EQT takes majority stake in NRL champions Melbourne Storm
What's the deal? Global investment firm EQTDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → is buying a majority stake in Melbourne StormDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, one of Australia's most successful rugby league clubs. The deal, made through EQT's Mid-Market Opportunities strategy, follows what the club called a global search for a strategic partner. Terms were not disclosed.
What stays the same? Matt Tripp remains chairman, while chief executive officer Justin Rodski, head coach Craig Bellamy, and director of football Frank Ponissi continue in their roles. EQT will join the ownership group on the board, subject to Australian Rugby League Commission approval.
What's the endgame? EQT says it will invest in the club's football programme and player pathways, matchday and fan experience, commercial sponsorships, and grassroots rugby league in Victoria. The firm points to its ownership of IMG AcademyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → as evidence of its sports credentials, spanning athlete performance, sports science, and youth development.
Why now? Tripp framed the timing around a buoyant sport. "The game of rugby league is as healthy as it has ever been and we want our Club to go from strength to strength," he said.
What they're saying: "We conducted a thorough process to find the right partner to help us to continue driving the Club forward," Tripp said. Alexander Hansen, EQT's Asia Pacific sports and education investment lead, called Storm "an exceptional Club, with a proud football culture, strong leadership and a deep connection with its supporters."
By the numbers: Founded in Sweden, EQT manages €291 billion in total assets, €155 billion of it fee-generating. The firm has more than three decades investing across sectors and stages.
The signal: Private capital's push into sport now reaches the Australian NRL, as investment firms treat clubs as growth assets with digital, data, and commercial upside. EQT's bet ties a Nordic buyout house to a Melbourne institution — a sign that elite sporting franchises are increasingly viewed through a portfolio lens.
Read more: Cision
Image credit: NAPARAZZI
