A consortium of US-based investors has agreed to acquire Sheffield United, adding to the wave of American capital flowing into English soccer clubs.
The group includes Cleveland-based investor Steve Rosen, co-founder of Resilience Capital Partners, who has been negotiating with the club’s owner, Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, according to Bloomberg.
The deal comes amid a surge in private equity interest in soccer. PitchBook reported in August that more than a third of clubs in Europe’s “Big Five” leagues are now backed by private equity, venture capital or private debt firms, with private ownership in the 2024-2025 season rising to 41.7% from 36.7% just two years ago.
“We have seen a large inflow of US capital into European football, especially in England, in the last couple of years,” said Nicolas Moura, PitchBook’s EMEA private capital analyst.
He added that recent years have seen US investors targeting clubs outside the Premier League, opting for teams like Sheffield United, Birmingham City and Norwich City, which have faced financial struggles but retain strong histories and fanbases.
“With promotion back to the Premier League come the benefits of a substantial increase in broadcasting rights, sponsorships, merchandise sales, etc. The Premier Leagues’ broadcasting rights are significantly higher than the lower divisions,” said Kyle Walters, a PitchBook private equity analyst.
Founded in 1889, Sheffield United has a longstanding legacy, including winning the League Championship within its first decade. Prince Abdullah, who acquired a 50% stake in the club in 2013, became its sole owner in 2018 following a court dispute with former co-owner Kevin McCabe.
Sheffield United FC v Sunderland AFC - Sky Bet Championship
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