Ryan Sports Ventures Expands Global Portfolio with Strategic Investment in Black Knight Football Club
CHICAGO—September 25, 2023—Ryan Sports Ventures (Ryan Sports), the sports investment arm of the Chicago-based Ryan family, has purchased a minority stake in Black Knight Football Club (“BKFC”), which owns 100% of AFC Bournemouth of the English Premier League and is a significant minority investor in FC Lorient of France’s Ligue 1. Both clubs are owned by Black Knight Football Club, which is a partnership led by managing partner William P. Foley, II (“Bill Foley”), owner of the 2023 Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Golden Knights, and boasts Cannae Holdings, Hollywood superstar Michael B. Jordan and several other investors from the Golden Knights among its other prominent investors. BKFC’s broader strategy is to build a global, multi-club portfolio of leading football assets in various leagues and geographies with proven player development systems, deep pools of local talent, and other strategic advantages.
Ryan Sports' expansion into Black Knight Football demonstrates significant team investments by the Ryan family, who have held a minority interest in the Chicago Bears since the Eighties. This strategic investment strengthens Ryan Sports’ presence in the international sports industry and reinforces its commitment to contributing expertise and innovation to sports franchises worldwide. It also provides another marquee investor for BKFC as it continues investing in and building out its leading football asset portfolio. Although Pat Ryan, founder of Aon Insurance and current Chairman and CEO of Ryan Specialty Insurance, and Bill Foley, founder of title insurance company Fidelity National Financial, have been leaders in the insurance industry, this investment represents the first time they have directly worked together. “Pat is a visionary and cornerstone within the Insurance industry and, having worked with the team he has built at Ryan Sports Ventures, they will look to have a similar lasting impact in the sports world,” said Bill Foley. “We feel confident about the team we have built behind AFC Bournemouth and FC Lorient and are excited about our multi-club model's immediate and long-term future. Adding the Ryan Family and Ryan Sports Ventures further accelerates how far we believe we can take our football business.”
“At Ryan Sports, we back exceptional people with a proven track record of winning as part of their DNA. In investing in Black Knight Football, we are joining like-minded ownership in Bill Foley, who has demonstrated an extremely high level of sustained success in business and sports,” said Rob Ryan, managing partner of Ryan Sports. “We also intentionally built the team at Ryan Sports to include not only sophisticated investors but seasoned operators that could actively help grow each of our investments through our experience and collective networks. From our first conversation with Bill, he recognized that value and believes that there are opportunities for us to contribute our full portfolio of sports technology and content partners available to not only AFC Bournemouth and FC Lorient but all future clubs under Black Knight Football and Entertainment.”
Ryan Sports Ventures has invested behind some of the industry's top sports technology companies and founders in its second year of operation. “The people we partner with at Ryan Sports are equally as important as the company, product, or market opportunity,” said Ryan Sports partner Paul Hourigan. “As a founding partner of T-Mobile Arena during my time at Coca-Cola, I’ve witnessed first-hand the passion, intensity, and commitment to excellence that Bill brings to any project he leads. Bill and his team reflect exactly the type of people we look to partner with when we make investments, and we’re proud to join them on this journey.”
“The multi-club structure provides stability and a broader platform for Ryan Sports to deploy our sports technology and innovation. At Ryan Sports, we invest in technologies that shape the future of international football and propel the global sports industry forward,” said Ryan Sports partner Brian Kopp. “This investment furthers the mission of Ryan Sports, and by joining forces with such a strong team of owners and executives, we can help accelerate the growth of both clubs.”
About Ryan Sports Ventures (Ryan Sports):
Ryan Sports Ventures is the sports investment arm of the Chicago-based Ryan family. The Ryan family has built a broad sports portfolio for over thirty years, including interests in the Chicago Bears, Penske Corporation, and several leading sports technology funds. Ryan Sports Ventures was formed to expand the family’s investments in sports technologies, properties, and media.
The Ryan Sports team comprises seasoned operators, technologists, and brand builders with over sixty years of experience in sports. Ryan Sports invests behind exceptional leaders in businesses with large addressable markets and adds differentiated value to assist founders in reaching the next level of growth.
About Black Knight Football Club:
Black Knight Football Club’s broader strategy is to build a global, multi-club portfolio of leading football assets. Its current investments include 100% ownership of AFC Bournemouth of the English Premier League and a significant strategic investment in FC Lorient of France’s Ligue 1. As part of its strategy, BKFC will look to selectively acquire football clubs in various leagues and geographies with proven player development systems, deep pools of local talent, and other strategic advantages that will complement its teams and strengthen BKFC’s portfolio and global reach. Over time, BKFC intends to build a global network of world-class football players, clubs, and real estate assets to produce operational synergies, accelerate player development, enable efficient player migration across BKFC’s network of owned and operated clubs, and drive strong on-field and financial results.
About Foley Entertainment Group:
Established by Bill Foley in 2021, Foley Entertainment Group operates the Foley Family’s growing portfolio of entertainment properties, highlighted by the 2023 Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League, the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League, the Vegas Knight Hawks of the Indoor Football League, two community hockey facilities in the Las Vegas Valley, The Dollar Loan Center sports and entertainment venue in Henderson, NV, the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation, Hotel Les Mars and Chalkboard Restaurant in Healdsburg, CA, Farmhouse Inn and Farmhouse Restaurant in Forestville, CA, Hotel Californian and Blackbird restaurant in Santa Barbara, CA, Whitefish Mountain in Whitefish, MT, Black Walnut Inn & Vineyard in Dundee, OR, and a number of other assets. The Foley Entertainment Group is committed to providing five-star service and experiences to its fans, guests, customers, and clients.
About AFC Bournemouth:
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English professional association football club based in Kings Park, Boscombe, a suburb of Bournemouth, Dorset, England. The Club was founded in 1899 as Boscombe, and later adopted the current name in 1971. Bournemouth currently competes in the highest level of the men’s English football league system, The Premier League.
About FC Lorient:
FC Lorient is a French professional football club based in Lorient, Brittany, France. The Club was founded in 1926 and currently competes in Ligue 1, the highest level of the men’s French football league system. Lorient won the Coupe de France in 2002. FC Lorient has a successful track record of developing world-class footballers, highlighted by its robust youth academy. FC Lorient also has a leading women's section and is actively developing and promoting women's football. The Club plays its home matches at the 18,000-seat Stade Yves Allainmat (“Le Moustoir”), which hosts the famous European Celtic Festival every summer and serves as a multi-purpose venue, staging international sporting events as well as major concerts and shows.
###
Media Contact:
Lauren Renschler
William Raymond Communications
lauren@william-raymond.com
310-463-0863