Sports lawyers at Leeds-headquartered Walker Morris advised the sellers of Burnley FC on the club’s sale to US investors for an undisclosed sum.
The Premier League club was 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, which is the parent company of Burnley Football & Athletic Company Limited, the entity that holds the share in the Premier League.
Walker Morris advised Burnley FC’s chairman, Michael Garlick, as lead sell-side adviser on the deal, which involved 13 sellers in total.
A multi-disciplinary team, led by David Hinchliffe and Christian Slinger (pictured, left and right), both from the sports team at Walker Morris, advised on the sale.
Liz Coley and Katie Reed (sports), Andrew Maclean (real estate), Charlotte Smith (employment), Nicola Parkinson (tax), Owen Ormond (finance), and Simon Cuerden (corporate), also supported the sale.
Commenting on the deal, Garlick 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!”
Hinchliffe said: “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.”