THE CONSORTIUM - Who are they?

So as I have recently mentioned on this board I am autistic and one of my autistic traits is the desire to know information, and know it straight away - and I often use my friend ChatGPT as my mechanism for this.

So a few weeks ago, when I learned of the Gareth Bale Consortium was interested in Plymouth, I did some research and I guess the answers apply to Cardiff

Who us the American family that carries the money behind the Gareth Bale led consortium
Journalistic reports (including as and The Sun) indicate that Bale is fronting a takeover alongside a U.S.-based private equity firm that includes the Storch family

Who are the Storch Family
David P Storch (67) - Chicago based - Largest Shareholder of the £2billion AAR Corporation
Gerald "Jerry" L Storch (68) - NewJersey - Ex CEO Toys R Us

The suggestion is that David Storch "ARISE Capital Partners" could be the vehicle behind the consortium

How Wealthy
DP Storch - $60-90m
G Storch - $30-35m - (Interests: Director of Fanatics - Worlds Largest Sports Merchandiser and Retailer)
Family & Trusts - $1.8billion

ARISE Capital Partners - 100% owned family investment firm. Filings show regular deals between $25-150m so the purchase of CCFC would be well within their normal deal capability

Who are ARISE Capital Partners
https://www.arisecp.com/



How could the purchase work - Just Hyperthetically
There is the suggestion that VT might be willing to sell for £25m on the basis that he is paid his debt of £68m
- (Is this correct??)

One option could be, in exchange for the debt, to give VT shares in the new company which could work like this:

ARISE Capital Partners - (60%)
Gareth Bale - (15%)
Vincent Tan - (25%)

Could that work
For VT he avoids the daily responsibility of the club but rather than taking a loss by taking shares with an upside that could triple or even quadruple once we are back in the EPL.

For the Consortium it would reduce up front cash. They wouldnt have to borrow £68m to repay VT and as the club prospers everyone wins.


Anyway none of this is guaranteed but I hope some of it assists.

I no expert on football finances. At all.
But this seems to me as they don’t have that much cash behind them.
Probably my naivety showing through but I would have thought you need way more to make a club a successful epl team. Or have I been bamboozled by the mega rich take overs by Saudi and ratcliffe and Ashley etc. ?

I no expert on football finances. At all.
But this seems to me as they don’t have that much cash behind them.
Probably my naivety showing through but I would have thought you need way more to make a club a successful epl team. Or have I been bamboozled by the mega rich take overs by Saudi and ratcliffe and Ashley etc. ?

I wouldn’t say that nearly 2 billion is ‘not much money behind them’

It’s certainly a lot more than VT has.

These investors always start of with a value that is usually below the owners value. They then come up with a deal to win the owner over. Paul has just described such a deal and I would imagine all other offers we have heard are of a similar nature.

It makes you wonder why did Tan turn downs Sam’s £100m upfront and £100m if we return to the Premier

Thanks Paul. Great post, as always.

What baffles me is, football clubs are renowned for not making profit. In fact, the majority are making losses and in significant debt (like us). Why would an investment firm want to buy a football club?

A billionaires toy has been the most recent trend in ownership, where they can suck up the losses etc with the hope of winning the lottery with a premiership run. Maybe they know something I don't, which is why I'm not on wall street I guess!

Well very few clubs actually make money, so must be for tax avoidance or something like that

I no expert on football finances. At all.
But this seems to me as they don’t have that much cash behind them.
Probably my naivety showing through but I would have thought you need way more to make a club a successful epl team. Or have I been bamboozled by the mega rich take overs by Saudi and ratcliffe and Ashley etc. ?

I wouldn’t say that nearly 2 billion is ‘not much money behind them’

It’s certainly a lot more than VT has.

Lol you right 2 billion is a lot.
But their wealth was up to 90£million and up to 35£million. Although I’d live that much just does seem much for a club owner. I mean is that about the wealth of thwrexham owners and they now realising how much money is needed just I. The championship.

