Game Plan’s successful sports transactions
FEATURED
Transactions
As an industry insider we are able to identify potential transaction opportunities unknown and inaccessible to outsiders.
Golden State Warriors Team Acquisition
Consulting and investment banking services to Joe Lacob and Peter Guber with respect to the acquisition of the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association for $450 million. Game Plan raised the equity and debt capital for the transaction.
Los Angeles Dodgers Team Acquisition
Investment banking services on behalf of Frank H. McCourt, Jr. with respect to the acquisition of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball and its related assets including Dodger Stadium and 276 acres in downtown Los Angeles for a total purchase price of $430 million.
Boston Celtics Team Acquisition
Investment banking services on behalf of Irving Grousbeck (Co-Founder of Continental Cablevision) and Wyc Grousbeck (former Partner, Highland Capital) with respect to the acquisition of the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association for $360 million, including arranging debt and equity capital for the transaction.
Sacramento Kings Team Acquisition
Consulting and investment banking services to Sacramento Basketball Holdings LLC and Vivek Ranadive including raising equity capital and arranging debt financing for the acquisition of the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball.Association.
Cleveland Guardians
Consulting and investment banking services to John Sherman for his acquisition of an ownership interest in the Cleveland Indians Baseball Club and his appointment as Vice Chairman of the Club.
St. Louis Blues Team Sale
Consulting and investment banking services to Paige Sports Entertainment with respect to the sale of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League and the sale of the Savvis Center Lease with the City of St. Louis for a total purchase price of $153 million.
NOVEMBER
2010
NBA
Golden State Warriors Team Acquisition
Consulting and investment banking services to Joe Lacob and Peter Guber with respect to the acquisition of the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association for $450 million. Game Plan raised the equity and debt capital for the transaction.
FEBRUARY
2004
MLB
Los Angeles Dodgers Team Acquisition
Investment banking services on behalf of Frank H. McCourt, Jr. with respect to the acquisition of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball and its related assets including Dodger Stadium and 276 acres in downtown Los Angeles for a total purchase price of $430 million.
DECEMBER
2002
NBA
Boston Celtics Team Acquisition
Investment banking services on behalf of Irving Grousbeck (Co-Founder of Continental Cablevision) and Wyc Grousbeck (former Partner, Highland Capital) with respect to the acquisition of the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association for $360 million, including arranging debt and equity capital for the transaction.
MAY
2013
NBA
Sacramento Kings Team Acquisition
Consulting and investment banking services to Sacramento Basketball Holdings LLC and Vivek Ranadive including raising equity capital and arranging debt financing for the acquisition of the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association.
AUGUST
2016
MLB
Cleveland Guardians
Consulting and investment banking services to John Sherman for his acquisition of an ownership interest in the Cleveland Indians Baseball Club and his appointment as Vice Chairman of the Club.
JUNE
2006
NHL
St. Louis Blues Team Sale
Consulting and investment banking services to Paige Sports Entertainment with respect to the sale of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League and the sale of the Savvis Center Lease with the City of St. Louis for a total purchase price of $153 million.
JANUARY
2024
NBA
Golden State Warriors
Investment banking services for the sale of an existing limited partner interest in the company that owns the Golden State Warriors, Chase Center, new WNBA team and other assets to a party identified by Game Plan.*
Major League Transactions
The principals of Game Plan have represented clients on the buy and/or sell-side for all five major U.S. professional sports leagues:
• National Football League (NFL) • Major League Baseball (MLB) • National Basketball Association (NBA) •
• National Hockey League (NHL) • Major League Soccer (MLS) •
• National Hockey League (NHL) • Major League Soccer (MLS) •
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JANUARY
2024
NBA
Golden State Warriors
Investment banking services for the sale of an existing limited partner interest in the company that owns the Golden State Warriors, Chase Center, new WNBA team and other assets to a party identified by Game Plan.*
APRIL
2023
MLB
New York Yankees
Investing Banking services to an existing limited parter in Yankees Holdings L.P. with respect to the sale of their interest to a party identified by Game Plan.*
NOVEMBER
2021
NBA
Miami Heat
Investment Banking services to an existing limited partner of the Miami Heat (and related assets including FTX Arena) with respect to the sale of their interest to a party identified by Game Plan.*
AUGUST
2021
MLB
Chicago White Sox
Investment Banking services to an existing limited partner of the Chicago White Sox with respect to the sale of their interest.*
AUGUST
2016
MLB
Cleveland Guardians
Consulting and investment banking services to John Sherman for his acquisition of an ownership interest in the Cleveland Indians Baseball Club and his appointment as Vice Chairman of the Club.
