A landmark UAE acquisition has triggered the launch of a brand new international power in beginner golf, with greater than 2,300 gamers throughout two continents now competing underneath a single league construction — and a multi-billion greenback market firmly in its sights
Feisal Nahaboo, the British founding father of the European Gamers Tremendous League (EPSL) has acquired Sport2Business (S2B), the UAE-based occasions firm run by former KPMG government Russell Yeomans and his son James, to type the World Gamers Tremendous League (WPSL), a cross-continental tour boasting greater than 2,300 beginner gamers throughout the UK and UAE.
Billed as one of many largest and distinctive offers of its sort within the beginner sport, the merger positions the WPSL as a number one power in a $50 billion international market that trade insiders say has been left vast open by the slim focus of elite professional excursions.
The WPSL will function throughout the entire United Arab Emirates, with greater than 100 tournaments every year at prestigious programs together with Yas Hyperlinks, Trump Worldwide, The Els Membership, The Majlis, the Montgomerie, Dubai Hills, Al Zorah and Al Hamra to call a couple of. Gamers will compete underneath a unified league construction, with a factors system rewarding the very best 5 rounds every season.
In response to Nahaboo, WPSL members will embody greater than 350 UAE-based Senior Executives, amongst a wider base of high-net-worth people. The organisers see this not solely as a enjoying cohort however as a springboard for business partnerships, company sponsorships, and strategic funding because the league expands internationally.
“For us, this isn’t only a strategic transfer — it’s a step by means of the entrance door into the center of the Center East,” Nahaboo instructed The European. “We’re gaining affect and entry, constructing trusted partnerships, and reshaping the way forward for beginner golf. That is just the start of our journey.”
Nahaboo believes the beginner market holds untapped potential far higher than the skilled circuit. “Whereas the Center East has been globetrotting, buying prime golf professionals and prized property, they’ve neglected a treasure trove: world beginner golf,” he added.
“We imagine the world beginner market is value considerably extra — over $50 billion. That’s as a result of amateurs purchase golf holidays, purchase golf gear and attire, purchase merchandise and experiences. There are roughly 65 million amateurs worldwide — in contrast with maybe 100,000 professionals, 40 % of whom are within the US and UK.
“The UK has taken discover of our momentum for the previous yr and watched our technique unfold daily. In the meantime, many golf enterprise house owners watch from the sidelines as few pioneers create worth, whereas others battle to make ends meet.
“The golf market is extremely saturated, and world beginner golf consolidation is on the horizon. We’re on the forefront of this shift and poised to capitalise on the alternatives that lie forward.”
Russell Yeomans, the newly appointed CEO of the WPSL, brings a long time of world management expertise to the function. A former Director at KPMG, he went on to construct a $35 million government recruitment agency within the Asia-Pacific area, earlier than founding Sport2Business, the main beginner golf tour operator within the UAE.
The introduction to EPSL was facilitated by its event supervisor, Jim White, who introduced events collectively to discover synergies between the UK and UAE excursions.
“Feisal is a power of nature,” Yeomans mentioned. “He’s a person of micromanagement, engaged on particulars and programs, and he’ll solely ever delegate work to a rising workforce when he’s prepared. Who’re we to argue with him? He has confirmed his potential to create a imaginative and prescient, create worth for shoppers and enterprise house owners however execute enterprise plans and exponential progress by means of confirmed programs and processes – what he achieved by means of Xeinadin is sort of merely superb and inspirational – we’re excited a few comparable journey throughout {the golfing} panorama.
“Our involvement now with the European Gamers Tremendous League, forming the World Gamers Tremendous League, could be very thrilling. We’re amalgamating for doubtlessly a big funding from subtle traders and passionate golfers sooner or later. The secret is to create nice experiences, worth and neighborhood for passionate Beginner golfers throughout the globe – the potential is large – we’ve got no concern about that in any respect.”
His son James Yeomans, who already co-manages over 80 beginner occasions yearly within the UAE, added: “Our gamers will cross-fertilise throughout every nation’s tournaments that we purchase. I’m puzzled that organisations like LIV are targeted on slim, targeted fashions by working with an elite small variety of professionals. They’re mainly leaving all the market of amateurs — 99% of the stability — to the likes of EPSL/WPSL to go at. And we’re.”
For Nahaboo, the WPSL is the logical extension of the consolidation mannequin he used to construct Xeinadin — the accountancy group he based in 2018 and grew by means of the acquisition of 122 impartial practices throughout the UK and Eire. Named after his two eldest kids, Zein and Nadine, the agency reportedly reached a valuation of €1.1 billion inside seven years and attracted bids from main non-public fairness homes.
That very same method is now being utilized to the golf trade. Since its launch, the EPSL has gained greater than 20 million followers by means of its movie star ambassadors and constructed a YouTube subscriber base of 300,000 in simply 30 weeks. Now, with the addition of Sport2Business and a rising secure of beginner excursions throughout a number of territories, the WPSL is being positioned as a future market chief.
“We’ve constructed a league the place professionals and amateurs play collectively, on the identical programs, off the identical tees, utilizing the identical handicap system,” Nahaboo mentioned. “The cooperation between the European Gamers Tremendous League and Sport2Business, now the World Gamers Tremendous League, is doubtlessly one of the thrilling mergers in world beginner golf historical past. This deal provides an enormous lacking piece to our jigsaw puzzle.”
Whereas the EPSL has refused to touch upon hypothesis round a inventory market flotation, insiders say the organisation is actively pursuing acquisitions of beginner golf excursions throughout key worldwide markets. The potential of non-public fairness funding can also be understood to be into consideration, because the league expands its international footprint and prepares for what Nahaboo calls “high-value transactions”.
With international curiosity in golf hovering post-COVID — and memberships at prime golf equipment commanding file charges — the beginner sector seems more and more enticing to traders. Market watchers be aware that valuations for roll-up fashions in adjoining industries have reached as excessive as 12 to 13 instances EBITDA, with some seeing similarities to the Xeinadin Group’s progress trajectory. If the WPSL’s mannequin continues to carry out, comparable multiples are seen as sensible.
For now, the main target stays on growth, consolidation and making a platform that each welcomes beginner gamers and leverages their business worth. As Russell Yeomans put it: “That is just the start.”
Principal picture: Feisal Nahaboo, founding father of the European Gamers Tremendous League, has unveiled the brand new World Gamers Tremendous League following a serious merger with UAE-based Sport2Business. Credit score: Feisal Nahaboo
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