Athlete IP Royalties
Royalty rights on image licensing and name/likeness revenue, including participation in endorsement and commercial agreements.
Sports IP Finance
Institutional Investment Into Global Sports Royalties
We partner with athletes, clubs, and sports entities to invest in proven intellectual property, acquiring royalty rights on established revenue streams and unlocking global value through institutional capital and licensing expertise.
Mandate Summary
The Players Fund has secured a dedicated $5bn allocation from Partners Group for Sports IP royalties, with Partners Group serving as LP and TPF acting as specialist deal originator and sector operator.
Initial focus is UK and US opportunities, with optional expansion into selected EU and Middle East markets.
$5bn
Sports Allocation
800+
Athlete Access
12-16w
Target Close Timeline
UK/US
Primary Geography
Investment Targets
We prioritize high-quality royalty streams with proven demand, clear legal rights, and room for commercial upside.
Club & League Royalties
Revenue share structures across broadcasting, sponsorship, merchandise, and brand licensing programmes.
Content Royalty Rights
Revenue participation from historical footage licensing, sports media libraries, and event/competition licensing income.
Investment Criteria
- Established revenue streams (minimum $2.5m annually) Proven royalty payment history with documented performance and visibility.
- Clear ownership and documented licensing rights Unambiguous chain of title and legal verification of rights ownership.
- Institutional-grade legal structure Appropriate governance, reporting, and compliance for institutional deployment.
- Long-term revenue visibility Multi-year contract protection and resilient royalty economics.
- Global commercialisation opportunity Undermonetised IP with scalable upside across international channels.
Why Partner With Us
Institutional Capital
A dedicated $5bn allocation supports execution certainty and fast-moving transaction capability.
Licensing Expertise
Strong track record monetising sports IP in international and underserved growth markets.
Athlete Relationships
Access to 800+ elite athletes enabling post-acquisition licensing partnerships and brand amplification.
Transaction Process
Confidential preliminary assessment
Valuation and commercial terms discussion
Introduction to wider investment team
Due diligence and structuring
Transaction close (12-16 weeks from LOI)
Team
SO
Stephen Otter
Head of Royalties
Partners Group
RB
Ruari Bell
Founder, The Players Fund
Head of IP
PG
Phil Green
General Partner
Ex-CFO Amazon
Discuss A Sports IP Opportunity
If you are evaluating a royalty transaction and would like a confidential initial view, we can provide a fast commercial and structuring assessment.
ruari@playersfund.vc