Aston Villa's holding company, V Sports, jointly controlled by owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, has entered into a partnership agreement with investment company Atairos. This strategic move is set to bring about significant changes in the sports industry.
Despite the new partnership, V Sports will continue to own 100 per cent of Aston Villa club and remain in control of all club-related decisions. The day-to-day running of the club will remain unchanged. However, this agreement with Atairos will see them become a minority partner.
Michael Angelakis, chairman and chief executive officer of Atairos added:
“Aston Villa is a historic football club with an exceptional management team and significant growth potential. We are strong believers in the long-term global growth potential of the Premier League and Aston Villa’s men’s and women’s teams.
“We have great respect for Aston Villa’s leadership and look forward to partnering with Nassef and Wes. We are excited to bring our expertise in supporting businesses in the leisure, sports, and live entertainment industries to elevate the club to even greater heights.”
Atairos is an American independent investment company that boasts $6.5 billion worth of equity capital. As part of their agreement with V Sports, they plan to invest in what Villa describes as "fund growth and infrastructure investments." The aim here is to create material and sustainable value for both Aston Villa and the broader network under V Sports over time.
Resources from this partnership are expected to be directed towards infrastructure development across clubs owned by V Sports
Since 2019 under Sawiris and Edens' leadership, V Sports has had full control over Aston Villa. It currently includes a network of clubs under its umbrella such as Portuguese club Vitoria S.C., along with partnerships in Spain, Egypt, and Japan.
The purpose behind Atairos’ additional investment is not just financial gain but also structural improvement within this multi-club model type structure that exists within football today.
This partnership between V Sports and Atairos is a significant step in sports industry. It not only promises financial growth but also aims at improving the structural framework within football clubs. This could potentially set a new standard for how clubs operate and manage their resources in future.
