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Football: After positive dialogue and thorough negotiations, EfB Elite A / S, the company behind Esbjerg fB, can now announce that a US investor group will be nominated as a new majority shareholder at an extraordinary general meeting. The investor circle, which is also involved in football clubs in England, France, Switzerland and Belgium, consists of Chien Lee, Partners Path Capital, Pacific Media Group and Krishen Sud - a group that in 2020 invested in French AS Nancy Lorraine and Belgian KV Oostende.
Esbjerg fB has for a long time explored the market for new investors so that the company behind it, EfB Elite A / S, can also be competitive at the top of Danish football in the future. After many meetings and positive dialogues, it is now clear that a group of American investors will be nominated as majority shareholders with more than 50% of the share capital in EfB at the forthcoming extraordinary general meeting.
The investor circle, which is investing DKK 30 million in EfB Elite A / S, will come to Esbjerg and EfB with extensive experience from the world of football, as the group is already majority shareholders in English Barnsley FC, Belgian KV Oostende, French AS Nancy and has a capital interest in Swiss FC Thun.
Chien Lee and the Pacific Media Group, led by Paul Conway and Grace Hung, previously owned OGC Nice in France, where the club qualified for the first UEFA Champions League appearance. Partners Path Capital, represented by Randy Frankel and Michael Kalt, also has significant experience from the world of sports with ownership and operations from the Tampa Bay Rays baseball club, which is considered one of the most well-run American sports franchises. The club won the American League and participated in the World Series final in 2020 with one of the lowest budgets in the league.
At the same time, the Claus Sørensen Group will invest DKK 10 million in new share capital, just as it has been agreed that up to DKK 5.5 million can be contributed from local investors. In total, EfB Elite A / S will receive DKK 45.5 million in new share capital.
This is a capital increase, as there will be no sale of existing shares. The money therefore comes in, and works in favor of EfB.
Throughout the process, it has been important to find a major shareholder who, in addition to having respect for the values, can also further develop EfB, and Chairman of the Board Palle Guldager Kristensen is pleased to welcome the new investor circle.
- When almost a year ago we entered into an agreement with the Claus Sørensen Group on debt forgiveness at the same time as the group allocated EfB additional capital, it was also the agreement that we should try to find a new main shareholder who can help further develop EfB. We have received many inquiries from near and far, which testifies that EfB has a good reputation, and with the new American investor circle, we are convinced we have found the right partner to take the next steps, says Palle Guldager Kristensen in a press release.
- One thing is that we have secured EfB a new, financial position, but that we also get pleasure and benefit from enormous industry experience from major football countries has also weighed very highly on our list. This is an extremely professional group, and we are convinced that the modern way of thinking about the game of football will be a win for the club. It is a big day for EfB, says the chairman.
Paul Conway, spokesman for the investor community, looks forward to further developing the good foundation in EfB, and highlights the particular use of data and statistics at the strategic level as an important tool.
- We are very happy to become new, significant shareholders in EfB, which for the past 97 years has been an important part of the city of Esbjerg. EfB was attractive to us because of the impressive history, the strong academy as well as the passionate fans and sponsors. We intend to continue the style with the talented young players, and add even more Danish talent with the help of our documented data and analysis platform, he says.
The Claus Sørensen Group has been EfB's long-standing loyal support, and it is gratifying to track that an agreement has now been made with a new main investor, says CEO of Claus Sørensen Holding A / S, John Riis Andersen.
- We are happy on EfB's behalf that a new majority shareholder has now been found who, in addition to capital, comes with a great deal of knowledge about football. We announced when the process started that if we succeeded, we would deposit another nice amount to put EfB as best as possible for the coming years' development - and preferably in the Super League, where we believe the club in terms of Esbjerg size belongs, he says .
No changes are made in the day-to-day and sports management.
The precondition for the capital contribution of DKK 45.5 million in EfB Elite A / S to be implemented is that the extraordinary general meeting on Wednesday 24 February accepts the proposal with the necessary majority of votes.
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You couldn't make it up , a club one league below the richest league in the world gets feck all in investment .
I can't fathom this lot , I really can't .
Bunch of Fruitcakes .
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The poor sods.
My condolences to the fans of Esbjerg.
Any chance of paying the agreed amounts tha owes to buy Barnsley FC Conway ?
(Randy Frankel's name sounds like a German **** star)
The supposed "investment" will prove to be smoke and mirrors. What is DKK 45 million in proper money ?
Last edited by SBRed48; 05-02-2021 at 04:50 PM.
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About £5m I think
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round about 5 mill
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Conway won't invest that from his own money.Originally Posted by EastStandRed
He hasn't put in a brass farthing here.
(The removed word from Post 3 is p-orn)
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I had it at £5.3m too ESR , not a reight lot even for Denmark but £5.3m more than the feckers have put in here that I do know .
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Which sort of adds to my earlier post.
With all this network of European clubs and the appointment of now 4 European managers - you would have thought that a young European talent in the price range of Dike would have appeared at Oakwell by now.
But they haven’t.
Why is that?
Might be wrong - but I think there’s a story there.
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There's a story alright Nudge but not one you'll ever hear getting told by our ownership .
They like to remain in the background is what Spud told me via email .
Which basically converts to we don't want you know how we are planning to use other people's money that will convert in to a profit for us .
About as trustworthy as a rattle snake this lot , in my opinion .
Work on the basis that owning this club is only EVER about returning a profit to them then you'll not go far wrong .
How they manage to do that is the story not yet written .
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Does this mean another challenge and payday for Goathair.
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