Soccer Post management acquires majority stake in Soccer Post

Soccer Post management, led by Chief Executive Officer Blake Sonnek-Schmelz, today announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Soccer Post (“Soccer Post” or the “Company”) from TZP Group (“TZP”) with the financial backing of York Capital Management’s private equity group (“York Private Equity”) and soccer specific strategic investors. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Eatontown, New Jersey, Soccer Post is the largest local-market-focused omni-channel soccer specialty retailer with over 60 store locations across the United States. Soccer Post provides a curated selection of soccer apparel, footwear, and gear to captive customers including local soccer clubs, organizations, enthusiasts, athletes and families. Through its network of local stores and its e-commerce platform, the Company serves soccer communities nationwide. Soccer Post is a trusted partner for local, regional, and national soccer organizations supporting thousands of members through its team uniform business. Leveraging its strong relationships with leading brands, Soccer Post provides curated products and elevated support to deliver exceptional value to local soccer community members.

“At Soccer Post, we are proud to have created the largest community focused soccer specialty company in the United States. We see tremendous opportunity to continue expanding our presence to serve more amazing soccer communities. In partnering with York Private Equity, we are excited to continue to elevate our best-in-class model and bring our authentic retail experience to communities across the country,” said Blake Sonnek-Schmelz.

“This is a momentous milestone with a significant number of members of management investing alongside Blake to acquire the Company. We are incredibly proud of the growth we have achieved together as a team, and we are even more excited about our future. Soccer means so much to local communities and we look forward to working closely with our partners to continue supporting the sport in our local communities throughout the United States,” said Sarah Jett, Chief Operating Officer of Soccer Post.

“TZP has thoroughly enjoyed working with the Soccer Post management team to meaningfully grow the Company through both organic growth and complementary add-on acquisitions to extend the Company’s geographic presence. Blake and team have been fantastic partners and we are excited to see them continue to build on their track record of success,” said Rodney Eshelman, Partner at TZP Group.

“Alignment of interest is integral to our approach at York Private Equity, and this is a unique situation to partner with Blake and team in their acquisition of the Company. Soccer Post has developed a highly differentiated and proven business model centered on its deep commitment to its customers, partners, and employees, and we look forward to supporting the Company’s continued growth,” said Robbie Shapiro, Managing Director at York Private Equity.

Intrepid served as financial advisor and Winston & Strawn LLP and Pierce Atwood LLP served as legal advisors to the Company. Paul Hastings LLP served as legal counsel to York Private Equity.

About Soccer Post

Headquartered in New Jersey and founded in 1979, Soccer Post is the largest local-market-focused omni-channel soccer specialty retailer with over 60 store locations in the United States. Soccer Post has established itself as the go-to destination for soccer families and is one of the leading national omnichannel specialty retailers, with a curated collection of soccer apparel, footwear, and accessories for enthusiasts, clubs, athletes, and families across the United States. Soccer Post’s mission is to provide an authentic soccer retail experience to soccer communities in every market it serves. For more information, please visit www.soccerpost.com.

About York Private Equity

York Private Equity, the private investing arm of York Capital Management, primarily targets control investments in middle-market businesses. Since inception in 2008, York Private Equity’s middle-market strategy has completed over 50 investments with aggregate transaction value in excess of $4 billion. York Private Equity has 13 dedicated team members. For more information, please visit yorkcapitalpe.com.

About TZP Group

TZP Group, a multi-strategy investment firm managing approximately $2 billion across its family of funds, is focused on control, growth equity, and structured capital investments in technology, business services, and consumer companies. Founded in 2007, TZP targets companies with solid historical performance and sustainable value propositions and aims to be a “Partner of Choice” for business owners and management teams. TZP seeks to invest primarily in closely held, private companies in which the owners desire to retain a significant stake and partner with an investor with complementary operating and financial skills to accelerate company growth, increase profitability, and maximize the value of their retained stake. TZP leverages its investment professionals’ operating and investment experience to provide strategic and operational guidance and is dedicated to long-term value creation. For more information, please visit www.tzpgroup.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250219836121/en/