News & Views

Before approaching potential buyers, you need to ask a critical question: is your business genuinely ready to be sold? If it isn't, the due diligence process will quickly expose the cracks. Issues uncovered through these investigations can deter buyers and delay the transaction, reduce the value of your business, and result in harsh indemnities.

O'Connors are pleased to announce the promotion of Mollie Williams, Michael McKenna and Megan Crone to Associate, recognising their outstanding contributions to the firm and continued commitment to delivering exceptional client service.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of modern business strategy, with many organisations deploying it as a powerful cost-control lever by automating routine work, compressing timelines, and driving operational efficiency at scale. For professional services firms, the commercial rationale is compelling: AI offers speed, scalability, and accessibility, presenting (to a certain extent) a cost-effective means of addressing day-to-day operational and advisory demands.

The growth of women’s football in England is now becoming significantly more measurable rather than anecdotal. Attendance, audience and sponsorship activity have all moved materially over the past three seasons, underpinned by the visibility created by the heroics of the Lionesses. For club executives and investors, however, the central question is no longer whether the market is expanding and the growth prospects, but how that expansion can translate into sustainable value at club level.

As fans become ever more integral to the commercial value of professional sport, broadcast revenues, sponsorship deals, matchday income, and brand equity are now aligned with supporter engagement, meaning long-term value in sport is linked to fan trust, loyalty, and stability.

Series 1, Episode 4: My Life in Sport. Phil Bowers interviews James Robinson, Team Owner, CEO & Team Principal at Invicta Racing, Co-Founder at Pace Six Four.

Warren Buffett said you should never test the depth of the water with both feet – as the Vicar of Dibley found out. Likewise, you should never enter into a financial services agreement with your eyes closed - and yet many still do.

“My whole body is tingling all over after that,” said Santa, his white beard dripping onto the sun-bleached sand.

Over the past decade, the financial and governance architecture of professional sport has undergone a significant transformation, with investors now viewing clubs as assets within larger thematic portfolios that can share capital, infrastructure, and brand reach.

The past few years have brought unprecedented investor interest to the European professional sports market. Private equity funds, sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and high net worth individuals are actively seeking exposure to sport - drawn by recurring revenues, loyal audiences, global reach, and the resilience of live entertainment.