Content Partners, a major independent owner of studio films, TV, and related participations, has recently launched a new division called Content Partners Capital. This new division, led by entertainment investment banker Alphonse Lordo, aims to offer private capital for entertainment businesses and intellectual property (IP) assets.
CPC is focusing on IP-heavy business models across film, TV, and music, and will invest under various credit structures to meet the capital needs of companies in the entertainment industry. Lordo will be responsible for overseeing the origination and portfolio management of private credit opportunities, leveraging Content Partners’ decades of investing experience in the content space.
According to co-founder and CEO Steve Kram, the launch of CPC comes at a pivotal moment in the entertainment industry, offering a unique combination of capital and strategic partnership. While Content Partners has seen significant growth with its transactional IP investment strategy, the introduction of Content Partners Capital marks a new chapter in film, TV, and music sector investment by providing capital and strategic partnership to help businesses grow.
CPC’s first operation involved providing debt financing to Media Capital Technologies to support its film slate transaction with Lionsgate. Lordo, who previously served as managing director and head of entertainment at Truist Securities, explained that the rationale behind CPC was twofold. Content Partners had reached critical mass and was ready to expand into a new platform, and there was a genuine need for private capital in deals under $100 million.
Lordo highlighted the importance of private credit in filling the void left by traditional banks, which may have funding issues and regulatory pressures. He emphasized that CPC aims to provide credible private capital in the $10 million to $100 million range, focusing on partnership-oriented deals that offer monetization for IP and growth capital for various entities in the entertainment industry.
Content Partners boasts an impressive portfolio, owning the rights to or interests in over 500 films and 3,000 hours of television. Its library includes popular film titles such as “13 Going on 30,” “Black Hawk Down,” “Black Swan,” and “Hugo,” representing over $33 billion in worldwide box office revenue. In television, the firm co-owns the CSI franchise and recently acquired the entire 400-episode catalog of true-crime unscripted series Forensic Files.
Founded in 2006 by Kram and Steven Blume, Content Partners has become a global leader in acquiring film, television programming, music, and related royalties. The company purchases assets from various industry stakeholders, targeting assets that generate cash flow and have long-term distribution deals with major studios, networks, publishers, and other channels. Since its inception, Content Partners has deployed over a billion dollars in the marketplace, solidifying its position as a key player in the entertainment industry.
