Lee and consortium complete takeover of KV Ostend
KVO is pleased to provide its supporters, sponsors and partners more information on its new investors that now control our club and has provided KVO with the stability for a bright future. Our new investors include Pacific Media Group, Chien Lee, Partners Path Capital and Krishen Sud.
Pacific Media Group, led by Paul Conway and Grace Hung, is a leading investor in the entertainment industry. Chien Lee is a leading investor in the hospitality, sports and real estate industry. Partners Path Capital, led by Randy Frankel and Michael Kalt, has deep experience investing in both sports and real estate. Krishen Sud is the founder of the Sivik Healthcare Funds, a fund that invests in the healthcare industry globally.
Pacific Media Group and Chien Lee have had significant success in European football and controlled OGC Nice from 2016 to 2019. During those seasons, they completed a state-of the art €17 million academy and training center and furthered the club’s commitment to young, exciting players. The improved revenue, facilities and player investment under their leadership significantly enhanced OGC Nice’s performance on the pitch and the club qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in its history. In 2017, they led the acquisition of Barnsley Football Club and in their first full year of ownership was automatically promoted to the English Championship. In 2019, they made a significant investment in Swiss Super League club FC Thun.
The members of Partners Path Capital have significant experience in professional sports. In their time as owners and operators of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball, they turned around what had been one of the most moribund franchises in professional sports, completely revamping the commercial operation, improving the fan experience, and constructing a state-of-the-art training facility. In only three seasons, the club went from last place to its first World Series appearance, and since then has consistently been recognized as one of the best-run clubs in American sports.
Since the foundation of first VGO and then ASO, there has been football in Oostende for over 116 years. Since 1981, merger team KVO has been an important part and source of inspiration for the Ostend community and the new investors will be careful stewards of the club. KVO will be recommitted to further developing its academy and graduating more players into the first team. The club will also strengthen its squad with young and exciting players from the region while also improving the experience for supporters and sponsors.