Very interesting post.Thank you Paul

Thanks Paul. Great info as usual

No worries glad to help.

This looks to be one of those deals where the chances of the clubs value dropping is minimal with a prospective value of £400m if we do get back to the EPL

As a separate issue a Gareth Bale branded EPL club could assist the "Fanatics" brand

Thanks Paul. Great post, as always.

What baffles me is, football clubs are renowned for not making profit. In fact, the majority are making losses and in significant debt (like us). Why would an investment firm want to buy a football club?

A billionaires toy has been the most recent trend in ownership, where they can suck up the losses etc with the hope of winning the lottery with a premiership run. Maybe they know something I don't, which is why I'm not on wall street I guess!

Tan bought us for around £ 35 million. At 5% over 15 years, his investment should be worth £72 million. Sounds about right. I am not sure on the loan situation or how they'd be repaid or written off.

I read in one of the financial papers that Roman Abramovich nearly broke even during all those Chelsea excesses. He bought it for £140 mill, (£60 million price and paid £80 million of debts) and sold it for £4.25 billion. Sports is an asset that US hedge funds and asset managers believe still has a way to go.

So as I have recently mentioned on this board I am autistic and one of my autistic traits is the desire to know information, and know it straight away - and I often use my friend ChatGPT as my mechanism for this.

So a few weeks ago, when I learned of the Gareth Bale Consortium was interested in Plymouth, I did some research and I guess the answers apply to Cardiff

Who us the American family that carries the money behind the Gareth Bale led consortium
Journalistic reports (including as and The Sun) indicate that Bale is fronting a takeover alongside a U.S.-based private equity firm that includes the Storch family

Who are the Storch Family
David P Storch (67) - Chicago based - Largest Shareholder of the £2billion AAR Corporation
Gerald "Jerry" L Storch (68) - NewJersey - Ex CEO Toys R Us

The suggestion is that David Storch "ARISE Capital Partners" could be the vehicle behind the consortium

How Wealthy
DP Storch - $60-90m
G Storch - $30-35m - (Interests: Director of Fanatics - Worlds Largest Sports Merchandiser and Retailer)
Family & Trusts - $1.8billion

ARISE Capital Partners - 100% owned family investment firm. Filings show regular deals between $25-150m so the purchase of CCFC would be well within their normal deal capability

Who are ARISE Capital Partners
https://www.arisecp.com/



How could the purchase work - Just Hyperthetically
There is the suggestion that VT might be willing to sell for £25m on the basis that he is paid his debt of £68m
- (Is this correct??)

One option could be, in exchange for the debt, to give VT shares in the new company which could work like this:

ARISE Capital Partners - (60%)
Gareth Bale - (15%)
Vincent Tan - (25%)

Could that work
For VT he avoids the daily responsibility of the club but rather than taking a loss by taking shares with an upside that could triple or even quadruple once we are back in the EPL.

For the Consortium it would reduce up front cash. They wouldnt have to borrow £68m to repay VT and as the club prospers everyone wins.


Anyway none of this is guaranteed but I hope some of it assists.

One report says investers want to buy controlling interest in club which would make it palatable to tan as he's still associated with club all be it with no daily input

Yes this would make a lot of sense to me too.

I think one of the issues with Tan is that he genuinely wants to invest in football - but he doesnt know how to do it.

So it would make sense for him to keep some investment and watch how the real professionals do it and that way he recoups some of his losses.

Thanks Paul. Great post, as always.

What baffles me is, football clubs are renowned for not making profit. In fact, the majority are making losses and in significant debt (like us). Why would an investment firm want to buy a football club?

A billionaires toy has been the most recent trend in ownership, where they can suck up the losses etc with the hope of winning the lottery with a premiership run. Maybe they know something I don't, which is why I'm not on wall street I guess!

