![Photo: Dr. Frank Thiäner, Partner at PÖLLATH in Munich](https://cdn.fyb.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/thiaener-frank-pplaw-poellath-400x400.jpeg)
United Talent Agency takes over German soccer player agency ROOF
The United Talent Agency (UTA) takes over the leading German soccer player agency ROOF “Representatives Of Outstanding Footballers”. — ROOF is one of the largest soccer player agencies in European professional soccer and Europe’s leading professional soccer consultancy with offices in Germany, Great Britain and Spain.
Through the partnership with UTA/Klutch, ROOF is joining the ranks of the world’s top sports recruitment agencies. The players served by ROOF will gain direct access to the American market as a result of the merger and will be able to benefit from UTA/Klutch’s experience in advising players in the future. In return, UTA, which with its subsidiary Klutch has so far mainly advised athletes from US sports, including the NBA, NFL, WNBA and NCAA, will gain access to the European continent.
POELLATH advised ROOF on this transaction.
Under the direction of Dr. Frank Thiäner a multidisciplinary team of POELLATH together with PwC Legal led by Lars Benger with Rebecca Klenke provided comprehensive legal and tax advice to the managing partners of ROOF and the financial investor INVISION on the sale of their stake in ROOF Group GmbH to United Talent Agency, LLC, together with its sports consulting firm Klutch Sports Group (Klutch). The managing partners of ROOF have acquired a significant stake in UTA as part of the transaction.
In 2019, POELLATH had already advised the founders and shareholders of ROOF, formerly arena11 sports group GmbH, on the entry of the financial investor INVISION. By taking on the institutional investor, the ROOF Group took the first step towards successfully consolidating and professionalizing the European player consultant market. Following the successful merger with Coaches & More GmbH, Spielerrat GmbH subsequently joined the joint venture. This was followed in 2022 by the merger with the British player consultants Neil Fewings and Nabile Hakimi and the establishment of a joint company in the UK. ROOF now represents over 150 of the best footballers and coaches in the world’s most important soccer leagues, including the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, French Ligue 1 and the German Bundesliga.
Björn Bezemer, shareholder and managing director of ROOF, commented on the transaction: “We felt very well advised by POELLATH and PwC as part of the team on this major step for us. Frank and Lars were part of the small negotiating team that made the transaction possible not only legally but also strategically.”
Founded in 1991, UTA is a leading talent, sports, entertainment and consulting firm representing artists, athletes, storytellers, entertainers and brands worldwide. Among the celebrities under contract with UTA are US stars such as LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, actors Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Harrison Ford, and singer Christina Aguilera.
ROOF is one of the leading agencies in the soccer landscape and represents around 150 soccer players and coaches in the five major European leagues — the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, French Ligue 1 and the German Bundesliga. ROOF advises German internationals such as Kai Havertz, Niclas Füllkrug and Marc-André ter Stegen, as well as Virgil van Dijk and Harvey Elliott from the English Premier League. ROOF currently operates from offices in Munich, London and Madrid and intends to expand internationally.
Founded in 2012, Klutch is an athlete consulting agency that represents some of the world’s greatest athletes in professional sports. Klutch launched its partnership with UTA in 2019, providing strategic support in areas including branding, communications, content, social responsibility and other opportunities at the intersection of sports, entertainment and culture.
POELLATH provided comprehensive legal and tax advice to the managing partners of ROOF with the following team:
Dr. Frank Thiäner (Partner, Lead, M&A/PE, Munich)
Gerald Herrmann (Partner, Tax Law, Munich)
Daniel Wiedmann, LL.M. (NYU) (Associated Partner, Distribution and Antitrust Law, Frankfurt aM)
Dr. Dominik Gerlicher, LL.M. (Counsel, M&A/PE, Munich)
Dr. Erik Muscheites (Counsel, Tax Law, Frankfurt aM)
Torben Busch (Senior Associate, M&A/PE, Munich)
Dr. Dominik Sorber (Senior Associate, Employment Law, Munich)
Jannis Lührs (Associate, Tax Law, Munich)