Ahead of the game
Newsletter I Sports I H1 2026
Sports M&A reaches a new high as the investment landscape broadens
The global sports sector continues to demonstrate its strength as an investment market. Over the twelve months through June 2026, 499 sports-related transactions were announced, reaching another record level. Strategic buyers remained highly active, while financial investors represented more than 40% of transactions and cross-border deals accounted for 42% of total activity.
In the latest Oaklins Sports Newsletter, Ahead of the game, our sports sector specialist Derk Verheul explores the developments shaping today’s sports investment landscape. The report looks at how institutional capital is moving across an increasingly broad sports ecosystem, from teams, leagues and sports centers to media, technology, apparel and participation-driven businesses.
Technology is also becoming increasingly embedded across the sports value chain. Sports media and technology represented more than one fifth of transactions during the period, with investment spanning athlete performance, automated broadcasting and club management software. At the same time, AI is creating new opportunities for sports organizations to operate more efficiently, deepen fan engagement and unlock additional value from existing assets.
The newsletter also provides an overview of M&A activity, buyer dynamics and valuation developments, together with a selection of notable transactions and a highlighted Oaklins deal. Public market valuations continue to demonstrate the value placed on differentiated brands, with listed sports apparel and equipment companies trading at 10.8x LTM EV/EBITDA, compared with 5.2x for sports retailers as of June 2026.
As institutional participation increases, technology continues to develop and new sports attract both audiences and capital, the range of investable sports assets continues to expand. We expect high-quality businesses and assets across the sports ecosystem to continue attracting significant investor interest.
Download the Sports Newsletter and explore data, deals and expert perspectives shaping the future of sports M&A.
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