FC Barcelona is in talks with Mountain Partners - a Swiss private equity firm - to merge its digital business, represented by Barça Media, with a SPAC. If the deal goes through, the Catalan club will take an important step towards its entry into the US stock market, as the SPAC in question aims to be listed on the Nasdaq before the end of this year, according to a report published in Expansión.
The merger of FC Barcelona's digital assets with a SPAC represents an innovative strategy for the club, who seek to capitalise on the potential of their online presence and expand their digital reach. This transaction would allow the Catalan club to access additional financial resources which would help remedy the club's delicate financial situation to some extent.
Barça Media is a company responsible for the management and distribution of FC Barcelona's digital content, including the production and marketing of audiovisual content, the management of social networks and the generation of revenue through digital platforms. Through the merger with Mountain Partners' SPAC, the aim is to boost the development and monetisation of these digital assets, as well as to explore new business opportunities in the digital sphere.
Mountain Partners - founded in 2005 by Cornelius Boersch and based in Zurich - is currently conducting due diligence on Barça Media prior to the deal, to analyse their financial health.
The company resulting from the merger with the Blaugrana company would have a valuation of 1,000 million euros. Eighty per cent of this valuation would be under the control of FC Barcelona, the remaining held by the said investors.
FC Barcelona's entry into the US stock market through a Nasdaq listing represents a significant milestone for the club, as it would allow it to access greater financial liquidity and establish relationships with international investors. Furthermore, this operation would be in line with the global expansion strategy that the club has been developing in recent years, with the aim of strengthening its brand and its position in the sporting and business spheres.