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New ways of investments : Private equity reshaping sports

New ways of investments : Private equity reshaping sports

This course is part of Future of Sports Specialization

Instructor: Marisa Sáenz

Included with

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Explore how private equity, multi-club ownership, and financial strategies are reshaping the structure of modern sport.
Understand how technology partnerships, data platforms, and innovation models are driving new business transformation in sports.
Discover how athletes, media platforms, and new ownership models are redefining value creation in the sports industry.

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Future of Sports Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

This course explores how private equity, financialisation, and technology partnerships are reshaping the global sports industry. Learners will examine the rise of private equity, multi-club ownership, and sport as an investable asset class, along with the organisational and competitive consequences of these shifts. The course also looks at how clubs are evolving into data platforms and how technology partnerships and in-house innovation are driving new monetisation strategies and fan-centric business models. In addition, it analyzes the growing role of mergers, acquisitions, media strategy, and platform expansion in building scale across the sports ecosystem. Finally, the course explores how athletes and celebrities are becoming central players in the next phase of sports entertainment, moving from talent to creators, media assets, and owners. By the end of the course, learners will understand the major financial, technological, and cultural dynamics transforming modern sport and how these forces are redefining ownership, value creation, and influence across the industry.

Module details

Analyze the rise of institutional capital in sports ownership. This module examines the explosive growth of multi-club ownership networks from 40 to 400 in a decade, explores how private equity and sovereign wealth funds treat sports as stable financial assets within diversified portfolios, and evaluates the sporting consequences of ownership concentration on talent pipelines, competitive balance, and regulatory integrity.

What's included

6 videos4 readings3 assignments

6 videosTotal 31 minutes

The Financialisation Revolution - From Passion to Portfolio4 minutes
Global Networks and Geographic Expansion - The New Sports Empires5 minutes
From Cultural Institutions to Financial Assets - The Management Revolution5 minutes
Regulatory Frameworks and Compliance - The New Rules of the Game7 minutes
Talent Pipelines and Internal Trading - The New Player Development Ecosystem5 minutes
Integrity Risks and Regulatory Challenges - When Competition Meets Conflict4 minutes

4 readingsTotal 100 minutes

Welcome Reading10 minutes
complimentary ressources on The Rise of Private Equity and Multi-Club Ownership in Sports30 minutes
complimentary ressources on Sport as a Business Asset - Risk Reduction and Organisational Models30 minutes
complimentary ressources on The Sporting and Competitive Consequences of MCOs30 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

Radical Shifts Reshaping Sports30 minutes
Radical Shifts Reshaping Sports30 minutes
Radical Shifts Reshaping Sports30 minutes

Understand how sports organizations are becoming technology platforms. This module covers the transformation of clubs into data-driven businesses capturing first-party fan relationships, explores innovation hubs and structured R&D programs testing emerging technologies, and presents Real Madrid Next and the Madrid Innovation District as the blueprint for integrating sport, technology, and urban development at scale.

What's included

6 videos3 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt

6 videosTotal 30 minutes

The Data Revolution - From Fan Interactions to Revenue Streams4 minutes
Technology Infrastructure and Real-World Applications5 minutes
The Innovation Operating Model - Building Sports Technology Ecosystems5 minutes
Innovation Hubs in Action - Real-World Examples of Sports Technology Excellence6 minutes
Real Madrid Next - The Six Verticals of Sports Innovation6 minutes
The Madrid Innovation District - Europe's Largest Sports-Tech Hub4 minutes

3 readingsTotal 90 minutes

complimentary ressources on Clubs as Data Platforms - Technology as the Monetisation Backbone30 minutes
complimentary ressources on Sport & Technology Convergence - Fan-centric Innovation Beyond the Pitch30 minutes
complimentary ressources on Real Madrid Next & the Madrid Innovation District - Building the Club of the Future30 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

Tech Partnerships & In-house Innovators - Driving Business Transformation30 minutes
Tech Partnerships & In-house Innovators - Driving Business Transformation30 minutes
Tech Partnerships & In-house Innovators - Driving Business Transformation30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Tech Partnerships & In-house Innovators - Driving Business Transformation10 minutes

Explore sports as an interconnected entertainment ecosystem. This module examines how investors structure multi-asset portfolios spanning teams, media rights, and infrastructure, analyzes M&A consolidation creating full-stack technology providers, and investigates state-backed superplatforms like Saudi Arabia's SURJ that are building vertically integrated entertainment nations through strategic acquisitions and long-term geopolitical positioning.

What's included

5 videos3 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt

5 videosTotal 26 minutes

The Multi-Asset Revolution in Sports Investment4 minutes
Infrastructure, Technology, and the Platform Economy in Sports5 minutes
The Consolidation Wave in Sports Technology5 minutes
Strategic Imperatives Driving Sports Tech M&A6 minutes
NEOM—Building the Sports City of the Future6 minutes

3 readingsTotal 90 minutes

complimentary ressources on Sport as Part of a Wider Financial Portfolio30 minutes
complimentary ressources on M&A Consolidation - Building Scale through Acquisitions30 minutes
complimentary ressources on Strategy, Media Maps & New Platforms - The SURJ / EA work cases30 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

The Financialisation of the Sports Industry30 minutes
The Financialisation of the Sports Industry30 minutes
The Financialisation of the Sports Industry30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

The Financialisation of the Sports Industry10 minutes

Discover the athlete-first revolution transforming sports commerce. This module traces the shift from club-centric to player-driven fandom enabled by direct social media reach and data ownership, examines how athletes are becoming central to media value chains through storytelling and D2C platforms, and explores the equity revolution where players demand ownership stakes, launch their own ventures, and create athlete-controlled leagues and investment funds.

What's included

6 videos3 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt

6 videosTotal 37 minutes

The Direct Connection Revolution - Athletes as Media Empires5 minutes
The Equity Revolution - From Salaries to Ownership Stakes6 minutes
The Direct-to-Consumer Revolution - Athletes as Media Distributors7 minutes
Personality-Driven Narratives and the Netflix Effect7 minutes
The Equity Revolution - From Endorsements to Ownership Stakes6 minutes
Player-Driven Innovation and the Future of Sports Governance6 minutes

3 readingsTotal 90 minutes

complimentary ressources on From Clubs to Creators - Why the Future of Fandom will be Athlete-first30 minutes
complimentary ressources on Athletes at the Center of the Media Value Chain30 minutes
complimentary ressources on Athletes Regaining Control & Ownership30 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

Athletes & Celebrities - The Cornerstone of the Next Sports Entertainment Phase30 minutes
Athletes & Celebrities - The Cornerstone of the Next Sports Entertainment Phase30 minutes
Athletes & Celebrities - The Cornerstone of the Next Sports Entertainment Phase30 minutes