F1 Majority Shareholder CVC Capital Among Suitors For Infront Sports & Media

F1 majority owners CVC Capital Partners is among a "pack of suitors circling" Infront Sports & Media, which is headed by the nephew of FIFA President Sepp Blatter, according to Mark Kleinman of SKY NEWS. CVC is among a "group of potential buyers" of Infront, "whose clients include FIFA and dozens of other owners of lucrative sports franchises around the world." Infront is headed by Philippe Blatter, and has been "majority-owned by Bridgepoint, a London-based private equity firm," since '11. Sources said that investment bank Lazard had asked bidders to "submit initial offers during the course of last week, with CVC and CAA, the talent management company which also has a presence in the sports arena, among those interested." A number of "other buyout firms including Blackstone and Bain Capital are understood to have decided not to bid." It was "unclear on Monday" whether IMG, which is backed by U.S.-based investment firm SilverLake Partners, made an offer (SKY NEWS, 10/13).