Football Benchmark team spins off from KPMG as ACE Advisory

After more than 20 years of operation in a Big Four environment, KPMG’s global sports advisory centre of excellence has spun off as an independent firm. Rebranded as ACE Advisory, the firm will offer a range of sport advisory services, while continuing its best known service: the Football Benchmark.

The globally renowned Football Benchmark brand has become an ever-present fixture of the sports media over the years – regularly being consulted by television pundits on with regards to many of the game’s biggest stories.

In recent years, the Football Benchmark has released financial analyses of both the arrival and departure of Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus, routinely examined the huge impacts the pandemic had on soccer’s top table, and the booming cost of fandom in modern sport.

Now, following a management buyout of KPMG’s global sports advisory centre of excellence, Football Benchmark will become one of the core products of the newly launched ACE Advisory.

Led by Andrea Sartori, former Global Head of Sports at KPMG, ACE Advisory will deliver the same services and insights around the business of football and sports.

Speaking on the move, ACE Advisory Founder and CEO Sartori took to LinkedIn to comment, “Goodbye KPMG. It has been a wonderful journey of 27-year and five months.”

“The passion for my profession has always been a major driver of my life. I take this opportunity to thank the many wonderful colleagues and clients I have met over the years, for sharing their knowledge and experience with me, and for the time (mostly fun) spent together. A new chapter of my professional life has just started.”

Alongside the digital data and analytics platform of Football Benchmark, ACE Advisory will offer a broad portfolio of services in other sports, especially those that require major infrastructure investment like golf, winter sports and motor sports, and in esports.

Having undertaken over 300 sports and leisure-related advisory projects in more than 35 countries, the company’s professionals have unique competences and credentials also in the lifestyle real estate and leisure sectors, as well.

Due to this previous work, the group also starts life as an independent with a substantial international client base, including top European football clubs, sport organisations, governing bodies, rights holders, investors and sponsors.