Insights League deal review

March 2021

Six Nations: up to £365m for a one-seventh share

Original reportingCVCSportBusinessCNBC

A private equity investor joins six rugby unions as an equal shareholder.

What happened

CVC Fund VII agreed to invest up to £365m for a one-seventh share of Six Nations Rugby, with the six unions keeping the other six-sevenths. The announcement came after talks that were first reported in 2019.

How it was structured

The money is paid to the unions over five years. Taking exactly one-seventh gave CVC the same voting position as each nation.

Our review

The structure gave the investor a seat alongside the unions without control, and staged payments spread the cash over several seasons. That combination is common where sporting bodies want capital without giving up governance.

Sources

Not RMF transactions, just general football and sports transactions. Figures are as publicly reported, and reports sometimes differ. General market commentary, not investment, legal or financial advice.