adminHow Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori’s Expanding Sports Empire Could Shape Sunderland’s Future
Sunderland owners Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori are back in the spotlight as new details emerge about their long-term vision for Bia Sports Group (BSG) — and the role Sunderland could play within it.
Formed earlier this year, Bia Sports Group has quickly grown into a diverse sports venture, with Sunderland as its flagship football club. Since guiding the Black Cats back into the Premier League, Louis-Dreyfus and Sartori have invested heavily — spending over £100 million on player transfers, infrastructure improvements, and key backroom appointments.
Now, financial expert Kieran Maguire has spoken to TBR Football, offering insight into how Sunderland fits into BSG’s broader ambitions. With the group recently acquiring properties such as the World Supercross Championship and a global rugby sevens franchise, Maguire sees the developments as “an interesting step forward.”
Despite BSG’s expansion, Maguire believes Sunderland will remain “largely independent” within the group. However, the club could play a strategic role in boosting BSG’s profile — especially when it comes to attracting sponsors.
“It’s probably more about using the Sunderland badge for the benefit of the wider network,” Maguire explained. “When you have Sunderland’s badge on your website, that is attractive to sponsors.”
He also noted that while niche sports like Supercross and rugby sevens have dedicated fanbases — particularly in cities like Hong Kong and Dubai — football remains a global force, making Sunderland a valuable asset in raising the group’s overall visibility.
BSG has made its goals clear: to seek out investment opportunities across both emerging and established sports, aiming to create fast growth through a purpose-built platform focused on fan engagement and business performance.
This mirrors trends seen across the sporting world, where multi-club and multi-sport models are gaining ground. Notable examples include City Football Group, Red Bull, Eagle Football Holdings, and even Everton’s new venture, Pursuit Sports, which includes Roma and Cannes alongside the Merseyside club.
Currently, Sunderland is the only football club under BSG’s wing. However, with more acquisitions likely, Maguire suggests the Black Cats could become a central figure in this growing empire — even if BSG doesn’t adopt a traditional multi-club approach.
“Sunderland are a different piece in a different jigsaw,” Maguire said. “The other sports BSG are involved in are niche, while football is global. I expect Sunderland to continue operating mostly independently.”
He added, once again, that the club’s branding and prestige could be used to elevate the entire BSG network:
“It’s less about the group helping Sunderland and more about Sunderland helping the group.”
As Bia Sports Group continues to grow, Sunderland could find itself at the heart of a unique sporting model — not just as a football club, but as a global brand ambassador for a broader sports vision.
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