Maccabi Haifa Seeks New Owners, Hires Raine Group for Sale Process

Maccabi Haifa is on the verge of a new era as club president Yakov Shahar has confirmed the hiring of Raine Group, a prominent global investment bank, to manage the sale of the club. Shahar stated that he has received interest from various parties and has engaged Raine Group to find a suitable entity to lead the club forward, emphasizing his desire for a serious owner committed to continuing the club's legacy and achieving further success.

Raine Group has a significant track record in high-profile sports transactions, having advised on the sale of Chelsea to Todd Boehly, the sale of a quarter stake in Manchester United to Jim Ratcliffe, and is expected to mediate the sale of Crystal Palace. The bank's commission structure, as seen in the Manchester United deal where they earned 1.9% of a $1.6 billion transaction, suggests Raine Group could receive approximately $2 million if Maccabi Haifa is sold for $100 million, potentially more depending on the deal's specifics.

The club's strategy, according to economic reports, involves seeking a controlling owner with a 51% stake, with a group of businessmen holding the remaining 49%. This approach indicates the sale process is beyond initial inquiries. The involvement of Raine Group as a central mediator is a lesson learned from a previous failed negotiation with an American business group led by Adam Fried, where the pace of discussions was a point of contention. Raine Group's role will be to manage negotiations and vet potential buyers, with Maccabi Haifa becoming more involved at a later stage.

The timeline for the sale remains uncertain and depends on the buyers and Yakov Shahar. The process typically involves an initial negotiation phase, followed by a due diligence period that can last several months, similar to the Hapoel Tel Aviv sale which took approximately four months from initial agreement to final transfer.