Powerleague
Powerleague is an operator of small sided football artificial pitches with 37 football centres in the UK, Ireland and Netherlands, based in Fitzrovia, London in England.
Origins
In 1987 Keith Rogers opened the world’s first commercial 5-a-side football centre[citation needed] in Paisley under the brand name of Pitz,[citation needed]. He built a successful business with 11 centres and a site pipeline before selling the profitable business to 3i who rebranded the business as Powerleague. Rogers immediately went on to found the highly successful rival business, Goals Soccer Centres.
In 2002, after the business went into decline under new management, 3i approached Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Chief Executive Claude Littner to take over the executive role.[1] In 2003, Littner lead a management buyout of the firm, leaving 3i with a minority stake. Having listed on the Alternative Investment Market, in 2008 Powerleague took over the Soccerdome centres from JJB Sports in a £17.4M deal.[2]
Private company
In October 2009, the company agreed to go private again, through a £42M Venture capital purchase by Patron Sports Leisure, an existing 29% shareholder and subsidiary of Patron Capital.[3][4] In 2012 Powerleague considered an offer for Goals Soccer Centres as a rival offer to the bid by Ontario Teachers to buy Goals, but these were abandoned.
Powerleague entered a company voluntary arrangement in 2018.
Finances
In 2013 Powerleague's revenues were £29.7 million.[5]
Branding
From 2011 to 2016, the company was branded as "Lucozade Powerleague".[6]
In 2019, the company rebranded its logo and adopted the slogan 'Play On'.
References
- ^ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/fameandfortune/11775289/Claude-Littner-I-had-my-first-and-most-successful-business-when-I-was-eight-years-old.html
- ^ The Scotsman, http://www.scotsman.com/business/football-operator-powers-ahead-with-163-17-4m-jjb-soccerdome-deal-1-1156867
- ^ http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/article-1217648/Powerleague-backs-42million-takeover.html
- ^ The Journal, http://www.thejournal.co.uk/business/business-news/football-operator-powerleague-agrees-takeover-4470667
- ^ Daily Record, http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/business/company-results-forecasts/losses-narrow-five-a-side-football-centre-4434878
- ^ The Scotsman https://www.scotsman.com/business/lucozade-adds-fizz-to-powerleague-1-1544935