Atairos - new minority owners of Villa

[ender4]

As per the announcement by Villa, Atarios now own part of V Sports and thereby Aston Villa as well. 

https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/december/15/v-sports-announces-investment-from-atairos/

Quote

Under the terms of the agreement, Atairos will invest to become a minority partner in V Sports.

Atairos’ capital investment will primarily be used to fund growth and infrastructure investments, with the aim of creating material and sustainable value for AVFC and the broader V Sports network over time.

The transaction is subject to Premier League approval, customary conditions and relevant regulatory approvals and consents being obtained.

 

[ender4]

The main man...

https://www.atairos.com/our-team/michael-j-angelakis/

Quote

Michael J. Angelakis

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Michael Angelakis is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Atairos. He also serves as a Senior Advisor to the Executive Management Committee of Comcast Corporation. Prior to founding Atairos, he served as Comcast’s Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer. In those roles, Michael was responsible for many strategic, financial, administrative and other areas within the Corporation. During his tenure at Comcast, Michael was recognized by Institutional Investor magazine as one of “America’s Best Chief Financial Officers” six out of eight years.

 

[ender4]

As @wishywashy posted yesterday, looks like they have paid £80m for their share of Villa / V Sports.

Quote

Another £80m worth of shares have been invested into the NSWE UK Limited parent company, although unusually there is no accompanying notice of shares invested into the "Aston Villa Football Club" company (the subsidiary company that covers most of the club's assets and day to day running) that usually happens when money is put into the club.

 

[sne]

Always a potential pitfall with new investors, even ATARIos. Gonna be an adventure for sure with them invading our space. We joust have to wait and see if this new money can put us in pole position for a title or two or if it'll all go kaboom.

Something something Pong.

[ender4]

 

This could be useful for Villa's visibility and presence in the media:

Quote

With long-term strategic partners in Comcast Corporation, NBCUniversal and Sky, we are positioned to take a disciplined and flexible investment approach tailored to meet the needs of our partner companies.

https://www.atairos.com/about-us/

[allani]

I saw that Atairos are either partnered with or work closely with Sky, NBC and Comcast.  Whilst we can't negotiate our own TV deals I do wonder whether this will help improve some of our TV / streaming / video content.  They also seem to have some other relatively impressive names in their portfolio.  NSWE aren't short of a few quid - so it intrigues me as to why they've signed this deal.  It feels like they must be involved in some of our commercial planning (sponsorship deals, etc) and that maybe a slice of the pie is more favourable (for both parties) than straight consultancy?  It is an intriguing deal and it will be really interesting to see how things go over the following months / years.  Anyway it seems to suggest that the Edens / Heck connections are working in the US and that they (coupled with our improvement on the pitch) are making us an attractive commercial proposition.

[allani]

8 minutes ago, sne said:

Always a potential pitfall with new investors, even ATARIos. Gonna be an adventure for sure with them invading our space. We joust have to wait and see if this new money can put us in pole position for a title or two or if it'll all go kaboom.

Something something Pong.

The thing is that NSWE don't "need" money.  So it will be interesting to find out why they've taken this investment.  Does it help with FFP?  Is it a way of getting a commercial partner / consultant involved more closely and ensuring that they have some skin in the game?  On the face of it Edens, Heck and Angelakis seem to have some pretty impressive contacts with big money in the USA.  So I am feeling more confident that we're going to find some exciting commercial / sponsorship opportunities that will allow us to close the funding gap with the "big" teams without tying us into dodgy gambling / forex sites.

[allani]

Also see that they are based in Philadelphia (and New York) which strikes me as a too big a coincidence for there not to be some connection with Chris Heck.  

[Don_Simon]

For those much more aware of te Finance world than I, this reads as very exciting with little / no risk, am I right?

[ender4]

9 minutes ago, Don_Simon said:

For those much more aware of te Finance world than I, this reads as very exciting with little / no risk, am I right?

Its seems pretty low risk. They have shares in a lot of companies and I’m sure they are savvy enough to only stick their nose in where they can add value to Villa. That seems to be in the media area from their links with Comcast, NBC and Sky.  We might even become the new Sky favourites

[allani]

20 minutes ago, Don_Simon said:

For those much more aware of te Finance world than I, this reads as very exciting with little / no risk, am I right?

