The Friedkin Group (They're selling up)

[Bluebridge]

Amanda Staveley, is that the bird with the massive plastic forehead?

Yes the cat woman.

[Matt1878]

There is a real disparity between our global fanbase and social media following;

Estimated Global Fanbase
Everton 260m
Spurs 310m

Social Media Following
Everton 10-15m
Spurs 108m

https://fcbusiness.co.uk/news/top-10-pr ... t-fanbase/

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/arti ... d47d0xz00o

The Son Heung-min effect can't be overstated here, we dont have players that grow our global footprint. Should our transfer policy be considering that? I dont like the thought of that being a driver tbh. When we signed Li Tie the impact was tiny, it was an era before social media so who knows, maybe one or 2 players can transform the value of your "brand" (urgh). Our turnover in the stadium is restricted by the cost of living divide too, compared with the south and co-ownership with Roma was always going to threaten blocking us progressing, even if we somehow defied the odds.

I dont know if under SCR we will ever achieve anything again over a lasting period? It feels further away now than it did when Bill was hiding the Arteta money. I think TFG know that and I dont see someone coming in, who is allowed to change the rules of the game and let us challenge. Its crazy that the club I love can be put up for sale and I just can be so, "meh" about it, either way.

[Bluedylan1]

https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/ever ... rs-4819880

Two groups interested in Everton takeover – what it means for Moyes and transfers.

The Friedkin Group value Everton at around £800m, with at least two groups showing interest in the club after confirmation the owners are looking to sell.

A statement on Friday confirmed TFG have retained investment bank Moelis and Company to find possible buyers for the club just two years after their full takeover. While some senior figures inside Everton were left surprised by the timing of the announcement, it was hardly a shock to sources who move in the world of football takeovers.

“TFG’s intentions have been clear for a long time,” one said. Reports in September that they were open to fresh investment in the club were part of a “fishing expedition” for potential buyers that had been partially successful, they claimed.
Sources believe a consortium mainly backed by US private equity is the most likely buyer of the club. Amanda Staveley’s PCP Capital Partners have previously distanced themselves from any auction for Everton, despite coming close to buying the club in 2023.

While nothing appears to be imminent in terms of a sale, the hope is that the statement gives Everton supporters and those who work at the club “clarity” on TFG’s intentions and helps to expedite a takeover. But with some big decisions on the horizon – not least a decision on David Moyes’ future – it leaves some uncertainty at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

In short, TFG have done their sums. Twelve months ago The i Paper was told that the intention was to get Everton competing with the likes of Aston Villa and Newcastle as “best of the rest” in the Premier League. From there increased revenue from the stadium and smart recruitment would bridge the gap to the very top.

But they appear to have had an epiphany about English football and, in particular, rising transfer fees. Having invested close to £500m to put the club on a stable financial footing, there is now no great appetite to inject the same again with no guarantee that it gets them closer to Europe.
Throw in the fact that Uefa rules would prevent Everton and Roma from competing in the same European competition – with suspicions they favour the Serie A club – and Dan and Ryan Friedkin’s lack of public profile on Merseyside and it’s no great surprise this announcement has come.
Sources who know the Friedkins believe criticism of them on Merseyside after the disastrous end to the summer transfer window will have stung and will have played a part in this decision.

“They like to be popular,” one source who has worked with them told The i Paper. “They are very, very aware of what the fans are saying about them.”

It’s also a good time to attract investment according to those in the know. “There’s a lot of US private equity looking to get into the Premier League at the moment,” one top flight executive told The i Paper.
“With the new stadium, the history and the potential it really shouldn’t be difficult for Everton to find a buyer if they’re realistic about the valuation.”

It’s understood that TFG’s valuation is close to £800m – which would represent a doubling of the £400m they bought it for. The club has around £380m of long-term debt although sources stress that is on “manageable” terms and would be factored into any deal.
“Everton are in decent shape for investment. Revenue was around £200m the last set of accounts, wages to revenue is around 75-80 per cent and I’d estimate the enterprise value to be somewhere between £700-750million,” football finance expert Professor Rob Wilson told The i Paper.
“Given the history, new stadium, positioning and financial results £800m feels like a fair valuation. A trophy asset hunter would pay the top end of that – if someone is looking for a return on investment it’ll be closer to £700m.”

