9bn stake in Novartis AG earlier this week, while Pfizer raised $3.2bn in January by reducing its shareholding in Haleon Plc.

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