If the deal is £80m - then I think that is about 2% of the net worth of NSWE.  So I think that it would be pretty easy for them to buy Atarios out if the partnership wasn't working out.  Also as it is such a small sum (in comparison to NSWE's worth) it doesn't look like something that suggests our owners have financial struggles and are having to bring in more capital to keep the club afloat.  I suspect (given the sport, media, Philadelphia connection) that the people at Atarios are well known to Edens / Heck.  If, for example, we announce NBC as our new shirt sponsor at £20m a season aided by Atarios then we've massively improved our FFP position, we've probably got the consultancy paid for through the partnership and we've kept Atarios interested in further deals because they've got skin in the game too.  Unless there is some kind of FFP angle to this - I just can't see how this is a "cash" deal only.  There must be something that NSWE / Heck want (or know they are going to get) out of the deal because Nas could find £80m down the back of his sofa. 

[ejs1111]

I agree with previous posters.  This is being done to improve our commercial revenues and assist with infrastructure.  Villa need to compete commercially and financially with the big boys (ManU, Citeh, Spurs, Chelsea, Liverpool).  We were always going to need additional partners abroad to expand the clubs reach.  It will take decades to catch up with those clubs listed- but we can certainly close the gap quicker with outside investment, global branding, etc.

[Mic09]

1 hour ago, sne said:

Always a potential pitfall with new investors, even ATARIos. Gonna be an adventure for sure with them invading our space. We joust have to wait and see if this new money can put us in pole position for a title or two or if it'll all go kaboom.

Something something Pong.

I guess it beats getting taken over by some middle eastern console-tium. 

 

[PerryBarrPet]

1 hour ago, allani said:

I saw that Atairos are either partnered with or work closely with Sky, NBC and Comcast.  Whilst we can't negotiate our own TV deals I do wonder whether this will help improve some of our TV / streaming / video content.  They also seem to have some other relatively impressive names in their portfolio.  NSWE aren't short of a few quid - so it intrigues me as to why they've signed this deal.  It feels like they must be involved in some of our commercial planning (sponsorship deals, etc) and that maybe a slice of the pie is more favourable (for both parties) than straight consultancy?  It is an intriguing deal and it will be really interesting to see how things go over the following months / years.  Anyway it seems to suggest that the Edens / Heck connections are working in the US and that they (coupled with our improvement on the pitch) are making us an attractive commercial proposition.

Yes, very much an attractive commercial proposition. Our owners have been very good at supporting ‘the now’ while simultaneously planning ‘the future’. I think this latest deal is part of their strategic development plans for VSports/AVFC. Very exiting for all Villa fans.

[Xela]

I, for one, welcome our new investment overlords.

[ender4]

21 minutes ago, PerryBarrPet said:

Yes, very much an attractive commercial proposition. Our owners have been very good at supporting ‘the now’ while simultaneously planning ‘the future’. I think this latest deal is part of their strategic development plans for VSports/AVFC. Very exiting for all Villa fans.

I’d like to see some commercial partnerships with the companies that Atarios also have investments in. Maybe even our main sponsor for next year if we can get out of the BK8 deal.

[sne]

2 minutes ago, ender4 said:

I’d like to see some commercial partnerships with the companies that Atarios also have investments in. Maybe even our main sponsor for next year if we can get out of the BK8 deal.

Come on Bowlero!

"Bowlero Corporation (formerly Bowlmor AMF) is the largest owner and operator of bowling centers in the world, with over 300 locations, including seven locations in Mexico and two in Canada"

https://www.atairos.com/partner-companies/bowlero/

[Demitri_C]

Wonder if this company will be our next sponser next season?

We certainly need to be looking for big and better firms than **** bk8 and  cazoo

[david-avfc]

Just now, Demitri_C said:

Wonder if this company will be our next sponser next season?

We certainly need to be looking for big and better firms than **** bk8 and  cazoo

No, this company is a private equity investment firm who have invested capital, not a commercial sponsor 

[PerryBarrPet]

6 minutes ago, ender4 said:

I’d like to see some commercial partnerships with the companies that Atarios also have investments in. Maybe even our main sponsor for next year if we can get out of the BK8 deal.

Me too. I think Atarios’ attraction to NSWE is the potential of several commercial partnerships deals and/or main sponsor to replace BK8. The objective being to increase revenues for future team building.