Comcast-backed Atairos Group to acquire College Sports Licensor Learfield

Tom Paine

Follow @phillytechnews

 Subscribe in a reader

Michael Angelakis / Atairos Group website

Atairos Group has reached an agreement to acquire Plano, Texas-based college sports licensor Learfield.

Atairos Group is the Bryn Mawr and New York-based PE fund backed by Comcast and headed by former Comcast CFO Michael Angelakis.

Terms were not disclosed, but earlier reports suggested the bidding was in the $1 billion plus range. Prior to Comcast, Angelakis was a senior executive with Learfield seller Providence Equity. Atairos was reported to have beaten out three other bidder including TPG Capital, majority owner of Hollywood agency CAA.









Earlier this year, Atairos made a $250 million investment in Groupon.

Also this year, Atairos teamed with former Citigroup CEO Vikram S. Pandit to form a new financial services company.

Atairos was launched this year with $4 billion in committed capital from Comcast.

Atairos is often seeking long-term synergies with Comcast in its investments, as was indicated after its Groupon investment. Learfield may have some fit with Comcast's now wholely-owned Comcast Spectacor unit.