Walker Morris Sports Law Team advises on sale of Burnley FC
4th January 2021
Historic football club sold to US investors
Sports lawyers at Walker Morris have advised the sellers of Burnley FC on its sale to US investors for an undisclosed sum.
The Premier League club has been acquired by a group led by US private equity firm, ALK Capital, with secured funding provided from MSD UK Holdings Limited.
The deal involves the sale of 83.97% of Burnley FC Holdings Limited – the parent company of Burnley Football & Athletic Company Limited, the entity which holds the share in the Premier League.
Walker Morris advised Burnley’s Chairman, Michael Garlick, as lead sell-side advisors on the deal, which involved 13 sellers in total.
A multi-disciplinary team, led by David Hinchliffe and Christian Slinger – both from the Sports Team, advised. They were supported by Liz Coley (Sports), Andrew Maclean (Real Estate), Charlotte Smith (Employment), Nicola Parkinson (Tax), Owen Ormond (Finance) and Simon Cuerden (Corporate).
Commenting on the deal Michael Garlick, Chairman of Burnley FC, said:
“I am delighted to get this deal over the line, especially in light of the difficult circumstances everyone is dealing with at the moment. My thanks go to David and Christian at Walker Morris for all of their hard work; we simply couldn’t have done it without them.
I will continue to be involved in the Club in the short-term and I am looking forward to playing my part in the next chapter of Burnley Football Club as we seek to strengthen our position in the Premier League. Here is to a successful 2021!”
David Hinchliffe, Head of Sports Law at Walker Morris, added:
“We are proud of having built a strong relationship with Burnley FC in recent years. It is a great pleasure to work alongside such a fantastic club with such strong heritage and deep links with the community.
“Opportunities to be involved in Premier League M&A transactions do not come around too often, so it has been excellent to play a key role in this deal. The acquisition will provide a solid platform for the Club to move forwards and provide a successful exit for the current majority ownership group. It is a great outcome for everyone involved with the Club including the fans and the local community.”
Ranked in the top tier by leading independent guides to the profession, the Walker Morris Sports team is known for being one of the few Firms in the UK that can genuinely offer the complete sports law service. This latest transaction reaffirms their position as one of the top sports M&A law firms in the country.
