Brera Holdings PLC (NASDAQ: BREA)

Brera Holdings PLC (NASDAQ: BREA) is an Ireland-based, international holding company focused on expanding its global portfolio of men's and women's sports clubs through a multi-club ownership approach. The company capitalizes on opportunities to earn tournament prizes, secure sponsorships, collect transfer fees, provide professional sports consulting services, and enhance the valuation of its clubs.

Brera Holdings builds on the legacy of Brera FC, an international football club (referred to as soccer in the U.S.), that it acquired in July 2022. Established in 2000 and based in Milan, Italy, Brera FC has distinguished itself by cultivating an alternative football legacy. In October 2024, the Internet Marketing Association awarded Brera FC with the Social Impact Through Soccer accolade at its IMPACT 5050 Conference, recognizing the club's global perspective and positive contributions to society.

The company's growth strategy focuses on unlocking value from undervalued sports clubs and talent, driving innovation, and generating socially impactful outcomes. Brera Holdings is actively expanding its Global Sports Group, acquiring professional football and other sports clubs in emerging markets such as Africa, Asia, and Europe.

By targeting top-division teams in less mainstream markets, Brera Holdings aims to strengthen its competitive position in regional tournaments, including those organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). These acquisitions are expected to enhance sponsorship revenues and create new growth opportunities.

Leveraging its expertise in capital raising and revenue generation, Brera Holdings also anticipates growing demand for its consulting services, providing advisory support to sports clubs, associations, investors, and others. Brera Holdings is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, with additional offices in Milan, Italy.

Sporting Assets

Brera Holdings continues to grow its global sports portfolio with a series of strategic acquisitions and innovations, including the FENIX Trophy Tournament, a pan-European, non-professional football competition. Launched in September 2021 and organized by Brera FC, the tournament has been recognized by UEFA and described by BBC Sport as "the Champions League for amateurs." In 2023, Brera FC hosted the tournament's finals at Milan's iconic San Siro Stadium.

In March 2023, Brera Holdings expanded into Africa by establishing Brera Tchumene FC in Mozambique. Starting in the country's Second Division League, the team quickly earned promotion to Moçambola, Mozambique's First Division League, by November 2023.

In April 2023, Brera Holdings further strengthened its European presence by acquiring a 90% stake in Fudbalski Klub Akademija Pandev, a first-division football team in North Macedonia. This acquisition provides access to two major UEFA competitions, solidifying the company's position in European football.

Brera Holdings' reach extends beyond football. In July 2023, it acquired majority ownership of UYBA Volley, an Italian Serie A1 women's professional volleyball team, demonstrating its commitment to diversifying within top-tier sports.

In September 2023, Brera Holdings entered the Mongolian football market by acquiring Bayanzurkh Sporting Ilch FC, a Mongolian National Premier League team. For the 2024 season, the club was rebranded as Brera Ilch FC, further expanding Brera's global footprint.

In January 2024, Brera Holdings initiated a proactive search for an Italian Serie B football club, aligning with its goal of bringing multi-club ownership opportunities to mass investors through its Nasdaq-listed shares.

In February 2024, the Brera Holdings Advisory Board was established with MLS founder and World Cup director Alan Rothenberg, luxury lifestyle executive Massimo Ferragamo, sports business leaders Paul Tosetti and Marshall Geller, and Italian football icon Giuseppe Rossi.

In June 2024, the North Macedonian women's football club Tiverija Strumica officially became part of the Brera family with the establishment of a joint-stock company controlled by Brera Holdings called Women's Football Club Tiverija Brera AD Strumica ("Brera Tiverija"). Brera Tiverija is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Brera Strumica FC.

In September 2024 Brera announced that it signed an exclusive letter of intent to acquire an Italian Serie B club (the "LOI" and the "Club"). According to a CFA report published in June 2024, this expected strategic transaction, for an estimated purchase price of $21.6 million, would add first-year annual revenue of $10.8 million to Brera, and that revenue would likely increase by 25% each year for the next three years. The company's capital valuation, projected the report, would also experience significant appreciation during this period.

In October 2024, Brera was recognized with the 2024 Social Impact Through Soccer Award at IMPACT 5050, an annual event honoring leaders and innovators who significantly impact their industries and communities. This is the second time Brera has won the award.

Market Opportunity

A report from IMARC Group, a global management consulting firm, reveals that the international football market generated approximately $3.3 billion in revenue in 2023, with projections to grow to $4.6 billion by 2032, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.6%. Key drivers behind this growth include advancements in digitization, increasing sponsorship and partnership deals between brands and clubs, the rising interest in women's professional soccer leagues, and the expansion of the e-sports and gaming sector.

In particular, Serie B Italian football clubs seem to present exceptionally attractive investment opportunities. As of September 2024, more than half of these clubs had appreciated between 80-100% in total market value, post-purchase.

As the world's most-watched and most-played sport, soccer drives significant demand for football-related products and services, contributing to market growth. Broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and endorsement deals are also major revenue sources for clubs and organizations, with an expanding global fanbase generating new opportunities for financial growth, according to the report.

Management Team

With extensive experience in leadership and finance, Daniel McClory currently serves as the Executive Chairman and Director of Brera Holdings, PLC. He co-founded and held the position of Chief Executive Officer at Boustead & Company Limited, and previously served as the Managing Director, Head of Equity Capital Markets, and Head of China at Boustead Securities, LLC. Mr. McClory's governance experience includes being a Board Director for USA Track & Field and a member of the Eastern Michigan University Champions Advisory Board. Mr. McClory's expertise encompasses founding and financing equity capital markets, as well as navigating merger and acquisition transactions and initial public offerings. He holds a BS and MS from Eastern Michigan University, where he also received an honorary Doctor of Public Service. In addition to his professional qualifications, he is fluent in both English and Italian.

Pierre Galoppi serves as the CEO, Interim CFO, and director of Brera Holdings. With over 30 years of experience in strategic business and financial services, his career spans a variety of industries, including natural resources, aviation, cybersecurity, telecommunications, tourism, and international marketing. He has worked extensively across Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada, Europe, and the United States. Mr. Galoppi holds dual citizenship in Canada and Italy and is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and French. He earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree and an MBA from Concordia University in Montreal.

Maria Xing serves as the Head of Investments and Corporate Development. She is an executive who has specialized in MCO football (soccer) group investments for 777 Partners, where she was involved in sourcing, direct negotiations, due diligence, and closing deals, including acquiring a controlling stake in Brazilian Serie A football club, Vasco da Gama, and investing in Australian Premier League ("A-League") side, Melbourne Victory FC. She also played a role in other professional sports franchise portfolio management, including topflight professional football clubs in Italy, France, Germany, and Belgium. Her background is in private equity, investment banking, and finance, with prior experience at The Raine Group, Credit Suisse, and EY (Ernst & Young), as well as previous sports industry experience at Liverpool Football Club in international business development. Ms. Xing earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a B.S. from the New York University, Stern School of Business.