The sports division of investment firm 27th Investments, 27th Sports, has recently announced the purchase of a team competing in the inaugural World Tennis League in Dubai, The Hawks.
The World Tennis League is a competition with a highly innovative format that has drawn tennis superstars such as Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, Nick Kyrgios, Alexander Zverev, Sania Mirza, and Rohan Bopanna. 16 of the world’s best male and female players will be divided into four teams of four and compete in a round-robin format.
The six-day event, which will take place in Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena from December 19-24, will also include a series of six concerts by world-recognised performers such as Tiesto, Wizkid, Deadmau5, Ne-Yo, Mohamed Ramadan, and Armin van Buuren, living up to its catchphrase of The Greatest Show on Court. The Hawks, which included Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem, Elena Rybakina, and Annett Kontaveit, were acquired by 27th Sports on November 5, 2022.
The leading US-based investment firm, 27th Investments, has a $1 billion active portfolio in multiple areas such as gaming, real estate, and start-up ventures. Last year, 27th Sports, a sports-specific fund worth more than $100 million, was initiated to place emphasis on emerging economies and sports including cricket, golf, beach sports, and e-sports, among others. 27th Sports has expanded into tennis with the acquisition of The Hawks. Their objective is to obtain exclusive and long-term commercial rights from sports federations around the world.
Sunny Bector, Chairman and Co-founder, of 27th Sports, said, “We are incredibly excited to have acquired The Hawks and thrilled to expand into another global sport like tennis. The World Tennis League is going to be a sport and entertainment extravaganza- it will showcase world-class tennis matches and also include impressive concerts each day- to create the ultimate fan experience.
“At 27th Sports, our plan is to partner with the best-in-class leagues and acquire exclusive commercial rights across sports federations worldwide, particularly in emerging markets and sports. We eagerly look forward to the first edition of The World Tennis League in Dubai.”
Anil Damani, CEO and President of 27th Investments USA, commented, “We are thrilled to support the talented players and staff of The Hawks to deliver success on the court and allow fans to share in this extraordinary experience. We will continue to leverage our global sports and media network to make this event a huge success.”
Sangeet Shirodkar, CEO and Co-founder of 27th Sports, said, “The World Tennis League is set to make its mark on the Dubai sporting calendar and the world of tennis, and we are delighted to be a part of this event! At 27th Sports, we are deeply passionate about promoting and investing in new sporting events in emerging markets. The WTL is the perfect fit for us. We eagerly look forward to a long-term association with the league and The Hawks.”