The Chase Manhattan Corp. has established a group
designed to focus exclusively on advising and financing the
sports industry. The Global Sports Advisory & Finance Group
will be run by VP Robert Tilliss, who will report to Mark
Davis, co-head of mergers and acquisitions who also has
client management responsibilities for several of Chase's
global industry groups. The Tilliss-led group will utilize
Chase's int'l corporate, private and venture capital client
base to advise, structure and execute transactions for pro
leagues, teams and facilities. Chase has previously advised
pro teams and currently has relationships with the NFL, NBA,
MLB and NHL. In addition, Chase Capital Partners recently
joined with IMG to form IMG/Chase Sports Capital, which is
designed to invest in the sports industry (Chase). In
AMERICAN BANKER, J. Alex Tarquino reports that Chase's
syndicated lending muscle "has propelled it into the top
ranks of domestic sports lending. It was the third largest
loan syndicator to the U.S. sports industry over the last 12
months." But the bank is "relatively late in organizing a
sports industry group," as both Fleet and NationsBank have
had specialty groups for years (AMERICAN BANKER, 8/13).
