Spire Capital invested in Professional Bull Riders in April 2007. Under Spire Capital’s management, Professional Bull Riders was the leading major league sports franchise for bull riding in the world. The Professional Bull Riders was founded in 1992 by 20 accomplished bull riders who joined together and took a business risk to try and make bull riding – the most popular event in traditional rodeo – into a stand-alone sport. Each rider chipped in $1,000 to help launch his dream of someday seeing bull riders recognized as mainstream professional athletes. Professional Bull Riders has reached over 1,200 bull riders competing in more than 300 sanctioned competitions in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico. Spire Capital exited the investment in Professional Bull Riders in May 2015 to WME/IMG.
Spire Capital invested in AssetNation in March 2007. Under Spire Capital’s management, AssetNation was a leading technology provider of applications, management tools and online marketplaces for asset acquisition, utilization and disposition solutions for a variety of industries including the insurance, manufacturing, energy, retail and supply chain sectors. AssetNation combined comprehensive services, proprietary technology tools and applications and leveraged the online environment to increase transaction transparency and efficiently access a global universe of buyers. AssetNation has dramatically improved recovery results for sellers of commercial salvage goods, as well as corporate, end-of-life assets. Spire Capital exited the investment in May 2012 to Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers.
Spire Capital began its investment in Ariston Global in April 2006 followed by add-on acquisitions. Ariston Global provided technology and software solutions to numerous enterprises for their communications infrastructure. Solutions included online CRM applications, customer self-service applications, network management tools, data analytics applications and other data integration/network focused tools. Ariston Global operated under two divisions, Ventraq and NetPlus. Ventraq was partially sold to GENBAND in July 2013 and remaining product set to NetBoss in July 2014. NetPlus was sold to BIA in August 2014.
Spire Capital invested in American Community Newspapers, LLC (“ACN”) in December 2004. Under Spire Capital’s management, ACN was a leading publisher of community newspapers and operated in four attractive major U.S. markets: Minneapolis/St. Paul, Dallas/Fort Worth, Kansas City and Washington, D.C. ACN’s group of 63 daily/weekly newspapers and two specialty publications reached over 825,000 households in the suburban communities surrounding these major cities, and led circulation penetration in all of its markets. Spire Capital exited its investment in ACN in July 2007 to Courtside Acquisition Corporation.
Spire Capital invested in Sonitrol, Inc. in March 2004. Under Spire Capital’s management, Sonitrol supplied installation and monitoring of verified electronic security systems. The Company’s product offerings included intrusion and fire detection, access control, and closed circuit television systems. The Company’s national presence allowed them to service larger multi-location customers, as well as small and medium-sized businesses, through its direct and franchised operations. Spire Capital exited the investment in Sonitrol in June 2008 to Stanley Works.
Spire Capital invested in Highline Media in October 2003. Under Spire Capital’s management, Highline Media was a leading business-to-business information company serving the insurance and related financial industries. Spire Capital exited the investment in Highline Media in November 2006 to Summit Business Media.
Spire Capital invested in Patriot Media in April 2003. Under Spire Capital’s management, Patriot Media was a cable operator that focused on providing video (basic, premium, digital cable and video on demand), data (broadband Internet) and voice (VOIP) services in demographically attractive suburban areas in the United States. Spire Capital exited the investment in Patriot Media in August 2007 to Comcast Corporation.
Spire Capital invested in Nassau Broadcasting Partners, L.P. in March 2003. Nassau Broadcasting Partners, L.P., a radio broadcasting company, focused on building clusters of local radio stations in demographically attractive areas surrounding major metropolitan markets. At the time of Spire’s initial investment, Nassau owned and operated thirteen stations, six FM and seven AM, located in four markets in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The four markets: Trenton, NJ; Monmouth-Ocean, NJ; Allentown, PA; and Wilkes Barre-Scranton, PA covered approximately 3.1 million listeners. Nassau’s stations, due to their strong Class B signals, reached much further than their Arbitron footprints. As a result of this extended reach, Nassau has had considerable success selling into areas outside of its immediate markets and had reached over owning 50 radio stations.