MAY
2013
NBA
Sacramento Kings Team Acquisition
Consulting and investment banking services to Sacramento Basketball Holdings LLC and Vivek Ranadive including raising equity capital and arranging debt financing for the acquisition of the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association.
NOVEMBER
2010
NBA
Golden State Warriors Team Acquisition
Consulting and investment banking services to Joe Lacob and Peter Guber with respect to the acquisition of the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association for $450 million. Game Plan raised the equity and debt capital for the transaction.
JULY
2010
MLB
New York Yankees
Sale of a limited partner interest in the New York Yankees.
MARCH
2009
MLB
Boston Red Sox
Sale of a limited partner interest in the Boston Red Sox.
SEPTEMBER
2007
NHL
Phoenix Coyotes
Debt refinancing of the Phoenix Coyotes and Jobing.com Arena on behalf of owner Jerry Moyes.
JUNE
2006
NHL
St. Louis Blues Team Sale
Consulting and investment banking services to Paige Sports Entertainment with respect to the sale of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League and the sale of the Savvis Center Lease with the City of St. Louis for a total purchase price of $153 million.
JANUARY
2006
NBA
Boston Celtics
Potential acquisition of a major professional sports team. Mr. Lacob joined the Boston Celtics ownership group and Board of Directors
SEPTEMBER
2005
NBA
New Orleans Pelicans
Advisory with respect to attracting a major professional sports team to the Ford Center arena. Resulted in the temporary relocation of the New Orleans Hornets to the Ford Center for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons after hurricane Katrina.
MARCH
2005
NHL
National Hockey League
Developed the innovative plan and raised $4.5 billion of debt and equity capital for the acquisition of all 30 NHL teams. Invited by Commissioner Bettman to the March 1, 2005 NHL Board of Governors meeting to present the offer
FEBRUARY
2004
MLB
Los Angeles Dodgers Team Acquisition
Investment banking services on behalf of Frank H. McCourt, Jr. with respect to the acquisition of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball and its related assets including Dodger Stadium and 276 acres in downtown Los Angeles for a total purchase price of $430 million.
AUGUST
2003
NHL
Ottawa Senators
Sale of the Ottawa Senators to Eugene Melnyk.
AUGUST
2003
MLB
Portland Baseball Group
Attract a Major League Baseball (MLB) team to Portland, Oregon and succeeded in structuring $150mm of state financing for a new ballpark.
DECEMBER
2002
NBA
Boston Celtics Team Acquisition
Investment banking services on behalf of Irving Grousbeck (Co-Founder of Continental Cablevision) and Wyc Grousbeck (former Partner, Highland Capital) with respect to the acquisition of the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association for $360 million, including arranging debt and equity capital for the transaction.
AUGUST
2001
NHL
Montreal Canadiens
Arranged debt financing on behalf of George N. Gillett, Jr. in connection with his acquisition of the Montreal Canadiens and Molson Centre Arena.
MAY
1997
NHL
Pittsburgh Penguins
Sale of 50% of the team to Roger Marino, EMC co-founder, and negotiation of a new lease agreement with SMG, the arena operator.
JANUARY
2000
MLB
Oakland Athletics
Hired by the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority to sell the Oakland A’s. Game Plan identified and completed a purchase agreement with a buyer for $122.4mm subject to Major League Baseball approval.
OCTOBER
1995
MLS
New England Revolution
Executive Coordinator of the successful bid to bring MLS to Boston, Massachusetts on behalf of Robert Kraft and the Kraft family.
