Montreal-based live sports streaming provider LiveBarn has agreed to be acquired by U.S. private equity firm GTCR in a transaction valued at about US$400 million, according to multiple reports. The deal would transfer control of one of the sector’s largest amateur and youth sports broadcast platforms to the Chicago-area investment firm, part of a broader wave of consolidation as financial sponsors invest heavily in technology and services for youth athletics. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals, including from federal ministers in Canada.

LiveBarn operates a network of automated broadcast systems installed in thousands of sports facilities across the United States and Canada, enabling livestream and on-demand viewing of hockey, basketball, soccer and other amateur sports through subscription services. The company’s technology is designed both to connect families and supporters with events they cannot attend in person and to provide coaches and players with video for review and performance analysis.

The youth sports technology sector has attracted sustained interest from institutional capital as firms seek scalable platforms in a fragmented market that analysts value in the tens of billions annually. 

LiveBarn’s footprint extends into Canada, with community and club accounts indicating its streaming technology has been used at events in smaller centres across east-central Alberta, including games hosted in Stettler, Castor, Coronation and Forestburg. In these communities, participants and families have relied on the platform to watch live and archived games when travel or in-person attendance was not possible, reflecting the growing reach of the service in rural venues.

Industry observers note that the LiveBarn transaction underscores the increasing financialization of youth sports media and infrastructure, as private equity firms pursue assets that blend technology, recurring revenue and engagement from families and local sports communities. The acquisition places LiveBarn alongside other portfolio companies backed by major investors as the sector continues to evolve.