777 Partners, a Miami-based alternative investment company, has acquired ownership of Genoa Cricket and Football Club, Italy’s oldest club. Genoa C.F.C. plays in the prestigious Italian Serie A, was founded in 1893 and has won the Italian championship nine times.
The new owner group, which will acquire 99.9% of Genoa’s share capital, will pay new capital into the club and will assume some related liabilities. 777 Partners will use its expertise in the sports, media and entertainment industries to help further commercialize the club’s operations. The previous owner, Enrico Preziosi, will remain on the board of directors, while CEO Alessandro Zarbano will continue to manage the day to day operations of the club.
“We are deeply honored to become part of a club with a history, heritage and tradition as great as Genoa,” said Josh Wander, founder and Managing Partner of 777 Partners. “We understand and respect the responsibility we are inheriting, we want to preserve and protect the proud Rossoblù heritage by aiming for the best possible placings in Serie A.”
777 Partners has quickly built a world-class portfolio in the sports industry, focusing on developing companies with deep ties to their fans and emerging companies in fast-growing markets. In addition to Genoa, 777 Partners also owns a significant stake in Sevilla FC, one of Spain’s most prestigious and successful football clubs, as well as the London Lions, the only London team in the British Basketball League. The company’s sports, media and entertainment portfolio also includes Fanatiz, a streaming service that distributes live sports to European and Hispanic audiences in more than 90 countries around the world; 1190 Sports, which provides world-class management and marketing of sports rights; Atlanta Media, the first distribution, engagement and community platform dedicated to women’s football; and Uplay, a Canadian community, academic and basketball services platform.
The investment was led by Josh Wander and Steve Pasko, the founders of 777 Partners, as well as Juan Arciniegas, the chief executive who oversees the company’s sports, media and entertainment investments, and Andres Blazquez, the operating partner who helps manage the company’s football investments.
Naples Football City 