There’s different type of football fans in the world. The ones that will listen to the game over the radio. The ones that watches the game at home, not missing a single game of their team and will sometimes even take a sick day to watch their team play. The ones that will buy season tickets or game tickets for every match that is played no matter where they play. These are the fans that will use any and every opportunity they get to support or even buy their favourite football club. There are a few football fans that created their own opportunities to support their favourite clubs on a next level.
In 2004, Paul and his wife Thea, won £15 million (approx. R292 billion) and invested £3 million (approx. R58 million) in the club Torquay in Devon, England. Paul was the chairman of the club and after his death in 2010 his wife remained involved and became chairperson of the club herself in 2013. She resigned in 2015 and sold her shares for just £1 (approx. R19) to leave the club in a financially stable condition. They are known as Britain’s most generous lottery winners.
Colin Weir won £161 million (approx. R3 billion) in 2011 with EuroMillions, the winning numbers were 17, 19, 38, 42, 45 and Lucky Star numbers 9 and 10. After investing £2.5 million (approx. R48 million) in the Scottish Championship club, Partick Thistle, he now owns 55% of the shares. He plans to hand out some of his shares for free to other fans in 2020.
In June 2009, another massive football fan won £45.5 million (approx. R885 million) with EuroMillions. Les Scadding was a petrol-tank driver and invested £1,25 million (approx. R24 million) in the Welsh football club Newport County and acted as chairman of the club from 2012 to 2015.
Blue Bulls Rugby Union Saved By Billionaires
It was recently announced that the new owners of the Blue Bulls Company (BBC) are 2 of South Africa’s richest men, Patrice Motsepe and Johann Rupert. Mining magnate Patrice Motsepe, a massive soccer supporter as well as the owner of the Mamelodi Sundowns has stepped in to save the Blue Bulls rugby team from their financial plight. The Blue Bulls Company was established in December 1997, but has been struggling financially for the past few years. Everyone’s excited about the investment that will inject R60 million into the company as well as R5 million a year for amateur rugby.
Before the agreement was signed between Motsepe’s private equity firm, African Rainbow Capital (ARC) and Johann Rupert’s investment holding company, Remgro, the Blue Bulls Rugby Union and Remgro each owned 50% of the BBC. After the new contract was approved the Blue Bulls Rugby Union only has 26% shares and ARC and Remgro each owns 37%.
2020 will be an exciting year for the Blue Bulls as 2 players of the World-Cup winning team will also be on the field representing them. The first kick-off for the Bulls in 2020 will be on the 31 of January as they will take on the Sharks at Jonsson Kings Park Stadium in Durban.
