As media corporations and massive expertise companies vie for sports activities viewers, buyers have begun to look past the normal avenues to groups and sports activities that only some years in the past had low profiles in the US.

The most recent deal, for a fifth-rated Method 1 workforce owned by one in all France’s largest vehicle corporations, includes the actor Ryan Reynolds and his funding agency, Most Effort Investments, in addition to the non-public fairness agency RedBird Capital Companions and its investing associate Otro Capital. They’re shopping for a 24 % stake within the Alpine F1 Group owned by the Renault Group. The buyers are paying about 200 million euros ($218 million) for the stake, valuing the workforce at roughly $900 million.

Method 1 has jumped in recognition in the US since its sale to Liberty Media in 2017. The Netflix documentary “Drive to Survive” attracted new consideration to the game, and attendance has skyrocketed because it has expanded to cities like Las Vegas and Miami.

For Renault, the Alpine deal is aimed toward elevating the visibility of its Alpine electrical automobile line, because it pushes to have greater than half its gross sales in E.V.s by 2030. In a information launch, Renault’s chief government, Luca de Meo, stated the deal would enhance the worth of the Alpine F1 model.

Laurent Rossi, the chief government of Alpine, stated within the information launch that the corporate would make investments further cash within the workforce because it appeared to rise within the rankings.

The Alpine deal got here collectively over the previous 18 months, Alec Scheiner, the pinnacle of Otro Capital, stated in an interview. As a part of the deal, he’ll be part of Alpine’s board.

“They checked out us like, ‘Perhaps you’ll be able to assist us throughout the verticals the place you’ve had success within the U.S. — ticketing, hospitality, sponsorship, licensing, merchandising, content material,’” Mr. Scheiner stated.

Mr. Scheiner, previously a associate at RedBird Capital, labored as a vice chairman of the Nationwide Soccer League’s Dallas Cowboys and later ran enterprise operations for the Cleveland Browns. The deal is the primary for Otro, which spun out of RedBird to lift cash completely for sports-focused offers.

RedBird, based by Gerry Cardinale, has taken stakes in Fenway Sports activities Group, the Yankees’ YES Community, the Italian soccer workforce A.C. Milan and the manufacturing firm began by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. In 2021, it paid $37.5 million for a stake in Rajasthan Royals, the Indian Premier League cricket workforce. Final yr, Indian cricket broadcasting rights offered for a report worth, cementing the league’s place among the many world’s most respected sports activities properties.

Most Effort, which has additionally invested in Aviation Gin and the Welsh soccer workforce Wrexham A.F.C., didn’t disclose the dimensions of its funding. Different buyers embody the actor Michael B. Jordan and Rob McElhenney, a co-owner of Wrexham A.F.C.