Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) has owned Paris Saint-Germain for more than a decade since purchasing the club in 2012. However, on Thursday, December 7, the club confirmed that US investment firm Arctos Partners had acquired a minority stake in the club.
In the deal, Arctos acquired 12.5 percent of the club, which values the club at four billion euros ($4.32 billion). QSI had stated for a while that they were looking to sell up to 15 percent of the club, so what does this investment mean for the Ligue 1 outfit?
Control of the Club
The first thing to note about the Arctos deal is that the investment group will not have any decision-making power on matters related to field sports. It will also not ripple effect on the club’s management structure.
PSG has won 9 out of 11 league titles since QSI took over, but the club’s investment has focused more on areas other than sports, as they have been unable to achieve their dream of winning the Champions League.
Increased Global Exposure
PSG has grown tremendously since the QSI acquisition. It has become an international brand and is looking to expand more in North America with Arctos.
Thanks to recent success and global superstars such as Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe, the club has gained lots of following in the US and beyond, something that has been reflected in PA online sports betting. The club itself has also expanded outside Europe with Academies around the world.
Arctos will now play a key role in “engaging new and existing fans” worldwide and “collaborating to explore sports investment opportunities around the globe.”
Strategic Real Estate Initiatives
According to the club, “The investment from Arctos will go towards growing PSG’s operations and also supporting the club’s strategic real estate initiatives, including relating to its stadium and the future development phases of PSG’s world-leading training center at Poissy in suburban Paris.”
This is an area that the club has been working on for a while, and the Parisian outfit has only recently opened the new €300m training center in Poissy, west of Paris. The sore area has, however, been the club’s stadium. The club has been leasing the Parc des Princes from the City of Paris since 1987, and they’ve been wanting to own it outright to have more control over its operations and future development. However, the City has been reluctant to sell the stadium and has rejected several offers, citing historical and cultural significance.
At its current state, Parc des Princes is aging and requires significant modernization, having opened in 1897. Its capacity of 48,583 is also considered insufficient for the club, which would like to reflect its growth in attendance and increase revenue.
PSG is currently weighing two options to address their stadium situation. They can either relocate to a different stadium, such as the Stade de France or construct a new stadium from scratch. This new investment will play a crucial role in determining the future of the club’s home stadium.
Financial Boost and Growth Opportunities
Arctos has already invested in more than 30 different sports properties worldwide. These include the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, MLB’s Chicago Cubs, Formula One’s Aston Martin, and the Fenway Sports Group, which owns the English Premier League club Liverpool and the US baseball franchise Boston Red Sox.
Therefore, the investment group’s reach and expertise will come in handy for PSG. Al-Khelaifi says, “Arctos is a fantastic partner to help us achieve our goals, bringing strategic expertise, ideas, and innovation to our business while providing investment and new relationships to support our footballing and sporting goals.” In addition, “Arctos will also provide strategic services, expertise, and insights aimed at helping the club achieve its ambitions.”
