Investment Company boosts Prosport International

Prosport International received a major boost this week with a majority equity investment from the Cape Town based JAG Investment Group.

According to Craig Livingstone, CEO of Prosport International, the new majority share deal will only affect the top management structure, with day to day operations and staff remaining unchanged.

“We are very excited to have the backing of the JAG Investment Group, with their added resources and expertise we’ll be in a position to offer our clients an enhanced and broader service,” said Livingstone.

“Essentially we decided to partner with JAG as we believe this to be the best way to grow the business to the benefit of our clients,” he said.

The JAG Investment Group specialises in adding value to businesses with their administration, financial and legal expertise. Greg James, founder of the JAG Investment Group said: “Our investment in Prosport International will enable the company to grow exponentially in both the national and international market.”

“JAG will take on a senior management role in the Prosport operation, powering the company with our extensive business resources and experienced staff. JAG’s speciality is in growing, streamlining and improving businesses and we feel that our partnership will augment Prosport to the benefit of the clients.”

JAG Investment plays an active role in sports development at grassroots level through their JAG Sports and Education Foundation run by Elana Meyer. The company also has interests in South Africa’s largest cycling brand, Cycle Lab. Former Springbok rugby player, Robbie Fleck, a director at JAG will be overseeing JAG’s investment in Prosport.

Fleck said: “Strategically this is an important investment for both Prosport and JAG. Through this partnership we will be in a position to add a new dimension to the sports management market, and we aim to expand internationally.

“Prosport has always been my agency. As a former player I understand the sports management business well and I have a personal appreciation for what the clients require. Prosport is the best agency in the country and it’s great to be involved in taking the business to a new level.”

Prosport International, South Africa’s leading sport management agency, specialises in managing professional rugby and soccer players as well as coaches. Their clients include Jake White, Nick Mallett, John Smit, Schalk Burger, Pierre Spies, Ricci Januarie and Fourie du Preez amongst others.

The soccer stars represented by Prosport International include Surprise Moriri, Nasief Morris and Excellent Walaza as well as representing 9 of the 23 players selected by Carlos Alberto Parreira for AFCON 2008.

“We currently operate in Southern Africa, the United Kingdom, Ghana, Nigeria and Greece. We manage just over two hundred footballers locally and internationally. Our primary function is to negotiate employment contracts on our clients’ behalf,” said Prosport Managing Director of Football, Mike Makaab. “We also manage their contracts with sponsors and market our clients on an individual basis, separate from the team.”

Prosport represent a handful of elite sportsmen from other sporting codes, such as Olympic medallist swimmer, Ryk Neethling and cricketer Makhaya Ntini. With JAG onboard, Prosport plans to extend their management services to a wider range of the country’s top sportsmen.

ENDS

Issued by:
HWB Communications
Contact: Leanne Raymond
Tel: (021) 462 0416
Fax: (021) 462 0427
Cell: (082) 328 4972
Email: leanne@hwb.co.za

On behalf of:
JAG Investment Group
Contact: Robbie Fleck
Tel: (021) 702 8566
Fax: (021) 701 2957
Email: robbie@jaginvestment.com