December 15, 2022
Actor Michael B. Jordan Pivots Into Sports, Leads Minority Ownership Group for English Football Club
Michael B. Jordan has made a pivot into the sports industry.
As of Dec. 13, it has been confirmed that the actor, director, and producer has become a minority shareholder of the English professional association football club AFC Bournemouth.
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According to AFC Bournemouth, the Black Knight Football Club acquired the club from the former owner, Russian businessman Maxim Demin. The consortium is led by American investor Bill Foley, who is the managing general partner of Black Knight Football Club and will be fulfilling the position as chairman at Bournemouth.
“Bill and his partners are committed to providing the investment to sustain and build upon AFC Bournemouth’s recent accomplishments, which includes returning to the Premier League in 2022/23, where the Cherries have spent six of the last eight seasons,” the club said in a statement.
“I have tremendous respect for the passion and support the Bournemouth community shows for this club and believe that connection to the community is the foundation for success of any sports team,” Foley said.
“We will move forward with an ‘always advance, never retreat’ approach that has defined all of my endeavors. I am committed to work with the best football and business minds available to enhance player development, facilities, and the fan experience to put AFC Bournemouth in the best possible position to succeed,” he added.
Insider reported that Jordan leads the minority ownership group along with Nullah Sarker, while Cannae Holdings Inc. has a 50.1% interest in the club.
“AFC Bournemouth is Michael’s first foray into professional sports ownership, as he and Nullah will work closely with Bill in areas including global marketing and internationalisation of the club [sic],” the club stated.
According to sources, the Black Knight Football Club plans to break ground on a state-of-the-art training facility. Additionally, the club is working on methods to increase financial commitments to the women’s and girls’ teams.
Denim assumed full ownership of the club in 2019 after obtaining an initial stake.