STATS, the world’s leading sports technology, data and content provider, has been acquired by Vista Equity Partners. This transaction was first announced on May 20, 2014. Vista Equity Partners purchased the company from FOX Sports and The Associated Press.
STATS is a sports technology, data and content company providing real-time scores, historical sports information, sports content from AP and specialized technology for viewing, tracking and analyzing sports. The company name originated as an acronym for “Sports Team Analysis and Tracking Systems” and was founded in April 1981. STATS was acquired by Fox Sports in 2000 and the Associated Press invested in the company when STATS merged with AP Megasports in 2005. STATS is based in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook (www.stats.com).
“STATS has an impressive record of changing the way professional sports are delivered to its customers and consumed by fans,” said Robert Smith, CEO and founder of Vista Equity Partners. “Their seasoned management team has a track record of value creation and we are eager to build upon that success to better provide customers and partners with new products, datasets and technology that will help them grow their own businesses.”
Vista Equity Partners has more than $12 billion in committed capital and makes equity investments in enterprise software businesses and technology-enabled services companies. The firm was founded in 2000 and has over 50 investment professionals operating out of Austin, Chicago, and San Francisco (www.vistaequitypartners.com).
2014 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 6-13-14
