Private Equity Investments in Support of Professional Athletes: Developing and Testing a Cross-Country Framework of Sporting and Venture Creation Performances in Countries With a Strong Long-Term Orientation

Abstract

Overseas financial direct investments (ODIs) have been investigated with explanations of how investors generate a return on investment (ROI) and enable entries to new markets via sports club investments. However, investments in athletes have garnered less attention. This study explores private equity (PE) funds that could support professional athletes’ sporting performance and their second careers as entrepreneurs, actions that require a long-term approach. First, this study builds a sports entrepreneurship framework. Second, this study analyses secondary data on exceptionally strong sporting performance (Olympic Games medals), venture creation performance (the number of unicorns), and long-term orientation. As its theoretical contribution, this paper suggests that the tested framework could help future studies detail theories concerning sports startup ecosystems and agency problems. A managerial implication of the article is that sports club investments could be combined with PE fund investments to athletes in contexts dominated by funding types other than PE.