It is understood at least two groups have shown an interest in Everton, with US-based consortiums the most likely buyer
The i Paper understands from club sources that there has been communication with Staveley’s PCP Capital Partners in recent weeks but sources close to the former Newcastle co-owner have denied they have any intention of buying Everton given their ongoing interest in West Ham.
PCP battled TFG for control of the club when Farhad Moshiri put the Toffees on the market two years ago but ultimately decided the deal “did not make financial sense”.

Over the summer there were plenty inside the club who thought this would be Moyes’s last season at Everton. Given the friction with the club’s transfer committee over some targets – Moyes had knocked back some suggestions that he didn’t feel were the right fit for the Premier League – it felt like his days were numbered. He didn’t do any media in the close season and fan sentiment seemed to be turning against him.
Since then things have shifted considerably. Moyes handled the disappointment of the final weeks of the summer transfer window impeccably – memorably calling himself an “Evertonian” when asked whether he could empathise with fan frustration at the transfer window – and the team have made an unbeaten start to the season. He seems to be revelling in the underdog status and creating a siege mentality.
Moyes was the continuity candidate when TFG first took over, viewed as a steady hand at the tiller as the club stabilised off the pitch. Perhaps originally the idea was to find a more “progressive” coach in a few years but a potential sale means that is now a non-starter.
It feels like the chances of him staying have improved considerably. If there is no buyer before the end of the season, a short-term extension makes sense – provided Moyes is amenable to it.

TFG have signposted to the market that they want to sell so will be hoping for things to move quickly. But they made it clear in their statement that they will only sell to “parties who we strongly believe will be the right stewards to take the club forward and build on the momentum that has been established”.
A possible complication is that a number of other Premier League clubs appear to be on the market at the moment.
If a buyer can be found quickly, a deal could be wrapped up before the New Year. But that feels unrealistic.

TFG have promised to “support the club in all ways necessary to achieve success on the pitch”. But anyone hoping for big signings in January is likely to be disappointed.
Sources told The i Paper that TFG are in “phase two” of their ownership of the club – where effectively Everton needs to be run on a sustainable basis. The sale of Iliman Ndiaye was agreed to fund signings and comply with Premier League financial rules. It created financial headroom to bring in a striker – a move that ultimately fell through – so there is the possibility of at least one incoming.
But until the future of the club is resolved, big money moves seem unlikely.

[brap2]

There is a real disparity between our global fanbase and social media following;

Estimated Global Fanbase
Everton 260m
Spurs 310m

Social Media Following
Everton 10-15m
Spurs 108m

https://fcbusiness.co.uk/news/top-10-pr ... t-fanbase/

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/arti ... d47d0xz00o

The Son Heung-min effect can't be overstated here, we dont have players that grow our global footprint. Should our transfer policy be considering that? I dont like the thought of that being a driver tbh. When we signed Li Tie the impact was tiny, it was an era before social media so who knows, maybe one or 2 players can transform the value of your "brand" (urgh). Our turnover in the stadium is restricted by the cost of living divide too, compared with the south and co-ownership with Roma was always going to threaten blocking us progressing, even if we somehow defied the odds.

I dont know if under SCR we will ever achieve anything again over a lasting period? It feels further away now than it did when Bill was hiding the Arteta money. I think TFG know that and I dont see someone coming in, who is allowed to change the rules of the game and let us challenge. Its crazy that the club I love can be put up for sale and I just can be so, "meh" about it, either way.

I thought for a very long time that the shop was closed and nobody would ever do anything again.

Palace have just won a European trophy.

[TheRam]

If the rules change the same teams will still be at the top of the table.

I think football fans really need to start understanding this.

