Grata research identifies more than 246,000 privately owned sports services companies across a fast-growing, fragmented global market
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Private capital is moving deeper into the global sports services industry as dealmakers pursue growth across teams, leagues, betting, media, athlete performance and agency services. New Grata research finds more than 246,000 privately owned sports services companies worldwide are potential acquisition targets, while sector M&A activity has more than doubled over the last decade.
The PE Playbook: Sports Services analyzes six core segments: athlete performance and training; sponsorship and agency services; event management and logistics; media, broadcasting and streaming; leagues and teams; and sports betting.
Several market shifts are accelerating investor interest. Private capital has new pathways into league and team ownership, college athletics is adapting to revenue-sharing and NIL rules, sports betting legalization continues to expand, and media rights are splintering across more broadcasters and streaming platforms.
Key findings include:
- Private companies dominate: Private businesses represent 76% of the sports services industry, creating a large and fragmented opportunity set for dealmakers.
- The US is the largest market: The US has roughly 88,000 private sports services companies, followed by Germany and the UK.
- Sports betting leads private-market growth: Private sports betting companies are growing at an average annual rate of 51%, the fastest of any segment analyzed, though the segment remains the smallest by company count.
- Regional growth varies: Among public comparables, athlete performance and training leads growth globally in the US; leagues and teams leads in EMEA; and media, broadcasting and streaming leads in APAC.
- Seller intent is visible: More than 21,600 sports services companies are showing intent to sell, including 932 with high intent.
“Private capital is reshaping sports services on every continent, from teams and leagues to the agencies, data platforms, and compliance providers that support them,” said Andrew Bocskocsky, Chief Product Officer, Datasite. “With more than 246,000 privately owned companies identified as potential acquisition targets, dealmakers need visibility into specific markets where growth, fragmentation and seller intent are converging.”
Historically, strategic buyers have driven most sports services deal activity every year since 2017, while financial sponsors have steadily increased their share since 2021.
Recent transactions show investor interest across college sports media, commercial distribution and mass-participation fitness.
Grata, a unit of Datasite, identifies more than 21,600 sports services companies showing seller intent, including 932 with high intent, and 128 actionable companies in the platform that have not yet been discovered.
Seller-intent signals are based on Grata’s analysis of market indicators associated with transaction readiness.
The full playbook includes segment trends, regional market maps, active acquirers, notable transactions and seller-intent signals for dealmakers evaluating the sports services market.
To read the full report, visit Grata’s PE Playbook: Sports Services.
About Grata
Grata, a unit of Datasite, is an AI-native private market intelligence and dealmaking company. Grata provides full market visibility with the most comprehensive, accurate, and searchable data on private companies. For more information, visit www.grata.com.
About Datasite
Datasite is the essential infrastructure for M&A. It helps companies, investors, and advisors find opportunities, manage complex transactions, and make better decisions. Products include market intelligence, secure data rooms, and digital boardrooms, assisted by a team of global experts available 24/7. Native AI flows through these capabilities to help dealmakers inform strategy, transact efficiently, and decide with confidence. With more than 50 years of experience, Datasite delivers many of the world’s largest and most complex deals. Learn more at www.datasite.com
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