Brighton & Hove Albion owner-chairman Tony Bloom has bought a 19.1% stake in Australian A League club Melbourne Victory.
The deal, which also allows Bloom to increase his ownership stake in the future, widens his football portfolio to four clubs.
Bloom bought Belgian Pro League side Union Saint-Gilloise in 2018 with close friend and business associate Alex Muzio.
He reduced his stake to 25 per cent in the summer of 2023 to comply with UEFA rules on multi-club ownership after Brighton and USG qualified via their domestic league campaigns to play in the Europa League in 2023-24.
In November, Scottish Premiership club Hearts confirmed a deal with Jamestown Analytics, Bloom’s football and cricket data recruitment specialists, to aid the club’s player recruitment and analysis of opponents.
Bloom is in ongoing talks with Hearts over an investment deal worth up to £10 million ($12.9m).
Why Melbourne?
Bloom’s wife, Linda, is Australian. They spend time in her homeland with their two children every year.
Melbourne also fit Bloom’s model of acquiring an interest in clubs with a rich history and scope for growth. The four-time A League champions posted a loss of £4.8m ($6.2m) in 2023-24. Brighton recently announced a £73.3m ($94.9m) profit over the same period, on top of a Premier League record profit of £122.8m ($158.9m) in 2022-23.
Victory announced last week that they are no longer owned by A-Cap. The US insurance firm took control last year of the assets on 777, the Miami-based investment company that made a failed attempt to add Everton to its portfolio of football clubs in 2023.
What does it mean for Brighton?
Bloom’s involvements in other clubs are personal arrangements which have no impact on his ongoing commitment to Brighton.
The lifelong fan has invested more than £400million ($517.8m) of his personal fortune to transform the club from a third-tier side playing at a converted athletics track (Withdean Stadium) when he took over in 2009 into a Premier League force at the 32,000-seater Amex Stadium, which opened in 2011.
What has Bloom said?
Speaking on Victory’s website, Bloom said: “My investment reflects my confidence in the club’s vision and leadership and I see tremendous potential in the club for further success and growth both on and off the pitch.”
John Dovaston, Victory’s chairman, said: “While the investment is independent of Tony’s other footballing interests, we are confident that being able to leverage Tony’s network at Brighton and beyond will help propel Melbourne Victory forward with a further strengthened capital base.”
(GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