Tan bought us for around £ 35 million. At 5% over 15 years, his investment should be worth £72 million. Sounds about right. I am not sure on the loan situation or how they'd be repaid or written off.

I read in one of the financial papers that Roman Abramovich nearly broke even during all those Chelsea excesses. He bought it for £140 mill, (£60 million price and paid £80 million of debts) and sold it for £4.25 billion. Sports is an asset that US hedge funds and asset managers believe still has a way to go.

Eh?

5% what?? Have you seen our annual financial reports???

So as I have recently mentioned on this board I am autistic and one of my autistic traits is the desire to know information, and know it straight away - and I often use my friend ChatGPT as my mechanism for this.

So a few weeks ago, when I learned of the Gareth Bale Consortium was interested in Plymouth, I did some research and I guess the answers apply to Cardiff

Who us the American family that carries the money behind the Gareth Bale led consortium
Journalistic reports (including as and The Sun) indicate that Bale is fronting a takeover alongside a U.S.-based private equity firm that includes the Storch family

Who are the Storch Family
David P Storch (67) - Chicago based - Largest Shareholder of the £2billion AAR Corporation
Gerald "Jerry" L Storch (68) - NewJersey - Ex CEO Toys R Us

The suggestion is that David Storch "ARISE Capital Partners" could be the vehicle behind the consortium

How Wealthy
DP Storch - $60-90m
G Storch - $30-35m - (Interests: Director of Fanatics - Worlds Largest Sports Merchandiser and Retailer)
Family & Trusts - $1.8billion

ARISE Capital Partners - 100% owned family investment firm. Filings show regular deals between $25-150m so the purchase of CCFC would be well within their normal deal capability

Who are ARISE Capital Partners
https://www.arisecp.com/



How could the purchase work - Just Hyperthetically
There is the suggestion that VT might be willing to sell for £25m on the basis that he is paid his debt of £68m
- (Is this correct??)

One option could be, in exchange for the debt, to give VT shares in the new company which could work like this:

ARISE Capital Partners - (60%)
Gareth Bale - (15%)
Vincent Tan - (25%)

Could that work
For VT he avoids the daily responsibility of the club but rather than taking a loss by taking shares with an upside that could triple or even quadruple once we are back in the EPL.

For the Consortium it would reduce up front cash. They wouldnt have to borrow £68m to repay VT and as the club prospers everyone wins.


Anyway none of this is guaranteed but I hope some of it assists.

Gemini follow up

More on the Storch Family and ARISE Capital Partners:

David P. Storch (ARISE Capital Partners):

While ARISE Capital Partners' website doesn't explicitly list sports clubs as an industry focus, their stated strategy of partnering with "lower middle market companies" through "control investments" and "buyout of retiring or passive shareholders" absolutely fits the profile of acquiring a football club, especially one like Cardiff in League One. The equity check range of $5m-$25m also fits the general scale of what a bid for a League One club would involve, particularly if a significant portion of the deal involves taking on or converting existing debt.
David Storch's primary public profile is heavily linked to AAR Corporation, a massive aviation services company. His success there shows a track record of leading and growing substantial businesses. While not directly "sports," managing a multi-billion dollar publicly traded company requires significant financial acumen and strategic vision, which are highly transferable skills.
His board positions (e.g., Kemper Corporation) also demonstrate involvement in major financial entities. There's no public record of him personally investing in other sports clubs, but as a private equity firm, ARISE Capital Partners' portfolio wouldn't necessarily be public unless the target company is publicly traded.
Gerald "Jerry" L. Storch (Storch Advisors & Fanatics):

This is where the direct sports connection becomes much clearer, primarily through his role as a Board Member of Fanatics.
Fanatics is a giant in the sports world. They are the leading retailer of officially licensed sports merchandise globally. Beyond retail, Fanatics has expanded aggressively into:

