All articles tagged with #private equity
NESN pulled Graham Platner’s campaign ad that blamed private equity for harming the Red Sox after the network cited unauthorized use of third-party intellectual property; the ad aired during a Red Sox game on NESN as Platner runs in Maine’s 2026 Senate race against Susan Collins, highlighting crossovers between sports media and political advertising.
NESN pulled Graham Platner’s 15‑second Senate campaign ad that attacked Red Sox ownership, citing unauthorized use of third‑party intellectual property and noncompliance with advertising standards; the spot, which used the team’s font and colors and referenced Mookie Betts, aired during a Red Sox game before being removed, highlighting Platner’s critique of Fenway Sports Group’s ownership amid broader concerns about private equity and the team’s performance.
Democratic Senate hopeful Graham Platner’s 15-second ad criticizing private equity and Red Sox ownership aired during a Red Sox game but was pulled by NESN for unauthorized third-party IP; Platner says the move impacted momentum in his Maine race, while NESN cited advertising standards and IP concerns tied to Fenway Sports Group’s ownership.
Elizabeth Warren and Maxine Waters, longtime Democratic allies on economics, are clashing over how to frame the biggest housing reform in decades: Warren backs a Senate bill restricting Wall Street’s housing investments, while Waters cut a more industry-friendly deal in the House. The House bill passed; the Senate’s path is uncertain as leadership on both sides push different versions, with White House backing the House after last-minute changes. The dispute centers on private equity rules and built-to-rent provisions, illustrating a broader Capitol Hill rift as lawmakers seek to boost housing affordability.
An independent probe into CalPERS, the nation’s largest public pension, finds secrecy, chronic underperformance, and opaque costs, with five- and ten-year returns in the bottom 15% and about 9% of assets in aging private-equity funds, prompting calls for an Inspector General and independent oversight. CalPERS counters that performance has improved and fees have fallen, but critics say transparency remains lacking.
An opinion piece argues that the NFL’s 2021 shift allowing private equity firms to own up to 10% of a team has enabled outfits like Arctos to buy stakes in three franchises (Chargers, Bills, Browns) and links to KKR, turning the league into a broader PE portfolio rather than a collection of city-centered teams. This cross-ownership could push decisions toward ROI and media rights over on-field success and community interests, creating a ‘canary in the coal mine’ scenario that risks monopolistic influence and a slippery slope for fan trust and league balance.
The Cleveland Browns are set to vote on selling a 3% stake to Arctos, a private-equity fund that already owns stakes in the Chargers and Bills; valuation hasn't been disclosed, but at a roughly $10 billion Browns value the stake would be about $300 million. The sale would inject cash as Cleveland pursues a new stadium financed with private contributions exceeding $1.755 billion.
Equity Group Investments, backed by Sam Zell’s family, bets on asset-heavy, old-economy businesses—such as John Deere dealerships, tuna farming/fishing, and a cross-border bridge—to resist AI disruption. With long investment horizons and tax benefits from bonus depreciation, the firm seeks steady cash flow and geographic moats, while traditional private equity favors shorter-horizon, asset-light bets, even as inbound interest grows from business owners facing tariffs and inflation.
NBC News examines i-Ready, the private-equity-backed edtech used by about 14 million students. Critics—parents, teachers, and students—say it wastes instructional time, offers little insight into individual errors, and can feel like a black box, while Curriculum Associates argues data show benefits and notes ongoing improvements; LA Unified and other districts have opened audits or calls to limit screen time, highlighting a growing backlash against edtech.
OpenAI unveiled DeployCo, its new AI consulting and services arm valued at about $14 billion and backed by roughly $4 billion of private equity funding at a $10 billion pre-money, with OpenAI retaining majority control. Lead investor is TPG, joined by Advent International, Bain Capital, and Brookfield as co-lead partners, with backers including Goldman Sachs (the sole backer of both DeployCo and Anthropic’s similar effort), and blue‑chip names such as Bain & Co., Capgemini, McKinsey & Co., along with BBVA, Emergence Capital, Goanna, SoftBank, Warburg Pincus, and WCAS. DeployCo has already acquired a forward-deployed engineering team named Tomoro and could draw in more PE players; the story foreshadows further PE involvement or expansion.
Anthropic teams with Blackstone, Hellman & Friedman, Goldman Sachs Asset Management and a broad investor consortium to form a $1.5 billion venture described as the 'McKinsey of AI' that will develop a repeatable AI-enabled transformation playbook for portfolio companies, embedding AI into workflows, offering early access to model upgrades, and aiming to boost productivity and returns while navigating cybersecurity and data-center scaling.
Anthropic, Goldman Sachs and private‑equity partners including Blackstone and Hellman & Friedman are forming a $1.5 billion venture to embed Claude inside portfolio and mid-sized companies, staffed by engineers who redesign workflows to accelerate real‑world AI adoption, starting with PE‑owned firms across healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, retail and real estate.
Anthropic is forming a $1.5bn joint venture with Wall Street players including Blackstone, Goldman Sachs and Hellman & Friedman to deploy its AI across investment portfolios via a new consulting company. The deal funds initial commitments (about $300mn from Anthropic, Blackstone and H&F; $150mn each from Goldman and General Atlantic) and embeds Anthropic engineers to commercialize Claude Code, aiming to accelerate enterprise AI adoption on Wall Street ahead of a potential public listing.
Spirit Airlines has shut down, and a former passenger launched Spirit 2.0 to rally everyday people to buy the airline using a publicly owned model inspired by the Green Bay Packers. Pledges total almost $23 million from about 36,605 people, but no money has moved yet, and the group targets roughly $1.7 billion before private equity could swoop in; regulators and other carriers have begun offering help to stranded travelers.
With the Saudi Public Investment Fund pulling its investment after 2026, LIV Golf is scrambling for private investors and potential team sales, but insiders say the business model is far from cash-flow break-even and profitability without Saudi backing could take 5–10 years. The league has created an independent board and is weighing options—from a four-event format to a Saudi domestic sale—while facing scarce investor interest amid high payouts and limited North American media exposure.