Given the “new media deal and international growth prospects, the NBA is a very safe bet, particularly compared to certain Eastern European economies,” said Chuck Baker, who heads sports mergers and acquisition as a partner in DLA Piper’s Global Sports, Media and Entertainment practice.
Uralkali, Prokhorov’s main Russian asset, declined about 28 percent this year, valuing the potash miner at about $5.9 billion. That’s about $1 billion more than Prokhorov paid for his 27.8 percent stake last year. While the company’s exports are benefiting from the ruble’s plunge, it risks losing about 20 percent of its capacity because of flooding at one of its mines.
The press services of Prokhorov’s Onexim, Vekselberg’s Renova, Deripaska’s Rusal and a press representative of Usmanov all declined to comment for this story.