Trading cards and collectibles: They acquired Topps' trading card business.
Sports Betting & iGaming: They launched "Fanatics Betting & Gaming" and acquired PointsBet's U.S. business, marking a significant entry into the sports gambling market.
Lifestyle & Streetwear: Acquired Mitchell & Ness.
Jerry Storch's role on the board of Fanatics gives him direct insight and experience at the highest level of global sports business, particularly in commercialization, merchandising, and fan engagement. This experience would be invaluable in running a football club, especially in areas like marketing, merchandise sales, and attracting a broader fanbase.
His background as CEO of Toys 'R' Us and Vice Chairman of Target also shows a strong track record in large-scale retail and consumer business, including e-commerce development (he founded target.com). This is relevant to modern sports clubs that increasingly rely on direct-to-consumer sales and digital presence.
Other Sports Club Investments (Direct vs. Indirect):

It's important to distinguish between direct ownership/investment in other sports clubs by the Storch family/ARISE Capital Partners and their indirect connections or general trends in sports investment.

No Publicly Known Direct Ownership: There's no widely reported news of the Storch family or ARISE Capital Partners directly owning or having a significant stake in other professional sports clubs outside of this consortium's interest in Cardiff (and previously Plymouth).
The Trend of US Private Equity in Football: What their interest does reflect is a significant and growing trend of US-based private equity and high-net-worth individuals investing in European football. This is happening for several reasons:
"Undervalued" Assets: Many US investors see European football clubs as potentially undervalued compared to US sports franchises, with significant growth potential, especially if they can apply modern business practices.
Media Rights & Global Reach: The global popularity of football and the increasing value of broadcasting rights are major attractions.
Asset Diversification: For wealthy families and private equity firms, sports clubs offer a unique asset class that can diversify their portfolios.
High-Profile Association: As seen with Bale, having a well-known figurehead adds legitimacy and excitement to the venture. Other examples include:
Luka Modric becoming an investor/co-owner of Swansea City (as mentioned in a previous search result, a very relevant comparison!)
Tom Brady having a minority stake in Birmingham City.
Various US firms like Ares Management (who invested in Chelsea, Lyon, Inter Miami) and RedBird Capital (AC Milan, Toulouse, minority stake in Liverpool FC owners FSG) are heavily involved.
Why the Storch Family Fits the Profile:

Given Jerry Storch's direct involvement with Fanatics, the family clearly has a deep understanding of the commercial side of sports. They're not just passive investors; they're involved with a company that leverages the passionate fan base for significant revenue. This would align perfectly with a strategy to revitalize Cardiff City, not just on the pitch but commercially. They would likely look at optimizing merchandising, digital engagement, and other revenue streams that might have been under-leveraged under the current ownership.

So, while we don't have a list of other "sports clubs" they own, their profile strongly indicates a deep understanding of, and financial capability for, investing in the sports industry. Their involvement suggests a serious, commercially driven approach rather than just a vanity project.

I no expert on football finances. At all.
But this seems to me as they don’t have that much cash behind them.
Probably my naivety showing through but I would have thought you need way more to make a club a successful epl team. Or have I been bamboozled by the mega rich take overs by Saudi and ratcliffe and Ashley etc. ?

I wouldn’t say that nearly 2 billion is ‘not much money behind them’

It’s certainly a lot more than VT has.

Lol you right 2 billion is a lot.
But their wealth was up to 90£million and up to 35£million. Although I’d live that much just does seem much for a club owner. I mean is that about the wealth of thwrexham owners and they now realising how much money is needed just I. The championship.

I think the personal wealth of Ryan Reynolds is somewhere just north of $350 million without taking his stake in Wrexham into account. So he could do it on his own if he really wanted to but in almost all of his business ventures he has brought on other investors once they started to grow and that has worked for him in the past.

What we need Tan to do besides fk off is to realize that we are now a Lge 1 club & worth a lot less than his over inflated price tag of 200 million pounds.

A good, informative post Paul.

Thank you