Minor League Transactions
There's nothing "minor" about the business of Triple-A professional baseball teams and other sports' second or third division clubs, many teams now sell for tens of millions of dollars across various sports and leagues including MLB-Affiliated Minor League Baseball, the USL Championship (2nd Division soccer in USA) and G-League (NBA development league). These sports teams are invaluable assets to their local community that provide affordable, family-friendly live entertainment and their stadiums/arenas/ballparks can serve as a catalyst for local economic growth.
Game Plan is a leader in MLB-Affiliated Minor League Baseball team sales and on average completes 1 team sale transaction each year, recently for prices exceeding $30 Million.
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DECEMBER
2023
Louisville Bats
Minor League Baseball
Sale of the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds to Diamond Baseball Holdings.
Minor League Baseball
MARCH
2023
Lansing Lugnuts
Minor League Baseball
Sale of the High-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics to Diamond Baseball Holdings.
Minor League Baseball
DECEMBER
2022
Oklahoma City Dodgers
Minor League Baseball
Sell-side consulting and investment banking services to the ownership of the Oklahoma City Dodgers, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, for the sale of the team to Diamond Baseball Holdings.*
Minor League Baseball
OCTOBER
2018
Bowling Green Hot Rods
Minor League Baseball
Sale of the team on behalf of MC Sports Acquisition LLC and Jerry Katzoff.
Minor League Baseball
MAY
2017
Montgomery Biscuits
Minor League Baseball
Sale of the team to a group led by Lou DiBella on behalf of owners Tom Dickson and Sherrie Myers.
Minor League Baseball
AUGUST
2014
Dayton Dragons
Minor League Baseball
Sale of the Single-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds at a record sale price in Minor League Baseball on behalf of Mandalay Baseball, one of the leading operators of affiliated Minor League Baseball franchises in the US.
Minor League Baseball
AUGUST
2014
Frisco RoughRiders
Minor League Baseball
Sale of the team at a record sale price in Double A baseball on behalf of Mandalay Baseball.
Minor League Baseball
OCTOBER
2014
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Minor League Baseball
Sale of the team to Peter Guber and the Los Angeles Dodgers on behalf of Mandalay Baseball.
Minor League Baseball
NOVEMBER
2014
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
Minor League Baseball
Sale of Mandalay Baseball’s 50% ownership of the franchise to SWB Investors LLC, a group led by David Blitzer (part owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils) and includes David Abrams (senior adviser and former partner of Apollo Global Management), Grant Cagle (part owner of the Mobile BayBears) and Michael Hisler (senior managing partner at Cerberus Capital Management). The remaining 50% of the franchise will continue to be owned by the New York Yankees.
Minor League Baseball
MAY
2015
Erie SeaWolves
Minor League Baseball
Sale of the team to Fernando Aguirre, former Chairman and Chief Executive of Chiquita Brands International Inc., on behalf of Mandalay Baseball.
Minor League Baseball
JULY
2015
Erie Otters
Other Leagues
Sale of the team (major junior hockey league) on behalf of Sherry Bassin for $7.225 million to Jim Waters.
Other Leagues
OCTOBER
2005
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Minor League Baseball
Investment banking and consulting services to Arthur P. Solomon with respect to the acquisition of the team and ballpark.
Minor League Baseball
SEPTEMBER
2010
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Minor League Baseball
Sale of the team to Mandalay Baseball Properties, LLC for $20mm.
Minor League Baseball
DECEMBER
2002
Mandalay Baseball Holdings LLC
Minor League Baseball
Raised $20mm of equity from Seaport Capital and $20mm of bank debt for Mandalay’s five minor league baseball teams: Las Vegas 51’s (AAA), Frisco RoughRiders (AA), Erie SeaWolves (AA), Dayton Dragons (A), and Hagerstown Suns (A).
Minor League Baseball
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OCTOBER
2003
Orlando Rays
Minor League Baseball
Sale of the team to Tom Dickson on behalf of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Minor League Baseball
JUNE
2000
Ottawa Lynx
Minor League Baseball
Sale of the team to Raymond C. Pecor.
Minor League Baseball
**Securities transactions conducted through StillPoint Capital, LLC, Tampa, FL.