Linklaters has advised on the renegotiation of French football club Olympique Lyonnais’ €320 million US private placement stadium financing, in connection with the acquisition of the club by sports businesswoman Michele Kang. The transaction also involved the simultaneous renegotiation of the club’s bank facilities.
This complex, multi-faceted mandate underscores Linklaters’ market-leading expertise in advising on stadium financing transactions, as well as its ability to support clients on high-profile deals at the intersection of sport, finance and corporate M&A. The firm has worked on a number of high-profile stadium financing deals in this fast-growing sector.
An international, cross-practice Linklaters team supported the transaction, drawing on expertise from its UK and France sports and finance practices. The team was led by partners Reza Taylor, François Kopf and Guillaume Malaty, with support from counsels Inès de Matharel and Etienne Lupuyoand managing associate Shamin Choudhury and associate Julien Bourgeois.
Reza Taylor, Partner at Linklaters, commented:
“This was a significant and high-profile transaction, combining a complex financing renegotiation with a landmark change of ownership in European football. Our long-standing experience in stadium financings and the global sports sector enabled us to deliver seamless, cross-border support on all aspects.”
Linklaters is one of only a small number of elite global law firms with a dedicated sports sector team whose lawyers have an exceptional understanding of the trends, issues and challenges in the sector. The team’s experts regularly share insights, updates and news on its SportingLinks blog.