People are wanting rules changed to effectively let clubs spend what they want, which means the clubs with the biggest fanbases, largest commercial incomes, largest stadiums will still be at the top of the table.

It’s mad that people think if the rules change we’d suddenly be challenging.

We wouldn’t, neither would Villa, neither would Newcastle. If anything, clubs like us could be left behind even further.

It’s such a red herring.

There’s nothing stopping us from winning a cup every now and then and exploiting European competitions that are set up for English teams to win. That’s as high as our ceiling is in reality.

We have everything to be a massive club, but we missed the boat too many times and now we’re just midtable fodder.

[Lazarou II]

If the rules change the same teams will still be at the top of the table.

I think football fans really need to start understanding this.

People are wanting rules changed to effectively let clubs spend what they want, which means the clubs with the biggest fanbases, largest commercial incomes, largest stadiums will still be at the top of the table.

It’s mad that people think if the rules change we’d suddenly be challenging.

We wouldn’t, neither would Villa, neither would Newcastle. If anything, clubs like us could be left behind even further.

It’s such a red herring.

There’s nothing stopping us from winning a cup every now and then and exploiting European competitions that are set up for English teams to win. That’s as high as our ceiling is in reality.

We have everything to be a massive club, but we missed the boat too many times and now we’re just midtable fodder.

A bit like what has happened in F1, even though there is a spending cap the advantage has long been baked into the top four teams.

[AjaxAndy]

If the rules change the same teams will still be at the top of the table.

I think football fans really need to start understanding this.

People are wanting rules changed to effectively let clubs spend what they want, which means the clubs with the biggest fanbases, largest commercial incomes, largest stadiums will still be at the top of the table.

It’s mad that people think if the rules change we’d suddenly be challenging.

We wouldn’t, neither would Villa, neither would Newcastle. If anything, clubs like us could be left behind even further.

It’s such a red herring.

There’s nothing stopping us from winning a cup every now and then and exploiting European competitions that are set up for English teams to win. That’s as high as our ceiling is in reality.

We have everything to be a massive club, but we missed the boat too many times and now we’re just midtable fodder.

I don't see why Newcastle couldn't challenge given the wealth available to them.

[Bluebridge]

I don't see why Newcastle couldn't challenge given the wealth available to them.

About to say the same, Newcastle could blow everyone out the water if spending was uncapped.

[AjaxAndy]

My only issue with scrapping the financial rules is the crazy over inflated market becoming even more so.

I'd prefer that to the current rules, but the game has gone in terms of anyone not owned by a middle eastern state having the remotest chance of competing. Removing financial rules would probably only widen that gap... Although it would at least open it up to anyone willing to spend a few billion to have some chance of competing.

I'd much rather they capped everything. Basically every team can spend £150m on transfers a season and the same on wages. Although I suppose that opens it up to hidden transfer fees and wages.

[Evertonfc15]

The Bobble says TFG are confident of a sale this season, which makes me wonder if they've had approaches already - building on the rumours from a month or so back - which have led to this decision.

elon musk is waiting...........

[NickNack]

elon musk is waiting...........

Don’t

I’d like to remain a blue

[Shogun]

I thought for a very long time that the shop was closed and nobody would ever do anything again.

Palace have just won a European trophy.

The European St Johnstone's Paint Trophy

[Shogun]

Do people want unlimited spending? There's something between SCR and unlimited spending to be found surely?

[NickNack]

The comment about them wanting to be popular and being butt hurt when the fans rebelled about Armstrong is a bit odd. They were far more unpopular with Roma fans at one point than they’ve ever been here - and if they wanted to be popular here they could have made a small effort to engage with the club / supporters but they never did

[Cereal Killer]

Do people want unlimited spending? There's something between SCR and unlimited spending to be found surely?

Must be something they can do around all staff wages and running costs are 85% of turnover

So even if an owner fucks off or stops putting money in, a club can still pay everyone and continue operating

Then all transfer fees have to come from owners, and none of this giving the money as loans to clubs expecting it back at some point. Up to them how much they throw at it then

Massively oversimplified like