LONDON: A consortium led by Chinese investor Chien Lee and including baseball statistics pioneer Billy Beane has taken over Barnsley, the English second-tier club announced on Tuesday.
American investors Paul Conway and Grace Hung are also investing in the Championship club from South Yorkshire in northern England.
Barnsley’s new patrons take over from Barnsley’s longstanding owner Patrick Cryne, who in September revealed he has terminal cancer.
“The club have gained English Football League approval for the change in majority shareholder and our new shareholders have now taken up their positions on the board of Barnsley Football Club,” Barnsley said in a statement.
Beane found fame by using statistical analysis to find undervalued talent — a practice known as ‘sabermetrics’ — as general manager of baseball team the Oakland A’s.
His story was told in the 2011 film “Moneyball” starring Brad Pitt.
Lee, founder and chairman of investment firm NewCity Capital, bought 80 percent of French club Nice last year.
He sits on the board at the Ligue 1 club alongside Conway, who leads Pacific Media Group along with Hung.
Lee and Conway will become co-chairmen at Barnsley, who spent one season in the Premier League in 1997-98 and currently sit 20th in England’s 24-team Championship.
“Similar to our investment in OGC Nice, we expect to further enhance the academy, playing squad, commercial operations and fan experience of Barnsley Football Club,” Conway said.
“Barnsley has some of the most passionate fans in England and we look forward to meeting many of its supporters in the upcoming weeks.”
Barnsley are the fourth Championship team to fall under Chinese control after the Midlands trio of Aston Villa, Birmingham City and league leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In the Premier League, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion — another club from the Midlands — are Chinese-owned, while Chinese consortium CMC Capital owns a 13-percent stake in Manchester City.
’Moneyball’ Beane in Chinese-led Barnsley takeover
’Moneyball’ Beane in Chinese-led Barnsley takeover
Cristiano Ronaldo buys stake in Saudi-owned second-tier Spanish club
- Brunswick Group says in a statement on Thursday that Ronaldo has bought a 25 percent share of the club that has a Saudi Arabian owner
ALMERIA: Cristiano Ronaldo has purchased a stake in Spanish second-division club Almeria, a consulting firm representing the Portuguese soccer star said on Thursday.
Brunswick Group said in a statement that Ronaldo bought a 25 percent share of the club that has a Saudi Arabian owner.
“It has been a long-time ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond the pitch. UD Almería is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth,” Ronaldo said in the statement.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner bought the stake in Almeria through his CR7 Sports Investments subsidiary, according to Brunswick Group.
Almeria has been under control of Saudi Arabian owners for over six years. Mohamed Al-Khereiji became the new owner and president of the club at in the summer of 2025 when he bought it from Turki Al Alsheikh.
“We are very pleased that Cristiano has chosen our club to invest in,” Al-Khereiji said in the statement. “He knows the Spanish leagues very well and he understands the potential of what we are building here both in terms of the team and the academy.”
The financial details were not disclosed.
Almeria did not immediately respond to an email request by the Associated Press asking for more details on the deal.
Almeria is currently in third place in Spain’s second division. It was most recently in the first division in 2023-24.
