Bournemouth Owner: Who Owns Bournemouth football club?

AFC Bournemouth stands as one of the oldest and most historic clubs in the football world. Initially, the club competed in local football leagues before moving from the Hampshire League to the Southern League. Commonly known as ‘The Cherries’, AFC Bournemouth won EFL (Level 2) in 2014-15 & Third Division/ League One in 1986-87. The club has gone through various transformations over the years, not just on the pitch but in ownership as well.

Throughout its 126-year-long lifespan, there have been several lineages of owners and chairpersons that ensured the progression and smooth running of the club. During the early days, clubs used to rely heavily on the commitment of local businessmen and passionate supporters to buy the essentials needs of players like shoes, kits, and necessities.

That said, in this article, we will briefly summarize the history of the owners of AFC Bournemouth and how the club has fared in their hands.

Background

Let’s start by taking a look at the club’s brief history and accomplishments throughout its history. The club became a member of the Football League in 1923 after playing in the third division for five straight decades from 1923-24 to 1969-70 season and spent 8 seasons in the fourth division. Bournemouth struggled at the beginning under the management of cult hero Max Houchin but eventually established itself as a Third-Division club. Bournemouth had to wait long before winning their first-ever trophy after the Second World War, Bournemouth defeated Walsall in the Third Division (South) Cup at Stamford Bridge.

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As a result of their years of achievement and success, they are valued at $145 million and ranked last in the list of team valuations. However, things have drastically gone downhill with a series of changes in players, coaches, and staff due to disappointing seasons and rankings. But how much of the blame falls on the shoulders of the owners of AFC Bournemouth? Let’s find out.

The club is based in Bournemouth and shares historic rivalries with its fellow clubs Leeds United and Brighton and Hove Albion in English football. Over the years, Bournemouth has been home to some of the best players such as George Best, Dominic Solanke, Simon Francis, Ryan Christie, Nathan Ake, and Ryan Fraser have worn the jersey to play for the club.

List of AFC Bournemouth’s Silverware and Titles:

Title	Year
Third Division South Cup	1945-46
Associate Members’ Cup/ Football League Trophy	1983-84
Division Two (Second tier)	2014-15
Division Two (Third tier)	1986-87

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AFC Bournemouth Ownership History

There have been many owners of AFC Bournemouth throughout the course of its existence. At first, it was known as St. John’s Institute Football Club but in 1899 the club was renamed to AFC Bournemouth. The turning point for AFC Bournemouth came in the late 2000s when Eddie Mitchell acquired the majority shares to control the club and came up with a vision for a brighter future for the club. Eddie Howe had a deep understanding of the club’s culture and values, he implemented strategies that laid the foundation for the club’s impressive rise in the future. Under the management of Eddie Howe and Chairman Eddie Mitchell, the club has gone through a huge change, and after decades of struggle and hard work, they managed to enter the Premier League First Division after winning the Championship in 2014-15. They remained at the bottom half of the table for four straight seasons before relegating to the Second Division in 2020.

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In 2013, the club made a significant step in welcoming Maxim Demin, who bought decisive shares of the club and led to numerous changes in the coaching staff and players. After the departure of Demin, an American businessman Bill Foley acquired the club. Bill Foley came with a fresh perspective and vision alongside an ambitious plan for the club. After two seasons in the second division, they made a comeback in 2022 by winning the Championship and managed to hold their place in the Premier League till now.

Owners	Period
Eddie Mitchell	2009-2013
Maxim Demin	2011-2022
Bill Foley and the Black Knight Football Club	2022-present

Bill Foley and the Black Knight Football Club Ownership Reigns at Bournemouth

The current AFC Bournemouth owner is an American businessman Bill Foley and a group of investors acquired a deal to purchase the Premier League football club. With a net worth estimated to be around US$1.6 billion according to Forbes as of 2023. It is known that he and the Black Knight Football and Entertainment owns the majority ownership of the club and came up with an ambitious plan to see the club compete in Europe within five years. Hollywood superstar Michael B Jordan also owns a minority ownership group in the club alongside Nullah Sarker, founder of Kosmos.

Since acquiring the club, American businessman has been a key figure in running the club bringing in hefty financial deals and building strategies for the football operations. The American businessman is been largely credited for the construction of the training center and plans to expand the Vitality Stadium soon. Not only that but his administrative skills have helped them remain in the Premier League top division.

Bournemouth chairman has made many key decisions for the betterment of the club like building a partnership with Lorient, a Ligue 1 club, to promote players between his two clubs and raising the need to expand the fan base to make games more diverse by bringing in young women and people to enjoy the game. He Okiesset out to promote and develop club graduates and the current roster, Bill hasn’t been very active in the transfer market since acquiring the club. The club did smash their transfer record by signing Brazilian striker Evanilson from Porto worth more than £40 million to replace last season’s top scorer Dominic Solanke, who joined Tottenham Hotspur for £65 million.

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