After almost a decade of roller coaster riding, , has new owners. VelocitySportsPartners (VSP), the sports investment arm of ALK Capital led by Alan Pace, American businessman and owner of English club Burnley, becomes the largest shareholder of the blue and white club. The operation, valued at 130 million euros plus variables for 99.65% of the total capital, was made official this Thursday after the first payment of 65 million was validated. The signing of the documents took place this Wednesday in an office of the Rousaud Costas Durán law firm, with Pace and the current CEO Mao Ye as protagonists, although the first announcement of the change of course was communicated on July 14. Although RastarGroup leaves ownership after nine years, it does not disappear completely, as it will maintain a 16.45% stake in the parent company that it can sell in two to five years.
Dear Pericos and Periques, I am really excited to officially start this path with you. I have been very moved by your warm welcome and also see the passion you feel for this incredible club. With your support, we will be here to respect the past, drive the …
— Alan Pace (@AlanPaceBFC)
“This transition marks a new chapter for RCD Espanyol,” the club says in its official statement. “This new partnership is founded on a shared vision to build on the club’s rich legacy and its deep connection to the local community,” the note continues. The period of , which began in January 2016, was intense: 13 coaches and six sports directors in nine years, two relegations, a third about to occur and the feeling of neglect and distance from the fans. Despite significant financial investments to clean up the club, the link with the stands never came to exist.
Now, . “Football has always belonged to its people. Our role is not to replace the legacy, but to build on it, with care, clarity and purpose,” says the American in statements shared by Espanyol. His presence in Cornellà, accompanied by that of JJ Watt, a former American football player who is already a shareholder, and two of his trusted men, Antonio Dávila and Brad Spiby, shows a closer and more direct style than that of his predecessor.
A change of era on the eve of the 125th anniversary. After a promising start to the season that then deflated to ninth place, excitement is blooming again in the stands.
